New Tank, Cycling

[kretalina]

I've just started a tank and it's currently "cycling" by what a few LFS have told me. I Filled it with tap water and added STRESS ZYME+ some kind of biological filtration booster with live bacteria and STRESS COAT + with aloe vera. This is supposed to cycle my tank but after reading a couple topics I've come to see I need ammonia to cycle my tank. I plan on getting tetras and guppies.

Should I just get household ammonia and put a small amount in(be more specific about what kind i should use)? and how much? I have a 7 US gallon tank.
How long should I cycle the water as well? I was told to just add the STRESS ZYME+ and then I can add the fish in a week?

I had a tropical tank before but I didn't know anything about cycling and the fish didn't last but a few months so I'd like to do this right

 

[Gazanimal]

Welcome Kret.

I'm fairly new to running a tropical tank but you've found the right place to get good advice.

Firstly, have a good look in the Beginners Section, specifically at the Fishless Cycle part.

As you know you're going to need Ammonia in your tank to help the good bacteria grow in your filter. Most people don't believe in the `bacteria in a bottle` stuff that LFS sell you & your tank will be nowhere near ready within 7 days. I'm into my 3rd week of fishless cycling & my tank still isn't ready yet, so take whatever your LFS says with a pinch of salt & double-check on here.

LFS pretty much want to sell you items, including livestock when you either don't need them or aren't ready for them. But if you do find a good LFS, then keep supporting them.

You'll find where to get Ammonia from within the Beginners Resource Center (Location dependant)

Also, once you start correctly cycling your tank it's good idea to keep a log of your water tests & results. Otherwise you'll not remember what's happened previously to your tank.

One essential piece of kit you really should invest in is a liquid water test kit. Preferably an API Freshwater Master Test Kit. (Approx £20 of Ebay or £34 in LFS).

I say essential as there's no way to know if your water is still in a harmful condition for fish without it. Again, some LFS will say your water is fine when it isn't.

What tank have you got out of interest.

Good luck!

 

[kretalina]

It's a pretty small tank only 7 US gallons, AQUAEL.

http/tinypic.com/view.php?pic=ekfeao&s=7

I need just pure ammonia? and how much?

 

[BigbruiserAl]

If your in the UK boots do a bottle and just cost me £1.79 I think. Please read the links above they are invauable to some one new to the hobby and I include myself. I have just cycled 2 tanks and it was a massive help and no fish loss

 

[kretalina]

Okay, before adding any ammonia i definitely need a testing kit though right? And approximately how long does this process take?

Sorry I'm very curious and don't want to do anything wrong, and I have looked through all the cycling threads they're just not very clear sometimes because the authors get carried away on the topic.

 

[Gazanimal]

Yes, otherwise you won't know your levels. So I think a test kit is essential.

The process can vary in length, so there's no hard & fast rule as to when it will end. The cycle will end when it's done. I'm into my 3rd week of fish-less cycling and still don't know when my water's going to be right for livestock. Hopefully another couple of weeks max.

Ask questions as much as needed, but the answers are usually in others people journals/logs or in the beginners resource center so have a good read through a few times.

Once you start cycling it'll all start to fall into place.

 

[BigbruiserAl]

My fish in cycle took 6-8 weeks, that was adding no ammonia and hoping the fish would live. My second tank using fishless cycle and adding ammonia with the help of forum members here took me 29 days start to finish.

 

[kretalina]

I currently have a lot of bubbles forming on the surface of the water and on the leaves of the plants in my tank, does this mean something?

I've checked for ammonia in my local store and didn't find it so i'll get it within the week most likely.

 

[sky 1]

Got my Ammonia from Homebace £2.09 white bottle orange writing Household Ammonia its called

 

[Gazanimal]

Just check the label to make sure it only contains 9.5% ammonia. You don't want any fragrances etc in it.

Sounds fine though, but just check

 

[waterdrop]

That's correct. Simple household ammonia for cleaning, typically 10% concentration or so (almost always 9.5% in UK because of rules.) It must not have any dyes, fragrances, surfactants or soaps in it. When shaken, it should only create large bubbles for 2 or 3 seconds just like plain water.

It's important both to ready RDD's fishless cycling article in the Beginners Resource Center and -also- to have an active thread here in the subforum so that members can help you apply all the latest tweeks to the process and can give encouragment.

~~waterdrop~~

 

[Doc7]

a lot of bubbles when you first set up a tank is normal and will clear up quickly

 

[kretalina]

It's been about 3 days with the bubbling, and I'll check for the ammonia today. My tank is also very cloudy although I haven't added ammonia to it yet and from what I've read the cloudiness comes from ammonia?

After I buy the ammonia I'll make sure to double check it here

 

[OldMan47]

Welcome to the forum kretalina.
There are two common types of ammonia that are sold. The one called cloudy ammonia contains soaps and should be avoided. The one called clear ammonia is usually pure ammonia in a water solution and will often carry a label that says ammonium hydroxide is the active ingredient. That is a more correct chemical name than the ammonia name that we give it here.
With a tiny 7 gallon tank, a quart of the right stuff is probably a lifetime supply for cycling tanks. If you use it for window washing it won't last quite as long. Keep your nose away from the bottle, the stuff can be very irritating to the nasal passages.
Cloudiness in a new tank is not ammonia. It may be any of a multitude of things, often a bacterial bloom of some sort, but most will dissipate in a very few days so it is nothing to worry too much about. The bubbles that stick to the glass and ornaments in a new tank are meaningless. If you stir the water near them once or twice, they will be gone and will not return in similar densities.