First Tank Water Readings...

[-Jo-]

Hiya - and yet again I cant apologise enough for my constant question askings! Im sure one day I will be more confident with my own advice!

I started the cycling process yesterday evening as I finished setting up and adding water to my aquarium. I have added the water, decorations, substrate and heater. I have no fish in there yet and no plants. I tested the water this morning to see what the levels were at the start of the cycling process.

PH: 7.6
High range PH: 7.4
Ammonia 0.25ppm
Nitrite - 0ppm
Nitrate - 0ppm

Are these results whats expected in a tank thats only just started cycling? (its been cycling for about 16/17 hours now). Would it be beneficial to ads the plants into the aquarium soon? I was going to add the plants a week before introducing the fish - but if its going to help with the water cycling I will add them in sooner.

Thank you so much for your help x

 

[TropicalJuwel]

Hi Jo,

These are pretty much average readings that when you test looks great but technically your not actually cycling your tank, you need a form of ammonia in your tank to help build up the good bacteria . You will most probably in a couple of days be getting readings of no ammonia in your tank to which you think great I'll add fish but then the ammonia will rocket.

If you add an ammonia source dont add any fish, keep testing the water until both ammonia and nitrite have stabalised at zero for a few days then you know your tank is ready for fish. It will tank longer but in the long run will save you money and more importantly save your fish's lives.

Adding plants as far as I'm aware don't make any difference. They would help at a later stage with nitrate as they use this to grow but you need lights on for long periods of the day and while you have no fish in there it's not worth it at the moment. If you turn your heater up that helps mature the tank quicker as good bacteria mature quicker in warmer water.

Hope this helps, I believe theres a cycling guide on here that would be helpful to you. Good luck.

 

[Tolak]

This section will be a huge help to you, cycling is at the top. Cycling is nothing more than growing bacteria, as with anything else that grows they need food. The food in this case is ammonia from the start, provided either by adding ammonia to the tank, which is a fishless cycle, or from the fish themselves, which is a traditional cycle with fish.

Both methods have their advantages & disadvantages, the material in that link will approach cycling much more in depth.