ahiggins

I have taken out the sock with the used gravel in it, and have been adding flakes. I am not getting any reading on ammonia, nitrite or nitrate. Did I take it out too soon or is it just too soon to be testing the levels?

Speedy

Hello ahiggins
Has the tank only been up for two days? Have you added anything else to the water besides cycle and a water conditioner? What kind of water conditioner are you using? I like to use the fish food method when cycling a tank. How I do this is put a pinch of flake food in every 12 hrs. Fill the tank a little over half full with lots of air bubbles going and of course with everything else running the filter and heater ect. A temp of about 83 and it should cycle in about 3 weeks or so give or take a few weeks. Do not do any water changes until the cycle is complete. When it is complete you will have zero ammonia and zero nitrites and don't fully stock the aquarium right away add one or two fish every week or two it depends on what kind of fish and how big there are. To get the cycle started along with the fish food I use bio-zyme for seven days then just fish food after that until it is cycled. If the fish food gets to nasty just dip some of it out with a net and if you get white stuff on the glass just clean it off with a algae scrubber. Good luck

jdhef

You should leave the used gravel in until the tank finishes cycling.