Is My 30gal Tank Ready

HI everyone; I am looking for some opinions whether my 30 gal tank is ready for some fish. I started the tank on 7 July and here are the tank parameters for the past week.

Started 30 Gal tank on 07 July 2018 - added some liquid Ammonia to water.

07 July 2018 - WT 79.8 - PH 7.4 - Ammonia 1 ppm - Nitrite 0 ppm - Nitrate 0 ppm
Added water, and some "good bacteria" from another tank and dosed some Stability.

08 July 2018 - WT 78.4 - PH 7.2 - Ammonia 1 ppm - Nitrite 0 ppm - Nitrate 0 ppm

Added some Stability and lowering WT to 77.

09 July 2018 - WT 76.9 moved up 1 degree. PH 7.0 - Ammonia .5 ppm - Nitrite 0 ppm - Nitrate 5 ppm. Added some Stability.

10 July 2018 - Added some Stability.

11 July 2018 - WT 75.6 - PH 7.0 - Ammonia .25 ppm - Nitrite .25 ppm - Nitrate - 5.0 ppm. Increased heater by 2 degrees. Added some Stability.

14 July 2018 - WT 77.9 - PH 7.2 - Ammonia 0 ppm - Nitrite .25 ppm - Nitrite - 5.0 ppm . Added dose of Stability.

Some water has evaporated off so I need to add a half gallon or so. Do you think my tank could be cycled in only one week? The numbers seem to look pretty good. Thanks for your opinions.

 

Not quite ready but nearly. You just need to wait for the nitrite to drop and then maybe do a water change to lower any nitrates and then you're ready for fish!

 

I agree with BottomDweller
In terms of fish,
do you have a stocking list?

 

I would dose the ammonia up to at the very least 2.0. Check the ammonia every 24 hours and if it has dropped to zero dose it back up to 2. You may or not see a rise in nitrites but you should see a rise in nitrates either way. If the nitrites don't rise while doing this several days in a row and do drop to 0 from the .25 you are now registering you can safely consider the tank ready for fish.

The reason for doing it this way is if the nitrites are going to go up it is better if there are no fish in there. It is better to know before you put lives at stake.

 

In terms of fish,
do you have a stocking list?

I plan to make this a community tank with lots of small fish. Neon Tetras, Black Neon Tetras, Harlequin or Lambchop Rasboras, Cherry Barbs, Zebra Danio, and Panda Corys.

 

You have a very detailed description that didn’t include adding an ammonia source.

I do not think you are cycled with a single dose of ammonia to 1ppm.

For your sake I hope i’m wrong but I agree with Mattgirl, dose to 2ppm and see how long it takes to go to 0. If you can get 0, 0 in 24 hours, 2Xs in a row, you are good. Water change to remove nitrates and add fish.

Dosing to 2ppm, I would add fish slowly. Some build their cycle by dosing to 4ppm so when their cycle can handle that, they can add their full stocking.

Personally I always add a seasoned sponge filter from a cycled tank, and still stock slowly, couple of fish a weeek.

 

You have a very detailed description that didn’t include adding an ammonia source.

I do not think you are cycled with a single dose of ammonia to 1ppm.

OK, thanks.
I added 80 drops of Dr Tim's Ammonium Chloride solution on day one (7 July). It took the tank to 1 ppm and now it is back to 0 ppm. So this evening, on your advice, I added 100 more drops of Dr. Tim's. Bottle says 4 drops per gallon of tank. Hopefully this will take the tank to 2 ppm of Ammonia. We will see in the morning. I am in no hurry to add fish; I just want to get it right the first time. I did squeeze out a dirty sponge into the tank on day one and also put into the HOB filter a used bag of Matrix bio media.

 

That should have jump started your cycle.

Good luck!

 

Thanks everyone. I will wait patiently and twiddle my thumbs until it's cycled.

 

Truly the hardest part.

 

I plan to make this a community tank with lots of small fish. Neon Tetras, Black Neon Tetras, Harlequin or Lambchop Rasboras, Cherry Barbs, Zebra Danio, and Panda Corys.

That's too many schooling fish for a 30 gallon tank.