New Tank/ Old Filter

Hello all!

This will be my first post here so hello to everyone.

Recently (July 21st, 2018) I purchased a new 38 gallon tank and stand from my local pet store (PetCo, we have a fish only store but the tanks were more expensive) and immediately got to work setting everything up. Around 9:00pm that night is when everything was up and running (filters, heaters, air stones). I let it run it run fishless overnight and around 10:00am the next day I started to read about fish-in cycles and decided to move the fish I had in my 5 gallon (two zebra danios and two platies, overstocked for a five gal, I know) along with the filter and most of the gravel from that tank. Since that day I have had both filters running in my new tank with the four fish in there. I’ve been testing my water twice daily since then and have had 0 for all three readings (ammonia/nitrite/nitrate). The fish seem okay, they are all active and eating as well.

I don’t want to believe that my tank is “instantly cycled” because I’ve heard both that it is and is not possible to do. I haven’t done a water change in two days and still have no readings. What do you guys think? Is it safe to add more fish? I’ve done the aquarium calculator thing to see my stocking and filtration levels and everything is fine for what I plan to put in there (total of 7 zebra danios, 5 platies, and one angel fish). My plan is to finish the schools of fish one week at a time and the angelfish last. I suppose I’m just looking for general advice on how I should start this tank and keep moving forward with it.

Thank you all for your responses,
-mega

Equipment:
Aqueon 38 gallon tank
QuietFlow 30 LED Pro Power Filter
AquaTech Filter (5-15 gallon version)
100W Preset Heater (pretty sure 100w, keeping the water at 76-78)

API Freshwater Master Test Kit
Jungle Start Right Water Conditioner

 

Welcome!
I think you should let the tank settle a few days till you add more fish- maybe a day or so? I'm not a hundred percent sure. Anyway, good luck, keep us posted!

 

Your tank is cycled for the 4 fish you currently have, what I would do is add the 5 danio's in first for a couple of weeks and then fish out your stocking. Along the way, after about a month you can pull the smaller filter and return it to the 5 gallon tank if you paln on using that tank for fish. if you are going to use it as a quarantine tank leave the small filter on the bigger tank until it's needed on the 5 gallon tank.

 

Your tank is cycled for the 4 fish you currently have, what I would do is add the 5 danio's in first for a couple of weeks and then fish out your stocking. Along the way, after about a month you can pull the smaller filter and return it to the 5 gallon tank if you paln on using that tank for fish. if you are going to use it as a quarantine tank leave the small filter on the bigger tank until it's needed on the 5 gallon tank.

What do you mean by “fish out your stocking”? I don’t plan on using the 5 gallon anymore for anything but a quarantine tank so I’ll continue to use filter on the 38 gallon tank. You think I’m good to add the 5 danios today or tomorrow?

 

It was supposed to be finish out stocking. I would add the 5 Danios, they are a hardy fish. Then again platies are too. Danios like to be in groups, so fill them out first.

 

It was supposed to be finish out stocking. I would add the 5 Danios, they are a hardy fish. Then again platies are too. Danios like to be in groups, so fill them out first.

Got it, thank you so much!