My first water test readings after 1 week

[s2000guy]

Took my first readings yesterday after having set the tank up a week ago which has been fishless.

The tank is a 30 gallon hexagonal tank which I have left the pump running the whole time and had the lights on 3 - 8 hours a day. There are no plants in yet but it does have a rock ornament which came from a healthy established tank in the water.

Eventually I want to get discus but want to mature the tank for 6 months or so until all the readings are perfect and I have some more experience of fishkeeping. I also appreciate that Discus prefer slightly acidic water so will work towards that very slowly.

My readings are as follows based on a temp of 80F :

PH - 8.0 (quite alkaline)
Nitrite - <0.3mg/L
Ammonia - 0.25 mg/L
Nitrate - 50 mg/L


I have read in a few places that black mollies are very resistant to different types of water conditions and are used for maturing tanks. Based on my readings, would it be ok to put some mols in based on the readings to start maturing the tank ?

I know lots of people mention fishless cycles but having no fish in the tank is driving me nuts although on the flip side of that, I don't want to kill anything either.

Thanks in advance

 

[JamesTasker]

You need to wait until the fishless cycle has ended, and your bacterial colonies have been established. When this happens ammonia and nitrate readings will be 0. Then you can strat to stock the tank.

Also, I would lower the temperature 2 or 3 degrees.

HTH

 

[gadazobe]

What are you using to cycle the tank? If there are no fish in it and you're not adding any food or pure ammonia, then the tank won't cycle.

 

[s2000guy]

The tank has nothing in it hence the reason for suggesting some black mollies to get the tank cycling as they seem to be very resistant according to all the books I have been reading.

I've tried to buy some ammonia from a few places but nobody seems to sell it.

I was also going to try and get some plants as well to try and help build up some bacteria.

 

[s2000guy]

The tank has nothing in it hence the reason for suggesting some black mollies to get the tank cycling as they seem to be very resistant according to all the books I have been reading.

I've tried to buy some ammonia from a few places but nobody seems to sell it.

I was also going to try and get some plants as well to try and help build up some bacteria.

 

[gixer]

nothing to do with your question but,

i wouldnt suggest keeping discus in that tank.. far from ideal

 

[nirvanarama]

i wouldnt reccomened discus for that size of tank and PH. black molly are quite suseptabel to disease, and, although hardy, prefer a brackish tank, and if you cant give them that, then they wont be too good at the cycling thing either.

try using 3-4 zebra danios to cycle with as they are extaordinarily hardy fish.

HTH

 

[JamesTasker]

The tank has nothing in it hence the reason for suggesting some black mollies to get the tank cycling as they seem to be very resistant according to all the books I have been reading.

I've tried to buy some ammonia from a few places but nobody seems to sell it.

I was also going to try and get some plants as well to try and help build up some bacteria.

How do you have ammonia and nitrite readings then?

 

[s2000guy]

The tank has nothing in it hence the reason for suggesting some black mollies to get the tank cycling as they seem to be very resistant according to all the books I have been reading.

I've tried to buy some ammonia from a few places but nobody seems to sell it.

I was also going to try and get some plants as well to try and help build up some bacteria.

How do you have ammonia and nitrite readings then?

I tested the tap water today and the readings are near identical to thattaken from the tank 1 week in

 

[canarsie11]

If you are doing a fishless cycle turn up the temp to about 84- 86f will help process. No need to turn down temp, casue you dont have any fish!