Cycling help

[aquarius]

i set up a 12 gal tank last week and began cycling with two full grown platies. i added some plants, decor, and gravel from an already established tank. i fed the fish twice a day, just to make sure there would be ammonia in the tank as soon as possible. i figured if ammonia got too high, i would remove the fish. anyway, i tested the water everyday for ammonia and nitrite and nothing. they've been at zero the entire time. the test kits definitely work and what's more the fish look happy and healthy. i don't understand, there should have been at least some ammonia by now since two fish are more than enough to cycle a tank this size. i don't know what to do. is the cycle over? has it even began? is it safe to do a water change? can i add a couple more fish to the tank? i'm confused

 

[karrihug]

have you tested for nitrate? you may have added enough seed material to "clone" whatever tank it came from.

 

[aquarius]

i don't have a nitrate test, couldn't find one and figured it wasn't that important. i hope my tank is already cycled but i only added a couple of handfulls of gravel so i don't know

 

[karrihug]

will your lfs test for nitrate for you? i would think that in that amount of time you should have some rise in ammonia or nitrite unless you have enough bacteria to handle it. are the plants live ones?

 

[aquarius]

there are several live plants in the tank

 

[karrihug]

if your plants are live you may not register nitrate either. i would add 1 more fish and see if that gives you any readings.

 

[tstenback]

I would definitely get a test kit for nitrate. It is the only indicator that your tank is cycled or not. If you cant get one right now then at least take the water to the LFS for testing. The seed material in your tank may be enough to accomodate the 2 platties and therefore as karrihug said the tank may be cycled. But you should have nitrates if it is. It would take a very heavily planted tank to eat up all the nitrates. Anyway if you have nitrates and the other fish are happy then do as karrihug mentioned and try to add a couple more and watch your levels daily. HTH

 

[aquarius]

thanks. i'll try to find a nitrate kit then and hopefully all is well. i'm anxious to add more fish