Tank done cycling! What do I do now?

Hi everyone!
I just wanted to say that last time I posted in this group, I got so much incredible help and advice from you guys, thank you all so much!
So, I believe my tank is finally done cycling! I started by just doing the fish food method, but noticed it was making my tank smell like a lake, so I switched to pure ammonia. My tank can now cycle through 2ppm of ammonia in under 24 hours! My question is - what do I do now? I have read many different sources and they all seem to say different things. Should I keep adding ammonia until I get fish (within the next couple days)? How much water do I need to change before introducing fish? Is there anything else I need to do before adding fish?
Thanks so much everyone!

 

Hi everyone!
I just wanted to say that last time I posted in this group, I got so much incredible help and advice from you guys, thank you all so much!
So, I believe my tank is finally done cycling! I started by just doing the fish food method, but noticed it was making my tank smell like a lake, so I switched to pure ammonia. My tank can now cycle through 2ppm of ammonia in under 24 hours! My question is - what do I do now? I have read many different sources and they all seem to say different things. Should I keep adding ammonia until I get fish (within the next couple days)? How much water do I need to change before introducing fish? Is there anything else I need to do before adding fish?
Thanks so much everyone!

Congrats!

Before I answer your questions. . .
How long has your tank been cycling?
Nitrites are also 0?
What level are nitrates?

 

Thankyou!! I have been cycling for almost 8 weeks (felt like an eternity). Yes my nitrites are at 0 around 24 hours after adding ammonia!! I just measured my nitrate and it is around 20ppm!

 

Thankyou!! I have been cycling for almost 8 weeks (felt like an eternity). Yes my nitrites are at 0 around 24 hours after adding ammonia!! I just measured my nitrate and it is around 20ppm!

Here’s my suggestion. . .

To be sure your tank is fully cycled, I’d dose ammonia to 2 ppm again today. Be sure that both ammonia and nitrites are 0 within 24 hours of dosing ammonia. If they are, you’re fully cycled.

If your plan is to get fish in the next couple days, there’s no need to continue dosing ammonia. Just before getting your fish, do at least a 50% water change. Be sure to use a dechlorinater and match the temperature of the water you’re adding to the tank water temperature.

If you haven’t already done this, research the type of fish you want to get to be sure they are compatible with each other (including water temperature) and will work with your tank size. Don’t overstock.

 

Agree with Dunk2, just would like to add that you want to add fish slowly so bacteria growth can adjust to the new bioload.
With change of water, see a lot of recommendation to exchange 90% of the water the day before adding fish. That gives a nice clean start for the new inhabitants. Good luck and send pictures...

 

Hi everyone!
I just wanted to say that last time I posted in this group, I got so much incredible help and advice from you guys, thank you all so much!
So, I believe my tank is finally done cycling! I started by just doing the fish food method, but noticed it was making my tank smell like a lake, so I switched to pure ammonia. My tank can now cycle through 2ppm of ammonia in under 24 hours! My question is - what do I do now? I have read many different sources and they all seem to say different things. Should I keep adding ammonia until I get fish (within the next couple days)? How much water do I need to change before introducing fish? Is there anything else I need to do before adding fish?
Thanks so much everyone!

If nitrate is too high, you can do as big a water change as you like to get it low enough (yes 100% water change is fine).

The nitrifiers also go for weeks to months before even starting to go dormant, let alone die off, so you don’t need to keep dosing ammonia or anything.

Different people dose different amounts of ammonia to cycle their tanks. Since your tank can clear 2ppm ammonia a day, you are perfectly safe to fully stock your tank from the get go if you like. After all, 2ppm is the maximum amount of ammonia expected from heavily feeding an overstocked tank, hence you have no problems adding all your fish at once - they will not produce more ammonia than your tank can handle.

 

Here’s my suggestion. . .

To be sure your tank is fully cycled, I’d dose ammonia to 2 ppm again today. Be sure that both ammonia and nitrites are 0 within 24 hours of dosing ammonia. If they are, you’re fully cycled.

If your plan is to get fish in the next couple days, there’s no need to continue dosing ammonia. Just before getting your fish, do at least a 50% water change. Be sure to use a dechlorinater and match the temperature of the water you’re adding to the tank water temperature.

If you haven’t already done this, research the type of fish you want to get to be sure they are compatible with each other (including water temperature) and will work with your tank size. Don’t overstock.

Okay awesome! I added more ammonia and now I will monitor! Thank you for the advice

 

Just one more bit of advice, read on acclimating fish, it will help you get your fish transitioned from the store,, the bag and then to your tank with minimal if any, losses.

 

Something nobody ever told me when acclimating fish: check the pH of the water that the fish arrive in so you know how far it is from your tank water.

I had ph shock kill a group of fish (pretty sure) because my LFS regularly sends me home with bags that have water at pH 8.3 (measured with a digital probe) this was a fully 1.0 above my tank water and, knowing this now, I believe a more prolonged acclimation could have helped me succeed.