Cycling My Tank

[norbie]

Here are my first set of results, tank has been setup for two days now.

(Tank details/diary -> http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?act=ST&f=22&t=153316 )

External filter has been used on established aquarium for 3 months, have not put it on this tank so should hopefully speed up cycling.

ammonia 0 ppm
nitrite 0 ppm
nitrate 0 ppm

low range (6.0-7.6pH) test = 7.6 pH
high range (7.4-8.8pH) test = 8.0 pH

I used mixture of tap water and water butt water to fill it.

Is that pH ok? I see the main 3 are 0 which means it's uncycled.
How should I start it off, does the external filter do anything like that as it contains filter media.
When I have plants in the tank should I add a couple of my small fish like guppies?
I've read all the stickies on fishless cycling etc, but in a tank so big, adding a couple of small fish should be fine shouldn't it?

 

[iamwhoiam]

pH looks fine, maybe slightly high... your low range reading only means 7.6 or above, so you take the reading from your high range, which indicates your ph is 8.0... which is typical of UK hard water... will you be putting CO2 into this planted tank? because that will reduce your pH by about 1.0 if setup correctly

have you measured the GH/KH of the mixed water?

 

[norbie]

No I haven't got GH/KH in this test kit, I think I have it on a test strip though so I'll do that one tomorrow.

I probably wont be putting CO2 in.

 

[Bullrock74]

Here are my first set of results, tank has been setup for two days now.

(Tank details/diary -> http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?act=ST&f=22&t=153316 )

External filter has been used on established aquarium for 3 months, have not put it on this tank so should hopefully speed up cycling.

ammonia 0 ppm
nitrite 0 ppm
nitrate 0 ppm

low range (6.0-7.6pH) test = 7.6 pH
high range (7.4-8.8pH) test = 8.0 pH

I used mixture of tap water and water butt water to fill it.

Is that pH ok? I see the main 3 are 0 which means it's uncycled.
How should I start it off, does the external filter do anything like that as it contains filter media.
When I have plants in the tank should I add a couple of my small fish like guppies?
I've read all the stickies on fishless cycling etc, but in a tank so big, adding a couple of small fish should be fine shouldn't it?

This post is hilarious...I especially like the part about butt water...

 

[norbie]

Why is it hilarious?

 

[Lynden]

Here are my first set of results, tank has been setup for two days now.

(Tank details/diary -> http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?act=ST&f=22&t=153316 )

External filter has been used on established aquarium for 3 months, have not put it on this tank so should hopefully speed up cycling.

ammonia 0 ppm
nitrite 0 ppm
nitrate 0 ppm

low range (6.0-7.6pH) test = 7.6 pH
high range (7.4-8.8pH) test = 8.0 pH

I used mixture of tap water and water butt water to fill it.

Is that pH ok? I see the main 3 are 0 which means it's uncycled.
How should I start it off, does the external filter do anything like that as it contains filter media.
When I have plants in the tank should I add a couple of my small fish like guppies?
I've read all the stickies on fishless cycling etc, but in a tank so big, adding a couple of small fish should be fine shouldn't it?

This post is hilarious...I especially like the part about butt water...

Seriously, what's funny about that?

 

[Boxermom]

What on earth is "water butt water?" Is that some kind of UK thing?

 

[Bullrock74]

Here are my first set of results, tank has been setup for two days now.

(Tank details/diary -> http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?act=ST&f=22&t=153316 )

External filter has been used on established aquarium for 3 months, have not put it on this tank so should hopefully speed up cycling.

ammonia 0 ppm
nitrite 0 ppm
nitrate 0 ppm

low range (6.0-7.6pH) test = 7.6 pH
high range (7.4-8.8pH) test = 8.0 pH

I used mixture of tap water and water butt water to fill it.

Is that pH ok? I see the main 3 are 0 which means it's uncycled.
How should I start it off, does the external filter do anything like that as it contains filter media.
When I have plants in the tank should I add a couple of my small fish like guppies?
I've read all the stickies on fishless cycling etc, but in a tank so big, adding a couple of small fish should be fine shouldn't it?

This post is hilarious...I especially like the part about butt water...

Seriously, what's funny about that?

This post feels like it was intended as a joke, to me, but if not...wow!

 

[norbie]

Ok... I guess it's an American misunderstanding, and the way I wrote it.

That is a "Water Butt", a barrel that collects rainwater from a roof which gives a better water than from the tap.

 

[Bullrock74]

Ok... I guess it's an American misunderstanding, and the way I wrote it.

That is a "Water Butt", a barrel that collects rainwater from a roof which gives a better water than from the tap.

I'm glad you cleared that up...I learned something new...why on earth would the manufacturers call it a "water butt" if it's purpose is to produce cleaner water...does "butt" not mean in the UK what it does in America?

 

[norbie]

butt does mean what you think it means, but also means the same as barrel/container/retainer whatever you call them there

Anyway lol, my test results.. what to do now to cycle tank?

 

[Bullrock74]

Here are my first set of results, tank has been setup for two days now.

(Tank details/diary -> http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?act=ST&f=22&t=153316 )

External filter has been used on established aquarium for 3 months, have not put it on this tank so should hopefully speed up cycling.

ammonia 0 ppm
nitrite 0 ppm
nitrate 0 ppm

low range (6.0-7.6pH) test = 7.6 pH
high range (7.4-8.8pH) test = 8.0 pH

I used mixture of tap water and water butt water to fill it.

Is that pH ok? I see the main 3 are 0 which means it's uncycled.
How should I start it off, does the external filter do anything like that as it contains filter media.
When I have plants in the tank should I add a couple of my small fish like guppies?
I've read all the stickies on fishless cycling etc, but in a tank so big, adding a couple of small fish should be fine shouldn't it?

I hope you meant that you HAVE put the external filter on this tank and therefore it should speed up cyclling. If the external filter has enough beneficial bacteria in it, then you should not have to worry about cycling this new tank because the bacteria will reproduce rapidly enough such that only the weakest of fish will have problems in the new tank. If and when ammonia gets above 1.0 ppm I would do a water change.

 

[norbie]

Thanks, yes I did mean I have added it

 

[norbie]

New test results:

ammonia 0 ppm
nitrite 0 ppm
nitrate 20 ppm

I have added a few guppies now to see if this will affect the test results. I will regularly test water now to see if it changes.

Is that nitrate level ok?

 

[norbie]

Also would you say it was safe to add fish now?