Am I ready?

[Paul_MTS]

I'ved had my 25 gallon running with completely new everything for 1 week now all planted up and with a Fluval 204 and a CO2 injector. This is my 3rd attempt of gettin the tank perfect for me, and I'm now very happy with it.

I did a water test this morning and readings are as follows

Nitrates - 5mg/L
Nitrites - 0.2mg/L
Ammoinia - 0.0mg/L
PH - 8.0

I will test for Nitrates again before I go to buy some fish tomorow to make sure it's not on the rise.

 

[Helium_Junkie]

Both Ammonia and Nitrites should be nil... have you cycled? Or is this just water that has sat in the tank for a week?

 

[Cheese Specialist]

There is something known as 'silent cycling' where someone sets up a planted tank (usually with co2) and this sort-of eliminates the need for the trditional cycle.

I know people who have done it, often by accident. lol

More information

 

[Paul_MTS]

In my test booklet it says below 0.3 is fine for Nitrites.

And All I done was On thrusday empty the tank out (from the old substrate etc)
add new substrate.
add water
add my bog wood and slate
plant the plants
then on friday my filter and co2 kit came which I got running that day, at which time I added stress coat.

Oh and I put a few worms in the substrate, I always had them in my UG plates before so decided to stick some in.

I'm going to the fish shop anyway tomorow to get some crabs for my other tank which has been running for about 5 weeks now.

cheers for that article but it says that they waited several weeks

 

[Cheese Specialist]

Your booklet is wrong.

I am pretty sure my one is right, although I have never looked at it in-depth for quite a while.

There should be 0 nitrIte and amonia at all times after cycling and before fish are added (if doing fishless cycle). NitrAtes are dependent on tap water and so more sensitive fish may not be able to kept in your tank if the level is always going to be high.

~ Dana ~

 

[skimpy]

In my test booklet it says below 0.3 is fine for Nitrites

Your booklet is wrong.

IMHO fish can survive with nitrites of 0.25 or lets say 0.3 but that is when they have been in a tank and the nitrites have started to rise, they have got used to it slowly during the rise .

If you go and get fish from a lfs that are in a tank showing 0 nitrite and put them into a tank that shows 0.3 it will be too much of a shock.

Nitrite and Ammonia must be 0 before adding fish, whether its the first time you add fish or at any time that you add fish.

Nitrite is toxic to fish and although they may survive a small rise it is completely different to jumping from 0 to 0.3 in one go. Please rethink and wait till reading are 0 before adding your fish.

 

[Cheese Specialist]

In my test booklet it says below 0.3 is fine for Nitrites

Your booklet is wrong.

IMHO fish can survive with nitrites of 0.25 or lets say 0.3 but that is when they have been in a tank and the nitrites have started to rise, they have got used to it slowly during the rise

They may surive but IMO they will be damaged and weakened from it.

Also, adding fish to a tank tht has not fully cycled is likely to send the levels all high again.

 

[clutterydrawer]

I get the impression that not only is the tank not fully cycled, it isn't realy cycled at all.

 

[skimpy]

.

IMHO fish can survive with nitrites of 0.25 or lets say 0.3 but that is when they have been in a tank and the nitrites have started to rise, they have got used to it slowly during the rise

They may surive but IMO they will be damaged and weakened from it

I do agree, sorry hope I did not sound as if i was advocating letting the nitrites rise, cos I wasn't

 

[Paul_MTS]

Well I'll check my nitrites again tomorrow and if there still at this level I'll ask my LFS dude what his are at then go from there.

How am I meant o tell if the tank is cycled or not?

 

[skimpy]

Well I'll check my nitrites again tomorrow and if there still at this level I'll ask my LFS dude what his are at then go from there.

Sorry I hope i am not sounding rude here, but your above quote says to me I could not have explained properly, or you did not understand what I was trying to say.

Perhaps these links will help, perhaps a little more research before you buy you fish will help The Nitrogen Cycle .. An example of a cycled tank

Happy reading and good luck

 

[Cheese Specialist]

How am I meant o tell if the tank is cycled or not?

Because the amonia and nitrIte will be at 0. I think you should read the links provided by skimpy.

The LFS's tanks should also be cycled properly, otherwise the fish are harmed from the start.

 

[clutterydrawer]

Because the amonia and nitrIte will be at 0.

there should be a nitrate reading too...otherwise it could be that the cycle hasn't even begun.

 

[Cheese Specialist]

Because the amonia and nitrIte will be at 0.

there should be a nitrate reading too...otherwise it could be that the cycle hasn't even begun.

Depends whether it's a planted tank or not, which it is.

Plants will eat up the nitrAtes and also the amonia and NitrItes. That's where the notion of 'silent cycling' comes from.

 

[njnauticalnut]

How am I meant o tell if the tank is cycled or not?

Because the amonia and nitrIte will be at 0. I think you should read the links provided by skimpy.

Let me just add... If you buy a new tank and set it all up, and then test it, the water parameters will most likely read amonia 0ppm, nitrite 0ppm and nitrate may or may not show depending on your tap water. The tank is NOT cycled.

A cycled tank has developed good bacteria and is able to take a decent amount, say 5ppms, of amonia and convert it within 24 hours. So that means after 24 hours your readings should be amonia 0ppm, nitrite 0ppm.

In order to develop the bacteria, the tank has to be fed amonia either through fish as their waste is amonia, or through actual amonia (fishless cycling). Otherwise, the tank will not cycle.

If your tank is not cycled, and it sounds like it is not, then when you add fish you will see your amonia and nitrite levels rise. This may kill or damage your fish as they can get amonia or nitrite poisoning.

The links should explain it all. It usually takes several weeks to cycle a tank. I guess fish keeping is a hobby of patience.