Tank Cycled

[mark1980]

After 4-5 weeks, my new tank is finally cycled. I have done the final water change and bought 10 real plants. I'm hoping to buy my 1st fish tomorrow but one thing is bothering me. I added ammonia this morning at 5 o clock and did a test at 5 o clock tea time, the levels were 0.0 and nitrite 0.0 so I have done a 90% water change ready for fish tomorrow and the water has gone cloudy. I know that this will clear but do I need to wait until it clears before I introduce fish because if I do then I will need to add more ammonia. please help

 

[backtotropical]

Sounds like it's probably just dust from your substrate (I find it's impossible to get it totally clean). Fish probably don't like it much, but it won't harm them, and if it is that it'll probably be clear by morning anyway, assuming you've got pumps on.

 

[Lynda B]

Don't add more ammonia once you have your fish there. Your fish will be your source of ammonia. You might want to ask somebody in the planted tanks section about your 10 plants. I don't have a planted tank, and not sure about how that might change a newly cycled tank, as far as adding fish goes.

 

[orange shark]

what size is your tank and what fish are you thinking of putting in?

orange shark

 

[doresy]

ok, so your tank has cycled and you have done your big water change to dilute the nitrAte Ready to add the fish that you have been doing your homework on, yes? Then you must introduce most of the stock that you intend to keep in one go within 12-24 hours to maintain the bacteria that you have strived so hard to accumulate. Any longer than that then more ammonia will be needed

 

[**sarahp**]

Then you must introduce most of the stock that you intend to keep in one go within 12-24 hours to maintain the bacteria that you have strived so hard to accumulate. Any longer than that then more ammonia will be needed

Sorry for a thread hijack - but I have a question about this - how do you persuade a lfs person that it is ok to buy all the fish in one go? Most lfs still advocate the fish cycle so recommend the slowly introducing more and more fish - can just see the look on their faces when i go in for a 400 litre tank full fish stock (although the ££££££££'s may also be visible in the eyes!!)

 

[doresy]

Then you must introduce most of the stock that you intend to keep in one go within 12-24 hours to maintain the bacteria that you have strived so hard to accumulate. Any longer than that then more ammonia will be needed

Sorry for a thread hijack - but I have a question about this - how do you persuade a lfs person that it is ok to buy all the fish in one go? Most lfs still advocate the fish cycle so recommend the slowly introducing more and more fish - can just see the look on their faces when i go in for a 400 litre tank full fish stock (although the ££££££££'s may also be visible in the eyes!!)

I don't know 1 LFS that will not be GLAD to sell you enough fish to fill a 400 ltr tank.....hey, even if you only have a 40 ltr

In the event that you do have a concerned LFS then remind them that in this circumstance, the customer IS right


Ps..... do like your point

 

[DarkEntity]

Then you must introduce most of the stock that you intend to keep in one go within 12-24 hours to maintain the bacteria that you have strived so hard to accumulate. Any longer than that then more ammonia will be needed

Sorry for a thread hijack - but I have a question about this - how do you persuade a lfs person that it is ok to buy all the fish in one go? Most lfs still advocate the fish cycle so recommend the slowly introducing more and more fish - can just see the look on their faces when i go in for a 400 litre tank full fish stock (although the ££££££££'s may also be visible in the eyes!!)

I wouldnt, id add the fish gradually, its not a good idea to completely fill the tank in one go. Yes you have a colony of bacteria in the filter but how do you know its sufficuient to handle a tank load of fish waste in one go?

you dont so add slowly and gradually allowing the bacteria to keep up with the new waste levels.

Thats how ive done it for 15+ years, and ive never lost a fish to poor water yet

 

[doresy]

Then you must introduce most of the stock that you intend to keep in one go within 12-24 hours to maintain the bacteria that you have strived so hard to accumulate. Any longer than that then more ammonia will be needed

Sorry for a thread hijack - but I have a question about this - how do you persuade a lfs person that it is ok to buy all the fish in one go? Most lfs still advocate the fish cycle so recommend the slowly introducing more and more fish - can just see the look on their faces when i go in for a 400 litre tank full fish stock (although the ££££££££'s may also be visible in the eyes!!)

