10 gallon tank cycling

HELP!!! how do I know if my tank has started the cycle? Does ammonia first pop up?? I have apI freshwater test kit too, I have 2 platies in there

HELP!!! how do I know if my tank has started the cycle? Does ammonia first pop up?? I have apI freshwater test kit too, I have 2 platies in there,10 gallon tank, what do I need to buy? I have the stress coat, the kordon nova aqua plus as the water conditioner and the kordon amquel ammonia remover but I didnt use it

 

Hi, welcome to fishlore

How long have you had the platies? Did you add a bacterial additive like TSS+ Tetra Safe Start Plus or Seachem Stability? What is the ammonia in your tank? Any nitrites?

 

Hmmm...I thought the tank didn't have any fish in it.

The cycle starts as soon as you put fish in a tank full of water. The fish release ammonia into the water. Over the course of several weeks as ammonia starts building in the tank a bacteria will grow in your filter media that consumes the ammonia and converts it into nitrites. Then after several weeks with increasing nitrites a second bacteria grows in your filter media that converts the nitrites into nitrates.

Once you have a large enough colony of those two bacteria your ammonia and nitrite levels will both be 0ppm and your nitrate levels will rise.

But your fish will most likely die waiting for those two bacteria to grow. So that is where a product like Tetra SafeStart comes in. It is actually a bottle of those two bacteria. But it doesn't work instantly. You need to give it 14 days to fully cycle a tank. But Tetra recommend one or two small fish per 10 gallons, so you are quite a bit overstocked, so there is a greater chance of the SafeStart failing since too much ammonia can overwhelm and kill of the bacteria.

If your not using a product like SafeStart, you need to perform daily water changes with Prime until the tank cycles. You'll want to do large enough water changes to keep the ammonia (and later nitrite) levels under 1ppm at all times so that the Prime fully detoxes them.

 

Platies are too big for a 10 gallon especially since they are big poopers! What kind of filtration do you have? You want the nitrate, nitrite, and ammonia to be 0. Here is the list of all and only fish that can be in a 10 gallon: https://www.fishlore.com/aquariumfishforum/threads/stocking-list-for-10-gallons.207629/ . If you can't find the fish on the list I suggest don't put it in your aquarium. I recommend you return the platies.

 

Platies are too big for a 10 gallon especially since they are big poopers! What kind of filtration do you have? You want the nitrate, nitrite, and ammonia to be 0. Here is the list of all and only fish that can be in a 10 gallon: https://www.fishlore.com/aquariumfishforum/threads/stocking-list-for-10-gallons.207629/ . If you can't find the fish on the list I suggest don't put it in your aquarium. I recommend you return the platies.

Getting the nitrates down to 0 is tough. Anywhere below 20 ppm is okay




The nitrogen cycle is what converts fish waste to a less toxic nitrogen compound. Basically, in short, bacteria turns ammonia into nitrite, which is converted to nitrate, which is removed by water changes and plants.

You'll know your cycle has started once the water parameters spike. It'll be done when the ammonia is safe

 

Hi, welcome to fishlore

How long have you had the platies? Did you add a bacterial additive like TSS+ Tetra Safe Start Plus or Seachem Stability? What is the ammonia in your tank? Any nitrites?

ive had my platies for 2 days but I returned them, I don't have ang bacterial additive, the ammonia is between 1.0- 2.0. do I need to do a water change? is it to high? no nitrites

Platies are too big for a 10 gallon especially since they are big poopers! What kind of filtration do you have? You want the nitrate, nitrite, and ammonia to be 0. Here is the list of all and only fish that can be in a 10 gallon: https://www.fishlore.com/aquariumfishforum/threads/stocking-list-for-10-gallons.207629/ . If you can't find the fish on the list I suggest don't put it in your aquarium. I recommend you return the platies.

I have the penn plax cascade 150 power filter and yes I have returned them. but whAt are good tropical fish for a 10 gallon? are guppies good?

 

cycling

can I add more dechlorinated water while my tank is cycling?

 

Yes just make sure it dechlorinated before and has time to sit.

Also if there are no fish their is no need to do a water change.

Also if you want a good number of fish in a small tank you could get least killifish their technically not killis but rather the smallest live bearers in the world so far. Like to shaol together so they mildly argue from time to time.

 

Yes just make sure it dechlorinated before and has time to sit.

Also if there are no fish their is no need to do a water change.

Also if you want a good number of fish in a small tank you could get least killifish their technically not killis but rather the smallest live bearers in the world so far. Like to shaol together so they mildly argue from time to time.

btw, do the beneficial bacteria eat ammonium? or just ammonia? or are they the same?

 

They eat both. If you're going to put fish back in to cycle then yes, you'll want to do a 90% water change, get the ammonia to 0, then add water, dechlorinate and heat. 24 hours later you can add in a couple of small fish like guppies and a bottle of Tetra Safe Start Plus (startup bottle). Do nothing other than feed sparingly for a couple of weeks, small amount once a day. After that slowly add your other fish, a couple a week until you're stocked where you want to be.

Did you look through this list? Tons of options.
https://www.fishlore.com/aquariumfishforum/threads/stocking-list-for-10-gallons.207629/

 

Yeah I already gave the list. Can you order fish online? If you can their are many good stores that sell nano fish such as and

 

They eat both. If you're going to put fish back in to cycle then yes, you'll want to do a 90% water change, get the ammonia to 0, then add water, dechlorinate and heat. 24 hours later you can add in a couple of small fish like guppies and a bottle of Tetra Safe Start Plus (startup bottle). Do nothing other than feed sparingly for a couple of weeks, small amount once a day. After that slowly add your other fish, a couple a week until you're stocked where you want to be.

Did you look through this list? Tons of options.
https://www.fishlore.com/aquariumfishforum/threads/stocking-list-for-10-gallons.207629/

but if I do a 90% water change and remove all the ammonia, won't I kill the beneficial bacteria because they don't have food (ammonia)?

 

At this point you won't have much, if any beneficial bacteria yet. What you do have started will be on your filter media, not in your water. I wrote that assuming you would rather cycle with a couple of small fish. If you'd rather cycle fishless then you'll need to purchase an ammonia source like pure ammonia like at ace hardware to continue on.