10 Gallon Tank I just started the cycling process…Questions?

Are you doing a fish in cycle, fishless cycle or was your tank cycled and you had a sudden ammonia or nitrite spike?: Fishless cycle

Tank
What is the water volume of the tank?: 10g
What type of water are you using in your tank? (tap, well, RO/DI, other): tap
When did you start cycling the tank?: march 27
What type of filtration are you running on this tank? (sponge, HOB, canister, other): HOB
If canister or HOB list all the media you are running in it. (manufactured cartridges, sponge, etc.): large whisper bio filter cartridge
Do you have good water agitation/surface movement?: I believe so as my water is not filled to the top and the filter has a strong flow to create water movement at the surface
What is the water temperature?: 76°

Products used while cycling
If this is a fishless cycle what ammonia source are you using? (fish food, Dr Tim’s ammonia, other): fritz ammonia (powder)
If adding liquid ammonia how often do you dose ammonia in your tank and in what quantity? (1ppm, 2ppm etc.): N/A
If using fish food as your ammonia source how much are you adding and how often?: N/A
Are you using a dechlorinater and if so, which one?: currently I have seachem prime but I have not added it into my tank
Are you using bottled bacteria and if so, which one?: n/a
Did you add seeded media from a previously cycled tank?: no
What other products/chemicals are you using? (list them all): n/a

Testing and cycling process
What was your knowledge of the nitrogen cycle before beginning to cycle your tank? (none, beginner, intermediate (please explain), advanced): beginner as I know the overall point of cycling and how long the process will and should take. I know I am cycled once my tank reads 0 ammonia , 0 nitrites, 20-40 nitrates
What do you use to test the water? (API liquid, test strips, other): API liquid
Did you test your tap water for ammonia, nitrites, nitrates and pH, if so post the results below?: I have not
Have you done any water changes and if so, when?: I have not
How much water did you change?: n/a
Did you vacuum the substrate?: n/a
Did you clean your filter, filter media, decorations and/or glass?: n/a
If using disposable cartridges have you replaced one recently?: no


*Parameters - Very Important
What are your parameters? We need to know the exact numbers, not just “fine” or “safe”.
Tank water:
Ammonia: 2.0ppm
Nitrite: 0ppm
Nitrate: 0ppm
pH: 7.6

Tap water:
Ammonia: 1ppm
Nitrite: 0ppm
Nitrate: 0ppm
pH: 7.6

Explain your cycling problem in detail. (Please give a clear explanation of what is going on, include details from the beginning of the problem leading up to now)

I have a few questions about the process.
- when am I next to do a water change?
-do I need to test the water every day?
-how often do I need to add ammonia to my tank? Or do I add it every time ammonia reaches 0ppm?
-is water conditioner necessary during cycling?
-I currently don‘t have a heater but will get one soon, is it crucial to the cycling process?

 

Hello ! It sounds like you’re off to a great start , you know what you need to do which is brilliant.

water changes - no not yet, not until nitrates hit something really high ( if they do )
Testing daily - actually all you need to test for right now is ammonia ( little tip later on )
Ammonia adding - once it reaches 0 again, that’s why testing rn is key.
conditioner - yes ! Always.
heater- you didn’t post a temperature but assuming you’re going to use one , yes.

You’re using api liquid test kits , so if you have a dropper , un- used kids medicine squirted thingy or a pipette, measure 2.5ml of tank water and use half of the amount of drops ( ie - 4 drips each for ammonia and 5 drops each for nitrates, doesn’t work for ph or nitrite though ) but it’ll double your test kit length and those are the two you’ll likely use the most during this
.
I’ve not used the ammonia powder but you may want to add some fish food flakes to a bag , if you have any that is , to help along your cycle.

 

I have a few questions about the process.
- when am I next to do a water change?
-do I need to test the water every day?
-how often do I need to add ammonia to my tank? Or do I add it every time ammonia reaches 0ppm?
-is water conditioner necessary during cycling?
-I currently don‘t have a heater but will get one soon, is it crucial to the cycling process?

Water conditioner is necessary, yes. Always necessary. A heater is not crucial, but does speed it up.

You don’t need to do a water change unless your parameters get really high, but if you cycle properly, ammonia and nitrite won’t. Nitrate may.

Only re-dose ammonia once BOTH ammonia and nitrite drop to zero. Repeat until you are able to read zero ammonia and nitrite within 24 hours of re-dosing ammonia.

 

Water conditioner is necessary, yes. Always necessary. A heater is not crucial, but does speed it up.

You don’t need to do a water change unless your parameters get really high, but if you cycle properly, ammonia and nitrite won’t. Nitrate may.

Only re-dose ammonia once BOTH ammonia and nitrite drop to zero. Repeat until you are able to read zero ammonia and nitrite within 24 hours of re-dosing ammonia.

Is conditioner needed everyday considering the effects last 24 hours or just when a water change is done?

Water conditioner is necessary, yes. Always necessary. A heater is not crucial, but does speed it up.

You don’t need to do a water change unless your parameters get really high, but if you cycle properly, ammonia and nitrite won’t. Nitrate may.

Only re-dose ammonia once BOTH ammonia and nitrite drop to zero. Repeat until you are able to read zero ammonia and nitrite within 24 hours of re-dosing ammonia.

Also if you don’t mind, can you please recommend any good nitrifiers for first tank beginners. Thank you so much!

