Beginner to fish keeping: cycling questions

[ellamay]

Hello! I’ve got a 105l tank, I started it 3 days ago and have put a double dose of filter boost day 1, then a normal dose today (day 3) and will continue to do this every other day for the first week as it says on the bottle. The tank was very cloudy yesterday and today it’s looking green with lots of green/brown foam on top. Is this normal?
How often should I do water changes? Is there anything else I should be doing?
I plan on leaving it 5-6 weeks before adding fish.

 

[Boundava]

Do you have any way to test the water? Seems you have an algae bloom. While you are cycling without fish you should not change the water. I use the API liquid test kit. You will need the ones for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, and pH to start.

 

[EllRog]

Thread 'Cycling Your New Fresh Water Tank: Read This First!' https://www.fishforums.net/threads/cycling-your-new-fresh-water-tank-read-this-first.421488/

 

[madmark285]

If filter boost is a bacteria in a bottle product, I would add ammonia such as Dr. Tims.

 

[ellamay]

Do you have any way to test the water? Seems you have an algae bloom. While you are cycling without fish you should not change the water. I use the API liquid test kit. You will need the ones for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, and pH to start.

No3- 10
No2- 0
pH- 7
KH- 80
GH- 180

okay thank you I won’t change the water.

 

[ellamay]

Thread 'Cycling Your New Fresh Water Tank: Read This First!' https://www.fishforums.net/threads/cycling-your-new-fresh-water-tank-read-this-first.421488/

I have read through this a few times. Only thing I’ve done differently is use the ammonia product as it says on the bottle.

 

[madmark285]

I hope this is right, No2-nitrite, No3 is Nitrate.

Can you do an ammonia test? If you added bacteria and ammonia to the tank, you should be able to see the ammonia levels drop followed by a rise in Nitrates. You may not see any nitrites since the bacteria you added is consuming it as its being produced. What is confusing here, where did the nitrates come from?

What I would suggest. Get an ammonia test kit and test. If the ammonia levels are low, add more ammonia (2-4ppm) then test daily. When ammonia and nitrite level are zero, you have cycled your tank.

At this point, major water changes to drop your nitrate level and buy some fish. You need a supply of ammonia to feed tha bacteria, waiting another 4-6 weeks is not a good idea.

 

[EllRog]

I hope this is right, No2-nitrite, No3 is Nitrate.

Can you do an ammonia test? If you added bacteria and ammonia to the tank, you should be able to see the ammonia levels drop followed by a rise in Nitrates. You may not see any nitrites since the bacteria you added is consuming it as its being produced. What is confusing here, where did the nitrates come from?

What I would suggest. Get an ammonia test kit and test. If the ammonia levels are low, add more ammonia (2-4ppm) then test daily. When ammonia and nitrite level are zero, you have cycled your tank.

At this point, major water changes to drop your nitrate level and buy some fish. You need a supply of ammonia to feed tha bacteria, waiting another 4-6 weeks is not a good idea.

Could the nitrates be from the tap? I know my tap water has nitrates in

 

[Avel1896]

Hello @ellamay What is your soil ? Did you rince it ? Are you sure about these : KH-80 GH-180 ? NO3-10 isn't worrying.

Hello @EllRog yes nitrates can come from your tap water.

 

[Essjay]

Can you tell us exactly what the "filter boost" that you added is, please.

For example, google finds a product called Love Fish Filter Boost which contains bacteria but no ammonia. If this is the one you've used, you need to add ammonia as well.

 

[madmark285]

Could the nitrates be from the tap? I know my tap water has nitrates in

Yes. What needs to be determine, ammonia levels.

If the nitrates came from ammonia, that good as your tank may be cycled. If it came from your tap water, your tank may not have cycled and you have high ammonia levels.

 

[ellamay]

I hope this is right, No2-nitrite, No3 is Nitrate.

Can you do an ammonia test? If you added bacteria and ammonia to the tank, you should be able to see the ammonia levels drop followed by a rise in Nitrates. You may not see any nitrites since the bacteria you added is consuming it as its being produced. What is confusing here, where did the nitrates come from?

What I would suggest. Get an ammonia test kit and test. If the ammonia levels are low, add more ammonia (2-4ppm) then test daily. When ammonia and nitrite level are zero, you have cycled your tank.

At this point, major water changes to drop your nitrate level and buy some fish. You need a supply of ammonia to feed tha bacteria, waiting another 4-6 weeks is not a good idea.

I’ve ordered a test kit that will come tomorrow. Thanks!

 

[ellamay]

Can you tell us exactly what the "filter boost" that you added is, please.

For example, google finds a product called Love Fish Filter Boost which contains bacteria but no ammonia. If this is the one you've used, you need to add ammonia as well.

Oh that’s the one I’ve been using. I’ll order the ammonia product now. Shall I just treat it as day 1 of cycling when I add the ammonia? Should I stop using the love fish filter boost I’ve been using?

 

[ellamay]

Hello @ellamay What is your soil ? Did you rince it ? Are you sure about these : KH-80 GH-180 ? NO3-10 isn't worrying.

Hello @EllRog yes nitrates can come from your tap water.

That’s what I got from the test yes. I did try to rinse it, it’s black sand.

 

[Essjay]

Keep using the filter boost. If it works it will shorten the cycle.


You need to add ammonia or the bacteria in the filter boost won't multiply as they'll have no food. Look on Amazon or Ebay for ammonia - you may find Dr Tim's ammonium chloride and that works just as well (it's just that you can't use the calculator on here to work out how much to use, but the bottle should tell you that).
Once you have the ammonia and an ammonia tester, just follow these instructions

Cycling Your New Fresh Water Tank: Read This First!

Cycling Your First Fresh Water Tank What is Cycling and Why is it Important? Fish waste, and especially fish breathing, plus uneaten food and other organic matter breaking down in a tank all produce Ammonia. This can quickly become toxic to fish if it is allowed to build up to any measurable...

www.fishforums.net

I notice that the filter boost instructions say to add some very month. That's just to make you keep buying it.