I wouldnt, id add the fish gradually, its not a good idea to completely fill the tank in one go. Yes you have a colony of bacteria in the filter but how do you know its sufficuient to handle a tank load of fish waste in one go?

you dont so add slowly and gradually allowing the bacteria to keep up with the new waste levels.

Thats how ive done it for 15+ years, and ive never lost a fish to poor water yet

Appreciate your comments friend but if you have been following a fishless cycle correctly by keeping the ammonia levels up tp 5ppm, by the time you have accumulaed enough bacteria to nutrilise the ammonia and the nitrIte produced then you have prepared the filter to cope with the maximum stock for that sized tank.
By adding fish slowly then you are not feeding all the bacteria so some bacteria will die. When you later add more fish then you are sort of starting a 'with fish' mini cycle creating stress on the more delicate fish unnesessarily (IMO)

 

[**sarahp**]

Soooo if you dont add the full stock load in one go is it safe for the fish to also add ammonia - obviously less than was needed for the cycling process otherwise it would poison the fish that are living there - or am i talking complete horlicks?? (thats not unusual by the way!!)

 

[doresy]

Soooo if you dont add the full stock load in one go is it safe for the fish to also add ammonia - obviously less than was needed for the cycling process otherwise it would poison the fish that are living there - or am i talking complete horlicks?? (thats not unusual by the way!!)

NOOOOO! once fish are added do not add any more ammonia in any circumstance.

It is best to add all or most of the stock you intend to keep at the off set. if you don't then you must add future fish much more slowly to prevent your filter going into what's commonly known as a mini cycle. This is when the added fish produce more ammonia than your filter can cope with so nitrite rises also. this will create stress for your fish and will effect the more fragile fish.

 

[**sarahp**]

Soooo if you dont add the full stock load in one go is it safe for the fish to also add ammonia - obviously less than was needed for the cycling process otherwise it would poison the fish that are living there - or am i talking complete horlicks?? (thats not unusual by the way!!)

NOOOOO! once fish are added do not add any more ammonia in any circumstance.

It is best to add all or most of the stock you intend to keep at the off set. if you don't then you must add future fish much more slowly to prevent your filter going into what's commonly known as a mini cycle. This is when the added fish produce more ammonia than your filter can cope with so nitrite rises also. this will create stress for your fish and will effect the more fragile fish.

right got it - see I was talking horlicks!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[doresy]

Soooo if you dont add the full stock load in one go is it safe for the fish to also add ammonia - obviously less than was needed for the cycling process otherwise it would poison the fish that are living there - or am i talking complete horlicks?? (thats not unusual by the way!!)

NOOOOO! once fish are added do not add any more ammonia in any circumstance.

It is best to add all or most of the stock you intend to keep at the off set. if you don't then you must add future fish much more slowly to prevent your filter going into what's commonly known as a mini cycle. This is when the added fish produce more ammonia than your filter can cope with so nitrite rises also. this will create stress for your fish and will effect the more fragile fish.

right got it - see I was talking horlicks!!!!!!!!!!!

that's ok....see the logic in your thinking (rare for a girl) Ok Ok ok ...sorry, I take that back long as you are straight now

 

[**sarahp**]

Soooo if you dont add the full stock load in one go is it safe for the fish to also add ammonia - obviously less than was needed for the cycling process otherwise it would poison the fish that are living there - or am i talking complete horlicks?? (thats not unusual by the way!!)

NOOOOO! once fish are added do not add any more ammonia in any circumstance.

It is best to add all or most of the stock you intend to keep at the off set. if you don't then you must add future fish much more slowly to prevent your filter going into what's commonly known as a mini cycle. This is when the added fish produce more ammonia than your filter can cope with so nitrite rises also. this will create stress for your fish and will effect the more fragile fish.

right got it - see I was talking horlicks!!!!!!!!!!!

that's ok....see the logic in your thinking (rare for a girl) Ok Ok ok ...sorry, I take that back long as you are straight now

cheeky get twas very logical cap'n