First Fish Tank Cycle

So I just started my cycle on the 4th of August. And these are my results from testing my water today. I tested before I put stability in and decide to not put prime because it gets rid of ammonia for 24 hours. How do my results look ?

My ph was a 7.6 but I decide to try a high ph range to see if it was actually higher but it doesn’t seem to match up to 7.4 high ph range

 

Fish in or fishless? It's hard to tell what your results are based on the picture. Prime doesn't get rid of ammonia, it just makes it safe for fish.

 

could you gives us the readings please? It is hard to match the colours of the test tubes against the dark background of the rug.

 

It’s hard to see the colors because it’s up against the dark carpet. I recommend looking at the results under bright light, and on a white background. What are you seeing the results as, my guess is all zero? If that’s the case the cycle hasn’t started. What are you doing to cycle the tank

 

Fish in or fishless? It's hard to tell what your results are based on the picture. Prime doesn't get rid of ammonia, it just makes it safe for fish.

I was doing a fishless but I got persuaded into a fish in just a couple hours ago. I bought two sunburst mollys

It’s hard to see the colors because it’s up against the dark carpet. I recommend looking at the results under bright light, and on a white background. What are you seeing the results as, my guess is all zero? If that’s the case the cycle hasn’t started. What are you doing to cycle the tank

Ph was a 7.4 ,ammonia was a .25ppm , nitrite was a 0 and nitrate was a 0

 

I was doing a fishless but I got persuaded into a fish in just a couple hours ago. I bought two sunburst mollys

Okay, so you want to start using prime. It will keep the water safe for the fish. Don't let ammonia or nitrites get over 1 ppm, if they do, do a water change to get them back down.

 

could you gives us the readings please? It is hard to match the colours of the test tubes against the dark background of the rug.

Ph was a 7.6 ammonia was a .25 nitrite was a 0 and nitrate was a 0

Okay, so you want to start using prime. It will keep the water safe for the fish. Don't let ammonia or nitrites get over 1 ppm, if they do, do a water change to get them back down.

Okay are my results looking fine so far ?

 

They're fine: they indicate that the cycle hasn't started yet.

 

Okay are my results looking fine so far ?

Yes but dose Prime for the amount of the tank now so that it detoxifies the ammonia/

 

Ph was a 7.4 ,ammonia was a .25ppm , nitrite was a 0 and nitrate was a 0

With zero nitrite and zero nitrate your tank hasn’t begun cycling. Your tank is cycled when any ammonia introduced is reduced to zero with in a few hours to one day , and nitrites is reduced to zero and you have nitrates present. Ammonia is converted to nitrite, nitrite is converted to nitrate. When you were doing the fishless cycle what were you doing?

 

With zero nitrite and zero nitrate your tank hasn’t begun cycling. Your tank is cycled when any ammonia introduced is reduced to zero , and nitrites is reduced to zero and you have nitrates present. Ammonia is converted to nitrite, nitrite is converted to nitrate. When you were doing the fish less cycle what were you doing?

I was adding stability daily nothing else just letting everything run

Yes but dose Prime for the amount of the tank now so that it detoxifies the ammonia/

How many mL should I use for a 20 gallon tank ?

 

I was adding stability daily nothing else just letting everything run

Stability doesn't really do anything. You just now started your cycle by adding fish. You would have to add a source of ammonia for the fish less cycle to happen.

How many mL should I use for a 20 gallon tank ?

I have no idea lol. It should say on the bottle I believe

 

Stability doesn't really do anything. You just now started your cycle by adding fish. You would have to add a source of ammonia for the fish less cycle to happen.

So I was prettying much doing nothing these past 4 days ?

 

So I was prettying much doing nothing these past 4 days ?

Yes, you were adding bacteria but it didn't have anything to feed on so it couldn't establish.

 

Yes, you were adding bacteria but it didn't have anything to feed on so it couldn't establish.

So what should I do now just keep monitoring my levels?

 

So what should I do now just keep monitoring my levels?

Yes, check your levels everyday. If your ammonia and nitrite levels are below 1 ppm then you will just dose prime for the entire volume of the tank every 24 hours. If your ammonia and nitrite levels are above 1 ppm, you want to do a water change to get them below 1 ppm and dose prime for the entire tank volume. When you have 0 ppm ammonia and nitrites with nitrates appearing, you are cycled. Also check your nitrate levels and do a water change if they get above 20 ppm.

 

Yes, check your levels everyday. If your ammonia and nitrite levels are below 1 ppm then you will just dose prime for the entire volume of the tank every 24 hours. If your ammonia and nitrite levels are above 1 ppm, you want to do a water change to get them below 1 ppm and dose prime for the entire tank volume. When you have 0 ppm ammonia and nitrites with nitrates appearing, you are cycled. Also check your nitrate levels and do a water change if they get above 20 ppm.

