How to proceed?

[Helium_Junkie]

Current Tank conditions:

temp = 23.5°c
pH = 7.7
ammonia = 0 ppm
nitrite = 0 ppm
nitrate = 5ppm

Tank has been standing with the filter running for 2 days now, trying to get ready for fish and I do NOT have a source of Ammonia.

What should I do?

 

[Phantom Thief]

Try putting in a bit of fish food, it should be able to provide food to the bacteria.

P.T.

 

[tstenback]

If you cant get a source of ammonia then you have a couple of options. First if you know someone with an established tank you could ask if you could run your filter on their tank for 4-5 days, that would build up the bacteria in your filter so that you could move it to your tank and add a few fish right away. Second you can cycle with fish, perhaps a few platties or zebra danios (one per 5 gals). To help speed up the process you could get some filter material, gravel, plants or decorations from an established tank. HTH

 

[Helium_Junkie]

The only established tank around is a murky, unclean, coldwater goldfish tank... not putting my filter in there
I have been trying a few flakes of fish food, should I put lots in?
Guess I may have to use fishes

Whats the best fish for the purpose? And is it best to use just a couple or lots and lots?

 

[tstenback]

Zebra danios or platties. One fish per every 5 gals of tank water.

 

[Phantom Thief]

I usually did fish cycling, didnt lose a fish out of it, and their still with me. I used 3 zebra danios, because they might be the toughest fish in the world. Best to use a few, and slowly add more.

P.T.

 

[Helium_Junkie]

What about pearl danios, are they as good?

 

[The-Wolf]

What about pearl danios, are they as good?

no pearls are not suitable for cycling, they are not as hardie as zebras

You can use Zebra danio (danio reio)
Leopard danio (danio frankei Reio)
os White cloud mountain minnows (Tanichthys albonubes)

HTH

 

[njnauticalnut]

What about doing a fishless cycle? Add amonia from the store with no fragrances or additives. You add enough amonia to bring your reading to 5ppm and then continue to add that amount daily until you get a nitrite spike, then cut back to half the dose. Then you wait for the nitrate spike and when amonia and nitrites are at 0, you do a decent water change and you can add your fish as the tank is cycled. This is an option to cycling with fish. There is pinned information on it.

 

[Helium_Junkie]

...and I do NOT have a source of Ammonia.

What should I do?

Did you read the first post?