My First Time Cycling

I just set up my 10 gallon tank to do a fishless cycle on Monday. I filled the tank with water, set the heater to 80 °F, added DrTim's Aquatics Ammonium chloride and Seachem Stability. I thought my sponge filter was going to arrive on Monday but it's actually going to be delivered tomorrow, so I currently don't have a filter yet. Here are my parameters:

5/15 Tuesday

pH 6.4
Ammonia 1.0 ppm
Nitrate 0
Nitrite 0

5/16 Wednesday (today)

ph 6.6
Ammonia 2.0 ppm
Nitrate 0
Nitrite 0

The tank also has a few plants: java moss glued to a rock, 3 small anubias plants and two marimo moss balls. Once the tank is cycled, I plan to put a betta fish and a snail.

Should I be adding Seachem Stability everyday to increase the bacteria and help the tank cycle faster? Is 80 °F a high enough temperature to cycle the tank?

Also, I have the tank light on for 6 hours a day for the plants.

 

Yes i would use stability to help the process, just follow the instruction on the back and yes that temperature is fine to get the cycle started.

 

Is it bad that I didn't dechlorinate my water? I have Prime but I was afraid of using it because it removes ammonia.

 

Prime doesn’t remove ammonia it detoxifies for 24-48 hrs to protect the fish. You add your prime to remove the chlorine from the tap water, some let it sit 24 hrs before adding to tank, some put in prime then a few minutes later add to the tank. I’d go ahead and add it unless it interferes with the Dr. Tim’s someone else may be able to further assist

 

The sponge filter was mailed to my house but no one was home. I’ll have to pick it up at the post office tomorrow.

This is what my fish tank looks like. I feel like I may have overcrowded the tank with too many ornaments.

 

Maybe not this was my 5G for my Betta baby girl, but I’ve had her 2 months and she’s growing fast. She loved it but I took out middle green plant above the wooden barrel, little green silk plant left corner, and the log bottom left, bc I needed it for another tank and thought she might like a little more space

 

I love your tank!

Is it easy to clean the gravel?

 

Thanks! My first one ever. I really only get the front real good right now. So far nitrates have been manageable so I haven’t really done a deep cleaning. It’s her and a zebra and tiger nerite snail. I suppose I’ll clean it better in the near future. Might have made it easier by eliminating some of the stuff so we will see. This is it now....

 

I plan to get a betta and nerite snail too.

 

Always use conditioner, and never let untreated water contact your filter or sponge as it will kill the good bacteria. 86 is better temp. You can overdose stability, it just cloudys the water some.

 

I just tested the parameters and it’s exactly the same as yesterday. I’m so impatient. I think once I get the filter set up, the bacteria will have a good place to colonize. For now,

I just put my heater up to 86 F and added more stability. I didn’t add Prime because I’m worried it will interfere with the ammonia levels and I need the ammonia so the bacteria can increase. Should I add Prime and then add Dr. Tim’s aquatic ammonia ?

 

You need to declorinate with Prime once your filter is installed. If you don’t, the chlorine will kill everything, including your beneficial bacteria.

 

Prime will not interfer with bacterial growth. That water is steralizing your tank as long as the untreated water is in there. Always treat water with prime or other conditioner.

 

Oh okay. I added Prime and stability the tank this morning . I’m going to test the water later today.

 

Your cycle is just starting, you can probably wait 2-3 days before testing again, especially since you don't have the filter in there yet. Also, your Ph is low for growing bacteria.. It's fine once your cycled, but for now, you probably want to get it up a little to help the bacteria grow. I'd add 1/4tsp of baking soda.

 

Since you are doing a fish less cycle you don't need to add prime to the tank again. The only time you need to add it is when you top off your tank due to evaporation and even then you only have to add it to the new water before pouring it into the tank.

Now that you have added Prime to dechlorinate the original water all you need to add is the Stability and ammonia. The ammonia is the most important ingredient as it is what grows and feeds the bacteria you are trying to grow.

 

I forgot to add the ammonia this morning. I’ll have to add some when I get home and maybe more Stability. Then I’ll set up the filter.

Should put the same amount of ammonia from the Dr.Tims instructions?

 

I've never done a fish less cycle but am confident in saying yes, it is best to follow the direction that come with the product.

 

I have filters set up.

 

I just tested the tank.

pH- 7.2
Ammonia - 4 ppm
Nitrite - 0 ppm
Nitrate - 0 ppm

Temperature - 86 *F