Should I ask a friend or look around for a already used to filter to help with the process or is that useless now ?

 

Should I ask a friend or look around for a already used to filter to help with the process or is that useless now ?

You can, it will help jump start the cycle. But you want to make sure it's from a healthy tank

 

Should I ask a friend or look around for a already used to filter to help with the process or is that useless now ?

That can definitely help. But be aware that sharing anything between tanks is one way in which parasites and infectious bacteria can be transferred.

It'd be a good idea to ask whether any fish have recently died or there are any ill fish.

 

As far as I am aware, Adding stability and nothing else doesn’t really do anything. You need a ammonia source, now that you have an ammonia source, fish, I would dose stability per instructions

 

That can definitely help. But be aware that sharing anything between actions is one way in which parasites and infectious bacteria can be transferred.

It'd be a good idea to ask whether any fish have recently died or there are any ill fish.

Do you guys know of any stores or places where I can get filter media or some water from an already cycled filter getting cleaned or rocks?

As far as I am aware, Adding stability and nothing else doesn’t really do anything. You need a ammonia source

Well I guess I’ll have that now that I started a fish in cycle

 

Do you guys know of any stores or places where I can get filter media or some water from an already cycled filter getting cleaned or rocks?

Filter media is really the only thing that would help with jump starting it. I wouldn't trust any store for that though. You can add stability I believe and see if it helps

 

Filter media is really the only thing that would help with jump starting it. I wouldn't trust any store for that though. You can add stability I believe and see if it helps

Should I test the persons water before I take some of their filter media ?

 

Should I test the persons water before I take some of their filter media ?

It's not so much of that, it's that the fish could have diseases, parasites, etc. in that tank. It could be transferred by filter media. You don't want to introduce something like that into your tank

 

Should I test the persons water before I take some of their filter media ?

Testing their water won’t tell you much if anything at all except that their tank is cycled. What you need to be concerned about is if they have any sick fish

 

It's not so much of that, it's that the fish could have diseases, parasites, etc. in that tank. It could be transferred by filter media. You don't want to introduce something like that into your tank

Okay thanks for all the help I’ll update this thread if anything new happens

Testing their water won’t tell you much if anything at all except that their tank is cycled. What you need to be concerned about is if they have any sick fish

Okay so ask them if any fish have gotten sick or died recently and inspect all current fish for any sickness’s

 

Okay when I woke up this morning I went straight to my tank to test the water and here are the results Ammonia is now a .5 Nitrite is still 0 and so is nitrate

 

Okay when I woke up this morning I went straight to my tank to test the water and here are the results Ammonia is now a .5 Nitrite is still 0 and so is nitrate

You're in the process of cycling! Have you added prime yet?

 

I don't recall, do you have prime, if you do dose the entire tank with prime. probably by tomorrow you will need to do a water change to keep ammonia below 1, prime can detoxify ammonia up to 1 for 24 hours. Do NOT touch the filter if you change anything with the filter while cycling it will destroy your cycle.

 

I was adding stability daily nothing else just letting everything run


How many mL should I use for a 20 gallon tank ?

Prime is dosed 1ml/ 10 gallons, it is very concentrated. For a 20 gallon tank dose 2ml or to the second line on the cap.

 

You're in the process of cycling! Have you added prime yet?

Not yet should I add it and stability ?

But I do have a question if one of you guys could help me on this. My platys around 65% of the time are hiding under the heater is it because I have nothing else in my tank for them to hide behind or is something wrong ?

 

Not yet should I add it and stability ?

YES! Add enough prime for the entire tank volume. They could be hiding if you don't have other hides, it could be part of the ammonia in the tank that is toxic to them.

 

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YES! Add enough prime for the entire tank volume. They could be hiding if you don't have other hides, it could be part of the ammonia in the tank that is toxic to them.

Okay and do you think I should add another platy for the same store or just leave it at 2 ?

 

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Okay and do you think I should add another platy for the same store or just leave it at 2 ?

Leave it for now until you're cycled. What size is your tank?

 

Leave it for now until you're cycled. What size is your tank?

It’s a 20 with two male platys

 

It’s a 20

I don't know much about platies. You can probably add another but wait until it's cycled

 

It’s a 20

I don't know much about platies. You can probably add another but wait until it's cycled

even if it’s two males they usually just chase eachother and I heard you shouldn’t have just two males

 

even if it’s two males they usually just chase eachother and I heard you shouldn’t have just two males

I'm not sure. BottomDweller do you have info?

 

I'm not sure. BottomDweller do you have info?

Should I just take a chance and add one more ?

 

Should I just take a chance and add one more ?

Not until your done cycling for sure.