Re-setting Up Tank - Cycling Question

HI there. I recently emptied my fish tank and cleaned the sides and filter...its been empty and not running for some time with water just sitting in it as my fish died and I just forgot about it for a while. Anyway, I've set it back up and have had it running for a little less than a week. The ammonia is just a little over 0, PH is good at about 7.6, nitrites are at about .25ppm and nitrates about 7 or 8 ppm. I feel like that is too soon to be almost done cycling. Should I add a little more ammonia to help it cycle? The nitrates and nitrites never got higher than the above numbers. Any advice is appreciated.

Forgot to add it is a 15 gal tall with an aqueon quietflo 10 filter.

 

HI there. I recently emptied my fish tank and cleaned the sides and filter...its been empty and not running for some time with water just sitting in it as my fish died and I just forgot about it for a while. Anyway, I've set it back up and have had it running for a little less than a week. The ammonia is just a little over 0, PH is good at about 7.6, nitrites are at about .25ppm and nitrates about 7 or 8 ppm. I feel like that is too soon to be almost done cycling. Should I add a little more ammonia to help it cycle? The nitrates and nitrites never got higher than the above numbers. Any advice is appreciated.

I'm cycling a 30 g tank right now that actually has begun because I have nitrites. I would have been fooled into thinking it was cycled because I tested 20ppm nitrates. As it turns out, my tap water has 20ppm of nitrates. So my suggestion is to test your tapwater. I would test it often down the road when it's all set up with fish and you go to do partial water changes. Water companies make changes all the time depending on the conditions of their source water.

 

I'm cycling a 30 g tank right now that actually has begun because I have nitrites. I would have been fooled into thinking it was cycled because I tested 20ppm nitrates. As it turns out, my tap water has 20ppm of nitrates. So my suggestion is to test your tapwater. I would test it often down the road when it's all set up with fish and you go to do partial water changes. Water companies make changes all the time depending on the conditions of their source water.

That's a great idea! I didn't think of it being the tap water. I'm thinking I should add some ammonia to start the cycle if it turns out it's my tap water with the nitrite and nitrate levels. I'm going to be doing a fishless cycle.

 

You do want to mak sure you dose ammonia at 3 to 4ppm, until you know your getting nitrates and the ammonia is dropping down fast.

That's a great idea! I didn't think of it being the tap water. I'm thinking I should add some ammonia to start the cycle if it turns out it's my tap water with the nitrite and nitrate levels. I'm going to be doing a fishless cycle.

 

I'm starting to think I should just cycle the tank with 2-3 hardy fish. I've never done a fishless cycle before and I'm reading a lot of downsides. Any suggestions on which method is the best?

 

I'm starting to think I should just cycle the tank with 2-3 hardy fish. I've never done a fishless cycle before and I'm reading a lot of downsides. Any suggestions on which method is the best?

Hi, I've done fishless & fish in cycles & I've always found fish in to be the quickest & easiest way, you have to be careful when you have fish in for their sake but if you use a few hardy specimen to start things going, add more fish slowly so your BB colony keeps pace & check you water frequently & do water changes as needed it's by far the easier way than adding ammonia, checking it to see if it's converting then adding more & on & on. I now do fish in all the time.

 

Hi, I've done fishless & fish in cycles & I've always found fish in to be the quickest & easiest way, you have to be careful when you have fish in for their sake but if you use a few hardy specimen to start things going, add more fish slowly so your BB colony keeps pace & check you water frequently & do water changes as needed it's by far the easier way than adding ammonia, checking it to see if it's converting then adding more & on & on. I now do fish in all the time.

That's what I thought. Any suggestions on hardy fish for a 15 gal tall? I'm new to tall tanks so I'm not familiar with what fish would be good since the footprint is quite a bit smaller than a regular tank.