Any suggestions?

[xxaprilrose]

I started cycling my tank 11 days ago. It’s fishless but I did add ammonia (started at 2ppm) and api quick start. Tank is 37g. Ph is 7.6. Yesterday I went to a fish store and purchased a fish but won’t be getting him until this is cycled. While I was there the guy gave me about half a gallon of water from one of his tanks that he squeezed out his sponge filter into and it was super dirty so I assume it grabbed a bunch of stuff to help. I poured it into my tank. How long do you think I should be seeing changes for the cycle? I did it last night and now today my ammonia now looks like it’s at 1ppm but idk if it’s like that because I added some water or not but nitrites is 0. I did nitrates for the heck of it and I think it’s a little orange? It’s strange the tube looks orange but when I pick it up and look through it in the sunlight it’s yellow but a tad more yellowy orange than the 0 level yellow if that makes sense lol (using api test kit)

 

[BlueJungle]

It’s hard to say if the dirty water will make much of a difference or not, all tanks cycle at their own speed. It’s just a matter of wait and see I’m afraid.

 

[xxaprilrose]

If I grabbed my friends filter media and placed in mine could that help? My issue is that I wasn’t looking to buy a fish but I ran by the most beautiful flowerhorn I had ever seen in my life. The fish store allowed me to purchase it and place on hold but only for a week. So I don’t know what to do and I never wanted or anticipated to be in this spot but I just couldn’t pass up this fish. The fish is about maybe 5 inches right now. And I have a 90 gallon tank I will be moving the fish to this is just temporary to grow as my 90 gallon is not set up by any means. If I don’t see improvement could I empty the tank, fill it, add api quick start and then add the fish in the next day? And do daily water changes to keep ammonia down? Idk I’m torn. May just have to get a refund here’s my fish I fell in love with for reference