Fishless cycling

[Essjay]

Rinse under the tap several times, then half fill, shake, then empty a few times. Then dry with a paper towel or tissue. Hold the lid under running water to clean it, then dry.
Wash as soon as the test is read so the reagents don't have time to stick to the glass.

 

[IdoA]

Rinse under the tap several times, then half fill, shake, then empty a few times. Then dry with a paper towel or tissue. Hold the lid under running water to clean it, then dry.
Wash as soon as the test is read so the reagents don't have time to stick to the glass.

Did that. Thanks.
If you wanna have a look thats the results.

Ammonia on the left.
Nitrite in the middle.
And Nitrate on the right

 

[OldTimeFisher]

Looks like 0.0 on all 3 of them. How long have you been cycling your aquarium now?

 

[OldTimeFisher]

Is that your aquarium water test or your tap water?

 

[Essjay]

And have you added any ammonia or ammonium chloride yet?

 

[IdoA]

And have you added any ammonia or ammonium chloride yet?

Ive tested my small betta tank as stated.
5 galoon.
Im still waiting 24 hours for my new 10 galoon im cycling.
I guess these results show that the betta tank is cycled right?

 

[Murray92]

Ive tested my small betta tank as stated.
5 galoon.
Im still waiting 24 hours for my new 10 galoon im cycling.
I guess these results show that the betta tank is cycled right?

You want to have 0 ammonia 0 nitrites and anything from 5 - 20ppm nitrates , any more then do a water change.

 

[Essjay]

If the tests are from a tank with fish in, yes the tank is cycled. Though I'd expect a reading above zero for nitrate unless the tank has a lot of live plants.
Can I just check that you shook nitrate bottle #2 and then the test tube as the instructions said?

 

[IdoA]

If the tests are from a tank with fish in, yes the tank is cycled. Though I'd expect a reading above zero for nitrate unless the tank has a lot of live plants.
Can I just check that you shook nitrate bottle #2 and then the test tube as the instructions said?

I did.
Also its a bit more orange then the picture shows.

 

[Murray92]

I did.
Also its a bit more orange then the picture shows.

If it’s more orange than the photo looks then you should be all good

 

[Alice B]

Now im confused! Shouldn't I cycle a tank?

I cycle with feeder guppies - don't know if they sell those in the UK but in the US, well I haven't bought a feeder guppy in years, used to be 25cents apiece. I haven't tested all these bacteria brands, what I use is US only I'm pretty sure, but if I can get a sponge or clean gravel or used water from a healthy tank, that is what I use to cycle. I set my tank up, use chlorine remover, add my used material from a healthy tank, and I used 5 guppies to cycle a 55 gallon in December 2021.

 

[IdoA]

Hello everyone,
Unfortunately I had a medical condition for these few days...

Anyways I just finished setting up my tank today but for some reason there little bubbles all over the glass.... Hope someone knows what they are..?

Thanks again.

 

[IdoA]

Hello everyone,
Unfortunately I had a medical condition for these few days...

Anyways I just finished setting up my tank today but for some reason there little bubbles all over the glass.... Hope someone knows what they are..?

Thanks again.View attachment 155414View attachment 155415

Actually its all over everything... Even the filter!

 

[tomdaven]

Hi
I started my fishless cycle yesterday, everything in the tank was covered in what looked like tiny air bubbles, similar to yours. All disappeared by the next morning.

Don't know what causes it, sure someone with more experience than me will help out with that.

 

[Essjay]

It's the gasses dissolved in the tap water coming out of solution. Cold water can hold more dissolved gas than warm water so when we use cold tap water then warm it in the tank, the excess gasses have to go somewhere so bubbles form on the surfaces. They'll gradually float to the surface and burst.