 

Is conditioner needed everyday considering the effects last 24 hours or just when a water change is done?

Just when any water is added to the tank, be it for top ups or for water changes.

Also if you don’t mind, can you please recommend any good nitrifiers for first tank beginners. Thank you so much!

FritzZyme TurboStart 700 is absolutely the best product, followed by its less concentrated version, FritzZyme 7.

 

Just when any water is added to the tank, be it for top ups or for water changes.

FritzZyme TurboStart 700 is absolutely the best product, followed by its less concentrated version, FritzZyme 7.

Will the less concentrated version act as effectively as it is the only thing I can get quickly? I’m so sorry for all the questions!

 

Will the less concentrated version act as effectively as it is the only thing I can get quickly? I’m so sorry for all the questions!

It won't be as effective, in that it will take longer, but yes you will absolutely get to the same endpoint either way.

 

Are you doing a fish in cycle, fishless cycle or was your tank cycled and you had a sudden ammonia or nitrite spike?: Fishless cycle

Tank
What is the water volume of the tank?: 10g
What type of water are you using in your tank? (tap, well, RO/DI, other): tap
When did you start cycling the tank?: march 27
What type of filtration are you running on this tank? (sponge, HOB, canister, other): HOB
If canister or HOB list all the media you are running in it. (manufactured cartridges, sponge, etc.): large whisper bio filter cartridge
Do you have good water agitation/surface movement?: I believe so as my water is not filled to the top and the filter has a strong flow to create water movement at the surface
What is the water temperature?: 76°

Products used while cycling
If this is a fishless cycle what ammonia source are you using? (fish food, Dr Tim’s ammonia, other): fritz ammonia (powder)
If adding liquid ammonia how often do you dose ammonia in your tank and in what quantity? (1ppm, 2ppm etc.): N/A
If using fish food as your ammonia source how much are you adding and how often?: N/A
Are you using a dechlorinater and if so, which one?: currently I have seachem prime but I have not added it into my tank
Are you using bottled bacteria and if so, which one?: n/a
Did you add seeded media from a previously cycled tank?: no
What other products/chemicals are you using? (list them all): n/a

Testing and cycling process
What was your knowledge of the nitrogen cycle before beginning to cycle your tank? (none, beginner, intermediate (please explain), advanced): beginner as I know the overall point of cycling and how long the process will and should take. I know I am cycled once my tank reads 0 ammonia , 0 nitrites, 20-40 nitrates
What do you use to test the water? (API liquid, test strips, other): API liquid
Did you test your tap water for ammonia, nitrites, nitrates and pH, if so post the results below?: I have not
Have you done any water changes and if so, when?: I have not
How much water did you change?: n/a
Did you vacuum the substrate?: n/a
Did you clean your filter, filter media, decorations and/or glass?: n/a
If using disposable cartridges have you replaced one recently?: no


*Parameters - Very Important
What are your parameters? We need to know the exact numbers, not just “fine” or “safe”.
Tank water:
Ammonia: 2.0ppm
Nitrite: 0ppm
Nitrate: 0ppm
pH: 7.6

Tap water:
Ammonia: 1ppm
Nitrite: 0ppm
Nitrate: 0ppm
pH: 7.6

Explain your cycling problem in detail. (Please give a clear explanation of what is going on, include details from the beginning of the problem leading up to now)

I have a few questions about the process.
- when am I next to do a water change?
-do I need to test the water every day?
-how often do I need to add ammonia to my tank? Or do I add it every time ammonia reaches 0ppm?
-is water conditioner necessary during cycling?
-I currently don‘t have a heater but will get one soon, is it crucial to the cycling process?

In your original post, you said you are not using a bottled bacteria product.

So when you ask about using a water conditioner, I assume you’re asking about a dechlorinator?

If so and if your source water contains chlorine, then yes. . . You need to dechlorinate any water you’re adding to the tank. And most any branded dechlorinator will work.

If you were doing a fish-in cycle, I’d recommend Seachem Prime as your water conditioner.

 

Hello so it has been almost 2 weeks that I have been in the cycling process. I know I still have some time to go but I just have a question. I added bacteria in a bottle and it seemed to work as nitrites started showing up. Although I just tested again since Monday and my nitrites seem a bit high (5ppm) but my ammonia is decreasing (0.50ppm now). Is it okay for the nitrites to be this high or would I need to perform a water change?

 

Hello so it has been almost 2 weeks that I have been in the cycling process. I know I still have some time to go but I just have a question. I added bacteria in a bottle and it seemed to work as nitrites started showing up. Although I just tested again since Monday and my nitrites seem a bit high (5ppm) but my ammonia is decreasing (0.50ppm now). Is it okay for the nitrites to be this high or would I need to perform a water change?

Have you tried diluting it to half to see if it is actually 5ppm. I think if it is 5ppm it should be okay but I personally would not dose any ammonia until nitrite comes down.

 

Have you tried diluting it to half to see if it is actually 5ppm. I think if it is 5ppm it should be okay but I personally would not dose any ammonia until nitrite comes down.

How would I go about diluting it? And yes I was not planning on dosing any more ammonia for the mean time.

 

How would I go about diluting it? And yes I was not planning on dosing any more ammonia for the mean time.

fill the test tube with half tank water and half tap (also works for testing ammonia but assuming your tap has 0 ammonia.

 

If no fish then it's better to let it go undisturbed.