NO Ammonia

[Built2Prfctn]

Hey guys pretty new to this cycle stuff. I've been reading a lot and just got done setting up my 55 gallon. When I first filled it 8 days ago I put live plants and also added "Fluval Hagen Biological Enhancer for Aquariums" to take care of the cycle. So here I am 8 days later just tested for Ammonia and not a trace to be found. Am I now ready to add fish? Is there anything else I should look for? Just making sure because I see a lot of people having cycle issues and I'm pretty new and I'm thinking to myself "man that was easy"

Thanks for the help!

 

[Essjay]

Did you add any ammonia? The Fluval product contains bacteria and without a source of food, they won't multiply. Without added ammonia you have no idea how many bacteria are in the tank. You need to add enough ammonia to give a reading of 3 ppm after half an hour to let it mix in thoroughly. Then test next day for both ammonia and nitrite. If you have a reading for either, the tank is not cycled yet.

However, you have live plants. These use ammonia as plant food, and they don't turn it into nitrite like the bacteria do. If there are enough plants and they are growing well, they will use just about all the ammonia made by a tankful of fish. Adding that 3 ppm dose of ammonia may show that you have no ammonia or nitrite because the plants are using it rather than the bacteria in the bottle.
But be careful. Ammonia added all in one go (as with cycling) can harm plants. The fish may make the same amount of ammonia per day but they add tiny amounts continually over 24 hours not all at once.

If you do add ammonia and even with plants find that you have ammonia and/or nitrite after 24 hours, you can either remove the plants temporarily and follow the fishless cycling method on here http://www.fishforums.net/threads/cycling-your-new-fresh-water-tank-read-this-first.421488/ (and the Fluval product might help though it does not have a good reputation) or get a lot more plants, wait till they are growing well and get fish a few at a time, checking to make sure there is no ammonia or nitrite for several days after each addition.

 

[FishGuest5123]

You probably need to add more of the bottled bacteria at this point too. If you weren’t feeding it ammonia or fish food then you more than likely starved the bacteria and your cycle didn’t start.

 

[Byron]

It would help to know what plant species and how many. Fast growing plants can take up an incredible amount of ammonia, but at the same time adding it directly can harm if not kill them (and otyher bacteria too for that matter).

Personally, I would never add ammonia to a new tank with plants. If they show signs of growing, adding the first fish is much safer than adding ammonia.

 

[FishGuest5123]

If it were me, I would put the plants in another container while cycling the tank and do a fishless cycle. That way you don’t harm plants or fish.

 

[Built2Prfctn]

Thanks for your help.. I'm a newbie and never added ammonia.Just purchased Drtim'S Aquatics Ammonium Chloride - 2 Oz Bottle.

Thanks again.