Cycling Test Results Advice Please.

[marieukxx]

I've set up a 21.6 litre tank with filtter and heater for one betta fish only. It''s been set up for a week with declorinated water, fliter on but no heater as it hadn't arrived and obviously no betta yet. I added a pinch of fish food and squeezed a bit of stuff from my filter floss in my other cycled tank onto the filter.

Today the heater came so I've put that in and switched it on. I intend to add mulm from my already cycled filter in my bigger tank. But I did a test before doing anything and I'd like advice on what to do next please. These are the results:

PH 7.6
High Range PH 7.4 both of these are the same as my other tank
Amonia 0.25ppm
Nitrite 0ppm
I haven't done the Nitrate test yet, do I need to at this stage?

Where do I goo from here guys? Do I add the mulm now? Dose with more fish food? Water change? Thanks

 

[eaglesaquarium]

Unless there is a fish in the tank, why would you want to do a water change now?

I've never done a fish food cycle, so I can't give you any advice on that. I would say that if you intend to do a fishless cycle, you should raise the temp to 84F and the pH to 8.4. If not, then I think you are ready to go with the betta as soon as the ammonia drops off (which shouldn't take too long with the seeded media).

 

[marieukxx]

Thanks. I don't know about the water change that's why I asked. I've never cycled before as my other tank was already cycled. I've just added the mulm plus the floss that's been in the other tank. I'll put the temp up

 

[marieukxx]

Since I added the mulm and filter floss my tank has gone clear, it was a bit cloudy does that mean anything?

When should I test next?

 

[Tizer]

So like, are you using fish food as an ammonia supplement ?

The fish less cycle threads in the beginners section covers everything you need to know. Im not really sure what you are asking

I would expect you need to follow the fishless cycle threads that talk you through dosing the tank with ammonia etc. Link here

 

[eaglesaquarium]

I think it means that the filter is working and/or the bacteria bloom is over.

 

[marieukxx]

So like, are you using fish food as an ammonia supplement ?

The fish less cycle threads in the beginners section covers everything you need to know. Im not really sure what you are asking

I would expect you need to follow the fishless cycle threads that talk you through dosing the tank with ammonia etc. Link here

Sorry I thought the question was clear. When shall I do another test? You can ccycle using fish food and mature media and that's what I was advised.

 

[eaglesaquarium]

Yes, you can. You test every 24 hours. I'm not sure about dosing though. Do you add fish food daily, like feeding fish, or just once until the ammonia level drops? Sorry, I can't help with that.

 

[marieukxx]

Yes, you can. You test every 24 hours. I'm not sure about dosing though. Do you add fish food daily, like feeding fish, or just once until the ammonia level drops? Sorry, I can't help with that.

I was told once. I'm not 100% sure. I'll do a test again tomorrow then and see what's what.

 

[Tizer]

I know its possible, but its not something i would recommend myself.

I suppose the fish food will provide enough ammonia to keep the bacteria in the media alive but the problem is that you cant measure how much ammonia is going in to be able to get any accurate readings out, if you get my drift.

Maybe best to message the person who gave you the advice and they can give you some more tips, for me it just sounds like a headache. Good luck with it though, hope you find a nice Betta to go in it

 

[eaglesaquarium]

I agree with Tizer that the fish food method is hard to figure. But, if all you are planning on adding in the future is the betta anyway, you might be better served to just add the mature media and the betta and complete a fish-in cycle with it. The mature media will probably be able to handle the bioload from the betta right away, and if not, then in a day or two.

 

[fluttermoth]

I do a similar thing if I want to set ap a new or quarantine tank; this is how;

Add a good pinch of fish food (about as much as I'd feed whatever fish are going in there) and a couple of days later check for ammonia (doesn't matter how much, as long as it's a reading above 0.5 or so).

Then add the mature media just before I go to bed and test for ammonia again the next morning. It's usually all gone; if not another pinch of fish food and another test later on that day; as soon as the ammonia's gone I can add the fish. If it turns out I can't/don't get the fish that day, I just carry on feeding the tank fish food until I do.

Obviously with this method you can't fully stock like with a proper fishless cycle, but for setting up quarantine tanks or tanks for small numbers of un-messy fish (I've just set a Fluval Edge for my son for some Endler's this way) it works perfectly.

 

[marieukxx]

Thanks I need more food I think in there. I'll test tomorrow and see what's what amonia wise. If all is ok in a few days is it safe to add my betta? I don't want him dying on me.

 

[fluttermoth]

You should be fine; as long as you're prepared to test often and water change as neccessary he won't die; your mature media won't take long until it can support one betta!