Need help with fish-in cycling

So I started cycling with betta in tank starting April 29th. I kept track of everything I’ve done so far in my notes which I’ll add below. I’m still not seeing nitrites or nitrates and it’s been over 3 weeks. My water is well water with 7.4 ph. No ammonia, nitrite or nitrate. Water has stayed at 77 degrees since I’ve set it up. I have a saltwater reef tank that I’ve had for over a year. That’s been going really well and I wanted to try a planted tank. I’ll post some pictures to prove i’m not brand new, lol. Im just brand new to freshwater. Anyway, I’ve never done a fish in cycle and wanted some opinions on if im on the right track. Every post I’ve read has showed that their cycle was a lot faster and they saw nitrites/nitrates in week 2 sometimes even in week 1. Help pleaseee! TIA


Saturday April 29th 2023
Set up
3 gallon top fin shrimp oasis tank
Added dwarf watergrass
Added sword
Added 2 Anubis’s
Quick start
Stability/daily
Leaf zone/weekly
Excel/weekly
Prime/daily
Added half moon rosetail male
Fed/bi-daily

Sunday April 30th 2023
Stability/daily
Prime/daily

Monday may 1st 2023
Stability/daily-1.25 ml
Prime/daily-6 drops
Fed/bi-daily

Tuesday may 2nd 2023
Stability/daily-1.25 ml
Prime/daily-6 drops
Fed/bi-daily

Wednesday may 3rd 2023
Stability/daily-1.25ml
Prime/daily-6drops

Thursday may 4th 2023
Stability/daily-1.25
Prime/daily-12drops
Fed/bi-daily

Friday may 5th 2023
Stability/daily-1.25
Prime/daily-6 drops

Saturday may 6th 2023
Stability/daily-1.25
Prime/daily-6 drops
Fed/bi-daily
Leafzone/weekly
Excel/weekly

Sunday may 7th 2023
Ph 7.4
Ammonia .25
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 0
Stability/daily-1.25
Prime/daily-6 drops
Fed/bi-daily

Monday may 8th 2023
Stability/daily-1.25
Prime/daily-12 drops

Wednesday may 10th 2023
Stability/daily
Prime/daily-12 drops
Fed/bi-daily
Added 6 flourish tabs

Thursday May 11th 2023
Stability/daily-1.25 ml
Prime/daily-12 drops

Friday may 12th 2023
Stability/daily-1.25 ml
Prime/daily-12 drops
Fed/bi-daily

Saturday may 13th 2023
Ph 7.4
Ammonia 0.5
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 0
Prime/daily-6drops up to 1.0 ppm-12 drops up to 2.0 ppm

Sunday may 14th 2023
Prime/daily

Tuesday may 16th 2023
Prime/daily
Leaf zone/weekly
Excel flourish/weekly
Fed/bi-daily

Wednesday may 17 2023
Prime/daily
Fed/bi-daily

Thursday may 18 2023
Fed/bi-daily

Friday may 19 2023
Prime/daily
Ammonia 1.0ppm
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 0

Saturday may 20 2023
Prime/daily
Fed/bi-daily
Ammonia 1.0ppm
Nitrite 0
33% water change
Quick start 2.5mg
Leaf zone 1mg

Sunday may 21 2023
Ammonia 1.0ppm (still?)
33% water change
Quick start 2 mg
Prime/daily

So I started cycling with betta in tank starting April 29th. I kept track of everything I’ve done so far in my notes which I’ll add below. I’m still not seeing nitrites or nitrates and it’s been over 3 weeks. My water is well water with 7.4 ph. No ammonia, nitrite or nitrate. Water has stayed at 77 degrees since I’ve set it up. I have a saltwater reef tank that I’ve had for over a year. That’s been going really well and I wanted to try a planted tank. I’ll post some pictures to prove i’m not brand new, lol. Im just brand new to freshwater. Anyway, I’ve never done a fish in cycle and wanted some opinions on if im on the right track. Every post I’ve read has showed that their cycle was a lot faster and they saw nitrites/nitrates in week 2 sometimes even in week 1. Help pleaseee! TIA


Saturday April 29th 2023
Set up
3 gallon top fin shrimp oasis tank
Added dwarf watergrass
Added sword
Added 2 Anubis’s
Quick start
Stability/daily
Leaf zone/weekly
Excel/weekly
Prime/daily
Added half moon rosetail male
Fed/bi-daily

