Cycling a new tank :unsure:

[crookedfish]

I have been cycling my tank with 3 zebra danio's, but I am confused by the water test's.

I started the tank on the 23/05/04. Fish were added on the 24/05/04. I have been checking the amonia and nitrite every 2 days.

The highest that the amonia reached was 0.6 mg/L (ppm) on the 30/5/04 (the nitrite was 0.3 mg/L (ppm)). At this point I did a 20% water change. The Amonia went down to 0.3 and the nitrite stayed at 0.3 (proberbly went down slightly).

Now the confusing thing is that the Amonia seem to stay at 0.3 since then. I added 3 more zebra danio's (the first 3 were not happy, very lonely and hiding) last night, and checked the amonia today expecting to see a rise but is at zero!! The nitrite has shot up to 1.6! So I checked the Nitrate level and I have a reading 50ppm!! (probably from the water the fish were transported in)

I wasn't expecting the cycle to start so quickly. Is this right?

In between the dates above, I added plants on 28/05/2004 and added filter media from my pond filter on the 27/05/2004.

I have been using Nutrafin Cycle and Nutrafin aqua plus to treat the tap water as recommended by my LFS.

Thanks for the help

Si

 

[Nina7777]

sounds about right to me, since you added plants and mature filter media. This speeds up the cycle considerably, because all those things have good bacteria on them. COngrats sounds like your cycle is almost over!

 

[modernhamlet]

I agree with Nina that the addition of plants and established media probably gave your cycle a big boost. However, with Nitrites spiking now, you may be a ways off from being cycled. Getting the nitrites down to 0 is usually the long part of the process.

Be patient. Don't add anymore fish. Do water changes to keep the nitrites below 1.0.

Soon enough, your tank will be ready!

Good luck!

 

[Bol]

Sounds quite possible to me.

I've started some new tanks recently, and with the addition of plants, gravel, and filter floss from a mature tank, they cycled almost "instantly". (In fact, one heavily stocked 20g has never shown any ammonia or nitrites in five weeks, and had nitrates stabilize between 10 and 15 ppm after about six days.

Like others have recommended, I'd just keep up with the water changes to keep the nitrites and nitrates low.

 

[7chanaa]

i waited 1 month for my tank to settle without fish and now the fish i buy survive for a long time.

 

[judcoynehunter]

yes cycling is very important when getting a new tank well done crookefish

yuor fish will be wonderfully happy in your set up !!

 

[crookedfish]

Thanks for all the feedback peeps . I was just suprised that things are hapening so quickly.

I have done a 15% wtaer change now and the Nitrits have fallen to below 1 now. I will be doing another 15% water change on sunday.

Since buying 3 more danio's, they seem alot happier and bolder than before so I can actually start enjoying the tank. I need to decide what else to put in the tank for when I get back from holiday (mid july), but I think I will be stocking the tank with barbs (tiger barbs etc).
One question with regard to this is that barbs like to shoul, so if I mix species like tiger barbs, green tiger barbs etc, will they shoul together? This would mean that I would then only buy 3 or 4 of each type.

Also do tiger barbs get on with danios, or would they fin nip? They are part of the same family (i think) so don't think this would be a problem, but I am no expert!

Thanks for the help

Si

 

[Nina7777]

Tiger barbs, are extremely energetic swimmers and are semi-agressive. They need alot of room. What size was your tank?

 

[crookedfish]

The tank is an 18UK gallon tank which is 2ft long.

Si

 

[Nina7777]

IMO you should either have danios or tiger barbs. In a smaller tank the barbs would probably turn into nippers. But Thats just my opinion

 

[crookedfish]

Thanks for that, it looks like it will be a barb only tank then.

Will my rock/mountain shrimp be with barbs?

Si

 

[skippyroo]

If you are going for tiger barbs get as many as you can safely fit in the tank, otherwise one or two tend to get too dominant and the rest get bullied especially at feeding time. I started off with 6 tiger barbs and ended up with one big chief left on his own! I have seen posts which suggest large shoals of over 10 to keep them happy and less agressive. However I think this will take up most of the room in your tank? It depends if you want a community tank or just keep a species tank of Tigers.

This is just what I have found IME but I have seen this reflected a lot elsewhere with the tiger barbs.

Hope it helps

Good luck with the end of your cycling!

 

[Nina7777]

Your shrimp should be fine. Just provide lots of hiding places!

and i agree about the larger shoals. Its always a good idea.