I just noticed something...

[yvez9]

I've had my tank for about a week now and of course, discovered this place after i put fish in the tank.

Anyway, when i first set up the aquarium, i put in all the junk that came with it. There was a product to clear the chlorine and chloramine, a product to protect the fish gill and also a product to control fish wastes.

I started testing ammonia two days ago and the level is a big flat 0.

Could it be the tank is cycling or are the resultst screwed up because of the product i put in that controls fish waste?

 

[modernhamlet]

Do you know the name of the product off-hand?

If you've only had the fish for a few days, depending on stocking levels, they might not have generated enough ammonia for a reading yet. Keep testing everyday and make sure you keep both ammonia and nitrite levels below 1ppm.

What are the dimensions of your tank?
What fish are currently in the tank?

 

[yvez9]

I have 8 guppies and 2 gouramies, one snail too
it is a 20 gallon tank

the product is called "Nutrafin Watse Control"

I also put in some Cycle in there

 

[modernhamlet]

Nutrafin Waste Control is a little different to the other products here since it’s neither a true maturation treatment nor a filter booster in the sense of the other products on review.
Waste Control is a culture made up of six strains of heterotrophic bacteria, which break down organic wastes, like uneaten food and fish wastes, into ammonia - the first stage in the maturation process. The resulting pollutants are removed by other nitrifying bacteria present on the filter.

source: Practical Fishkeeping

That, plus Cycle, might help your tank cycle, depending upon whom you ask. I'm not a big fan off adding such stuff to a tank, but it's up to you. It probably won't hurt and since it came free with the tank, you might as well give it a try.

All that said, additives or not, your tank will start cycling soon. Keep feeding to a minimum (every other day), monitor the parameters daily, and keep up on water changes as needed to keep the water safe for the fish.

Do you know what kind of gourami you have?

 

[yvez9]

Yup

I have a blue and a pearl

the blue has barely eaten anything so far
the pearl didn't even ahve a bite

i tried feeding them flake food that came with the aquarium and frozen bloodworms.

The guppies sure had a hell of a snack there

I also got some brine shrimp that i haven't tried out yet

 

[guppymonkey]

Any product that says it gets rid of or neutralizes ammonia is a lie. Ammonia do not just disappear! It needs to be broken down. Most products that say they neutralize ammonia merely change it so that it is slightly less toxic. It changes ammonia so that it doesn't show up on tests, which is dangerous because you can think your tank is fine but it is really in danger. I would avoid these types of products.

 

[yvez9]

Well basically, it doesn't say it gets rid of ammonia.
just says it controls fish waste....

Also, doesn't cycle just dump bacteria in the tank so it destroys ammonia?

 

[modernhamlet]

Basically, there are two kinds of bacteria in your tank:

1. The kind that turn fish and food waste into ammonia. That's what Nutrafin Waste Control is supposed to be. It's actually claiming to CREATE ammonia as part of the whole process of breaking down waste. Thing is, these bacteria setup in a tank very, very quickly without adding anything, so yeah... not a big deal.

2. Nitrobacteria. These (2 different ones) break down ammonia to nitrite (that's one type) and nitrite to nitrate (that's the second). Cycle claims to have these, but whether viable bacteria can survive in a bottle on a shelf for months is up for debate...

In the end, all of these bacteria will colonize the tank and work to keep it healthy. Your job is to make sure the fish survive while this colonization is taking place.

 

[yvez9]

I juste lost my Pearl gourami tonight

Ammonia just went up to about 0.5.

Last time i checked this afternoon it was at 0

I'll go give crap to the girl at the fish store tomorrow

 

[Def]

Guppymonkey, actually Ammolock does exactly that.