Fishless Tank Cycle

[SpecForcs1978]

Hello Everyone at TF Forums : Im new member & a BIG THANK YOU for this site ! I have not had a fresh water tank in over 20 years - so I say I am brand new. Im in fishless tank cycle 3 day now . cloudy tank (10 Gal.) start to clear. readings on water : no3 = 0 ,, no2 = 0 ,,Total Hardness = 0 ,, Total Alkalinity = 120 ,, ph = 7.2 ,, Amonia = .50 . My big question is when can I place fish in ? - (Appx 4 - 5 tetras) I DON'T want to kill or hurt them !!!! Thank You for your time & Info. Everyone have great week !!

 

[dbanner]

A fish less cycle can will take around 6 weeks or more. Unless you can get some mature filter media from a friend or your lfs (local fish store). You can add that to your filter and it will speeds things up a lot.

If not just dose the tank with the required amount of pure ammonia, test until ammonia reads 0 on your test and then redose. Do this until you have 0 ammonia 0 nitrites and you have a reading of nitrates.

As an example my readings are always as follows...

Ammonia 0
Nitrites 0
Nitrates 20

Any ammonia or nitrites readings above 0 are toxic to fish. Nitrates can be harmful but only in high volumes such as 80ppm+

Only when your readings are as iv listed is it safe to add your fish. Around 8-10 weeks is average I'd say. If you add before then you would be putting the fish at risk and are then doing in fish-in cycle. This not only harms fish but takes more time in general and you will have to do 90% daily water changes to keep ammonia and nitrite readings down.

If you have a read through the fishless cycling thread in the beginners section it will explain everything far better. Good luck

 

[the_lock_man]

I suspect that you haven't got the full picture about fishless cycling.

It DOESN'T mean that you fill your tank up with water, turn the pump on, optionally stick in a FilterBoost product of some description, and leave it for a week.

It DOES mean that you fill your tank up with water, add some bottled ammonia, turn the pump on, and add more ammonia at the appropriate time, until the filter can process 4ppm of ammonia (and its consequent nitrite) within 12 hours.

Up top of this forum section is a link to the Beginners Resource Centre. Please click on that, and read two articles there, called "The Nitrogen Cycle" and "Fishless Cycling." You may well have further questions, so please ask them.

Please don't add any tetras until you've done the ammonia thing.

 

[SpecForcs1978]

Thank You Both for Info. yes I did read about fishless cycle & readings. I was trying to find out which it was answered by you - How long do i go through this? I was trying to find time line, so i could set up time off of work to get fishes. It was answered for me Thank You again. Have wonderful week. B safe

 

[dbanner]

Always glad to help if possible