Cycling

[jhf18]

I am not sure about the tap water but i will check it. I was putting fish flakes in the tank and waiting for them to rot to turn into ammonia and I was also using a bottled solution at the same time, when i clean my tank out tonight there was alot of food left over in the gravel. I think that the rotting food is causing me to have ammonia readings. I tested my water before i did the water change.

 

[jhf18]

My tap water stats are

Nitrate No2 - 100mg/l
Nitrite No3 - 5mg/l
PH - 8.0

 

[rdd1952]

If the rotting food is causing you to have an ammonia reading, then your tank definitely isn't cycled. A cycled tank is one that has enough beneficial bacteria to handle all fish waste,, including left over food. You should do a large gravel vacuum to remove the excess food that is still in the gravel.

 

[jhf18]

I did a vacuumed the gravel tonight during my water change to remove most of the old food. Is using food the best way to cycle a tank? what else could i have used?

 

[rdd1952]

Ammonia is by far the best way. Just make sure it doesn't have detergents, perfumes or surfactants. It is way less expensive (a bottle cost about 50 cent and will cycle several tanks) and much less messy. If you continue o use flakes, put them in something so they don't get all over the tank and into the gravel.

 

[jhf18]

My tap water stats are

Nitrate No2 - 100mg/l
Nitrite No3 - 5mg/l
PH - 8.0

Any comments on these? are they ok?

 

[rdd1952]

My tap water stats are

Nitrate No2 - 100mg/l
Nitrite No3 - 5mg/l
PH - 8.0

Any comments on these? are they ok?

What type test kit are you using? Those numbers are extremely high for tap water. The nitrate level is actually unsafe, especially for babys. If you have tested properly, I would contact my water company immediately.

 

[kittycat12]

some people use a hardy fish like gold fish to cycle a tank. but lots of people are against that. i used a few goldfish to cycle my tank and it worked. tho most people just prefer to put flake food in.

 

[Dark Wolf]

Yeah, are you sure you got those tap water stats right? I've never heard of anyone to have that much rubbish in their tap water