Sunday April 30th 2023
Stability/daily
Prime/daily

Monday may 1st 2023
Stability/daily-1.25 ml
Prime/daily-6 drops
Fed/bi-daily

Tuesday may 2nd 2023
Stability/daily-1.25 ml
Prime/daily-6 drops
Fed/bi-daily

Wednesday may 3rd 2023
Stability/daily-1.25ml
Prime/daily-6drops

Thursday may 4th 2023
Stability/daily-1.25
Prime/daily-12drops
Fed/bi-daily

Friday may 5th 2023
Stability/daily-1.25
Prime/daily-6 drops

Saturday may 6th 2023
Stability/daily-1.25
Prime/daily-6 drops
Fed/bi-daily
Leafzone/weekly
Excel/weekly

Sunday may 7th 2023
Ph 7.4
Ammonia .25
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 0
Stability/daily-1.25
Prime/daily-6 drops
Fed/bi-daily

Monday may 8th 2023
Stability/daily-1.25
Prime/daily-12 drops

Wednesday may 10th 2023
Stability/daily
Prime/daily-12 drops
Fed/bi-daily
Added 6 flourish tabs

Thursday May 11th 2023
Stability/daily-1.25 ml
Prime/daily-12 drops

Friday may 12th 2023
Stability/daily-1.25 ml
Prime/daily-12 drops
Fed/bi-daily

Saturday may 13th 2023
Ph 7.4
Ammonia 0.5
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 0
Prime/daily-6drops up to 1.0 ppm-12 drops up to 2.0 ppm

Sunday may 14th 2023
Prime/daily

Tuesday may 16th 2023
Prime/daily
Leaf zone/weekly
Excel flourish/weekly
Fed/bi-daily

Wednesday may 17 2023
Prime/daily
Fed/bi-daily

Thursday may 18 2023
Fed/bi-daily

Friday may 19 2023
Prime/daily
Ammonia 1.0ppm
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 0

Saturday may 20 2023
Prime/daily
Fed/bi-daily
Ammonia 1.0ppm
Nitrite 0
33% water change
Quick start 2.5mg
Leaf zone 1mg

Sunday may 21 2023
Ammonia 1.0ppm (still?)
33% water change
Quick start 2 mg
Prime/daily

Also wanted to add I just tested for ammonia again and the 2 30 percent water changes got the ammonia down to .25ppm.
I’m also testing with api.

 

the 2 30 percent water changes got the ammonia down to .25ppm.

Usually you should not have any ammonia try doing more water changes.

 

Usually you should not have any ammonia try doing more water changes.

I’m doing a fish in cycle

 

ok so, here's the scoop. your plants are taking your nitrites and nitrates from the flourish and leaf zone and what might be converted from the ammonia by your cycle. there's nothing building up as far as thats concerned, however you have ammonia that is slowly building that the plants aren't touching. it's building roughly .25 ammonia per week of what the plants aren't taking along with the nitrites and nitrates.

So your test shows 1ppm ammonia, at the end of 3 weeks, doing a 33% water change isn't going to change the ammonia reading. to ,50ppm. it's going to reduce it by 33% and that's likely not going to be detectable enough at the 1ppm range so your test won't change the result but it did get lowered, jhust not enough to knock it out of 1ppm on the one water change.

you would do another water change of 33% and another, until it's below .5 ppm. and from there keep it between 0 and .5 when it's time to water change again.

you don't want the ammonia to continue to run up on you while it's cycling. it will however cycle in 4-6 weeks, maybe even 8 weeks, and until then you'd need to keep an eye on the ammonia, you may not ever see nitrites or nitrates just because the plants are using them.

In your case it's cycled for the one fish when you stop seeing the ammonia on tests anymore. the plants are going to be taking the nitrogen, and even as they grow, they might start taking the ammonia for nitrogen also.

you have the fish, you have the plants, there's no rush to get it cycled except that you won't have to keep such a sharp eye on the testing and water changes.

my opinion, you aren't seeing nitrites or nitrates because it's the 5 plants in 3 gallons of water and just the one fish, the plants are eating it, BUT it's still cycling nonetheless, just in the undetectable range except for the ammonia. even that is taking like a week to add on .,25 ppm. with is a really small amount left behind.

