Is my tank ready?

[Kirsty]

Come sunday i will have had my tank running for a week, if my water tests give good results will i be able to introduce fish to get the cycling started on the monday?
Or should i wait another week?

 

[happyadd]

your water should be fine, if it isn't there may be something in your tank affecting it.

As there is no fish you should have zero ammonia, nitrite and a low reading of nitrate. Your pH will be waht it will be! obviously, a pH of around 6.50-7.00 will allow you to have a good selection of fish.

Good luck with your cycle, only introduce a few fish and leave them for at least three weeks. In this time your tank should start cycling.

There are posts on this site about fishless cycling (a more fish-friendly way of cycling) check them out.

I did a fishless cycle, it took 4 weeks of having no fish (alot of patience) only to lose a Plec after I had him for three weeks prob my fault, I dont think he had enough to eat!

Cant really recommend what type of cycling method to use, I think both are just as good, at least with cycling with a few hardy fish you'll have something to look at. Although you will find this type of cycling is unpopular on this forum!

 

[Kirsty]

Have already done a pH test, with a reading of 7.6.
I have decided to cycle with fish as i dont have the patience, i cant bear looking at an empty tank anymore and it hasnt been a week yet!!

So would I be ok to intorduce some fish on monday?

 

[happyadd]

you could add some on the weekend I recon. Perhaps drop a few flakes of food in now, or a prawn/cockle! They will decompose and form ammonia that'll start the cycle off.

What fish are you thinking of getting. It is popular to introduce Danios to start. However, if you don't like the look of them try guppies.

The chances are you will lose a fish or two, as the tank cycles the ammonia and nitrite reading s will shoot up and fall. During this time your fish may become poorly. Ammonia ahs the same affect on fish as carbon monoxide has on humans...suffocation.

I would personally get a few fish and leave it for a good while. Your water may appear good but wait until it cycles.

How big is you tank btw?

There are also products around that supposidly cycle your tank such as stresszyme annd cycle. The general opinion is that its hard to tell whether they work or not!

 

[Kirsty]

I have a 63 litre tank. I have already added some food on the advice of the booklet that came with the tank.

From what i heave heard danios seem like the best fish to go with to cycle the tank, i cant wait to actually get some fish in there