Enough load to start a cycle?

[Murf.]

I have a new 10 gallon aquarium I just added 2 small Danios and a medium Amazon sword plant 2 days ago. I also added 5 gallon worth of Tetra Safe Start into my Marineland Pro 125 filter that has a sponge, bio wheel, and ceramic media.

I tested my water for ammonia today and it is only at 25ppm.

My question is do I have enough load in my tank for it to start the cycle? I guess I thought the ammonia would be higher.

Thanks

 

[Essjay]

I hope you mean 0.25 ppm ammonia!

Since you have fish in the tank you need to keep ammonia at zero. Once the sword plant establishes itself, that should take up all the ammonia made by 2 danios. Until then, you need to do a water change whenever ammonia, and later nitrite, read more than zero.



However, I do need to warn you - 10 gallons is too small for zebra danios - they need a tank at least 3 feet long simply because they are such fast swimmers. People who keep them in large tanks have commented that they can cross a 4 foot tank in under a second. And they need to be in a group of at least 6 in that 3 foot tank.

 

[itiwhetu]

You need some fast growing stemmed plants. That will sort things out. Your danios really don't need a four foot tank. I have kept them and breed them in two foot tanks happy as Larry.

 

[Essjay]

In the UK most small tanks have a small footprint and are tall relative to their volume so that's what I see in my mind when a member says the tank is 10 gallons - maybe 18 inches long at most which is too small for danios. For example, my 7 gallon tank is a 12 inch cube.

How long is a US 10 gallon tank?

 

[Kyle E.]

Still not really enough for zebras. Maybe a few inches longer than UK ones (I'm just spitballing here) but not THAT much longer.

 

[Murf.]

I picked the danios because they are supposed to be hardy for cycling a tank. Maybe I should have gotten white clouds. The tank is a tall tank. About 12 inch by 12 inch Base and 17 inches tall.
Thanks

 

[Essjay]

To be honest, I would return the danios to the shop and do a fishless cycle or a silent cycle. This is better for fish than subjecting them to harm.

Since you already have a sword plant, it would be easiest to get some floating plants then wait until all the plants are showing signs of active growth and are not about to die. Then buy fish suited to your tank. With a 12 x 12 inch foot print you are very limited in what is suitable as even the smallest fish need at least 18 inches swimming length. White clouds also need a longer tank than you have with 24 inches being the minimum recommended.

I have a tank with the same footprint, just not quite as tall. Originally I had a betta in the tank but after he died I moved my shrimps into it as the fish I'd recently bought for my main tank were eating the shrimps. I did get some chili rasboras for the small tank but they were obviously not happy so I moved them into my main tank where they now live amongst the roots of the floating plants. Chili rasboras are one of the tiniest fish in the hobby, but my 12 x 12 inch tank was too small for them.



Apart from bettas, the fish which might be OK for your tank tend to be the ones which need a hardness close to that they originally come from. If you have soft water, one of the Boraras species might work (though it didn't for me). If you have hard water you might be OK with a few male endlers (no females as they are bigger and will have lot of fry) Other members may be able to suggest fish for a tank with a 12 x 12 inch (30 x 30 cm) footprint.

 

[Fishiemang]

Leave them in there.

They will be ok. Just because they can.swim fast doesn't mean they need to. Yes, danios can move quick when they want to, but most of the time (99.9999%) they just lazily wander around. Your tank.will be fine.with what you described in your initial post.

Plus, danios, unless they are the large variety, only get about an inch and a half. Maybe 2 inches. The larger ones can be like 4 inches.

I have had a lot of these little guys over the years. Have a.few glofish ones in the kids tank right now. Been in there for a few years. Had 5 of them in 10 gallon for 3 years before I moved them to the bowfront. They were fine. No need going thru the hassle of returning fish and.all that jazz.

 

[Callisto405]

I picked the danios because they are supposed to be hardy for cycling a tank. Maybe I should have gotten white clouds. The tank is a tall tank. About 12 inch by 12 inch Base and 17 inches tall.
Thanks

A fishless cycle is much quicker and safer fur the fushies

 

[Murf.]

Leave them in there.

They will be ok. Just because they can.swim fast doesn't mean they need to. Yes, danios can move quick when they want to, but most of the time (99.9999%) they just lazily wander around. Your tank.will be fine.with what you described in your initial post.

Plus, danios, unless they are the large variety, only get about an inch and a half. Maybe 2 inches. The larger ones can be like 4 inches.

I have had a lot of these little guys over the years. Have a.few glofish ones in the kids tank right now. Been in there for a few years. Had 5 of them in 10 gallon for 3 years before I moved them to the bowfront. They were fine. No need going thru the hassle of returning fish and.all that jazz.

Thanks. Your message was encouraging. I know the need to keep only small fish. I'm not sure what kind of danios these are. I thought it said long fin on tank, but maybe others in there too. These guys can't be more than an inch long and there fins appear to be normal length, not long. They are striped like a zebra except the stripes are very faint. They are darkest on end of fins. The fish are basically colorless with a yellow tinge to them.