 

Hi xalvssax

Did you find this article when researching a fresh water fish in cycle?

Fish In Nitrogen Cycle Simplified | Aquarium Nitrogen Cycle Forum

A worthwhile read.

 

ok so, here's the scoop. your plants are taking your nitrites and nitrates from the flourish and leaf zone and what might be converted from the ammonia by your cycle. there's nothing building up as far as thats concerned, however you have ammonia that is slowly building that the plants aren't touching. it's building roughly .25 ammonia per week of what the plants aren't taking along with the nitrites and nitrates.

So your test shows 1ppm ammonia, at the end of 3 weeks, doing a 33% water change isn't going to change the ammonia reading. to ,50ppm. it's going to reduce it by 33% and that's likely not going to be detectable enough at the 1ppm range so your test won't change the result but it did get lowered, jhust not enough to knock it out of 1ppm on the one water change.

you would do another water change of 33% and another, until it's below .5 ppm. and from there keep it between 0 and .5 when it's time to water change again.

you don't want the ammonia to continue to run up on you while it's cycling. it will however cycle in 4-6 weeks, maybe even 8 weeks, and until then you'd need to keep an eye on the ammonia, you may not ever see nitrites or nitrates just because the plants are using them.

In your case it's cycled for the one fish when you stop seeing the ammonia on tests anymore. the plants are going to be taking the nitrogen, and even as they grow, they might start taking the ammonia for nitrogen also.

you have the fish, you have the plants, there's no rush to get it cycled except that you won't have to keep such a sharp eye on the testing and water changes.

my opinion, you aren't seeing nitrites or nitrates because it's the 5 plants in 3 gallons of water and just the one fish, the plants are eating it, BUT it's still cycling nonetheless, just in the undetectable range except for the ammonia. even that is taking like a week to add on .,25 ppm. with is a really small amount left behind.

Awesome information, thank you! I was worried the cycle was stalled. I understood plants used up nitrate but I didn’t know about using up nitrite. Let alone even ammonia. So that’s good information. I also added salvinia and frogbit today. I’ll continue to check parameters once a week for water changes. I did the two water changes and got the ammonia down to .25ppm. Thank you so much!

Also, another question. Do you think I should continue with the flourish excel with the leafzone? I don’t know enough about it. To be honest, I bought it seeing good reviews. I also have the flourish tabs in the substrate.

Hi xalvssax

Did you find this article when researching a fresh water fish in cycle?

Fish In Nitrogen Cycle Simplified | Aquarium Nitrogen Cycle Forum

A worthwhile read.

thank you!!

 

Awesome information, thank you! I was worried the cycle was stalled. I understood plants used up nitrate but I didn’t know about using up nitrite. Let alone even ammonia. So that’s good information. I also added salvinia and frogbit today. I’ll continue to check parameters once a week for water changes. I did the two water changes and got the ammonia down to .25ppm. Thank you so much!

Also, another question. Do you think I should continue with the flourish excel with the leafzone? I don’t know enough about it. To be honest, I bought it seeing good reviews. I also have the flourish tabs in the substrate.


thank you!!

Plants will take nitrogen in whatever form that it's in, even from ammonia, but since you are using the ferts, it's taking it from there first, then nitrates, then nitrites and leaving the ammonia as unneeded or excess. you just have to keep an eye ion the ammonia so it doesn't get too dangerous and do a water change.

It's a 3 gallon, so I doubt you are going to go much further beyond the betta as far as animals go. it's cycling, it's basically cycled with the plants involved, like if you cut out ferts or cut them back you might find that the plants will take the ammonia also. still though the cycle will build for the tank over time even if it's just trace amounts of stuff, the colonies will build for the stocking of the tank.

People get into trouble though, they will do what you are doing, find it manageable or easy, then add on fish and add fish, and then they will get everything spiking and find themselves in a difficult spot.

Take your time, you have plants and a fish there's no real rush anymore. it's the best advice I can give someone. that ammonia will eventually disappear to 0s and be consistently 0 and that will tell you it's cycled.

There are people that plant so heavy and stock so light they don't even worry about cycling it just runs zeros and then they dial in the ferts needed to maintain the plants without excesses.