help with cycling a 10 gal!!!

[dragoon1230]

hi, i need some help and info on cycling a new 10 gallon tank. i am planning on getting 2 guppies, 2 platies, and 3 corydoras in it. i have currently a Penguin Mini Bio-Wheel filter in it and it (the tank) has been running with water for about 3 days now. when should i start putting in the fish and in what order should i put the fish in.

any additional info on cycling will be highly appreciated!!

thank you

 

[CFC]

You need to buy some test kits first so that you can moniter your water parameters,if you are doing a fishless cycle you can add fish when the ammonia and nitrite have spiked (risen and then fallen back to 0) and the nitrate has started to increase.How have you started the cycle?I find the best way is to add a pinch of flake food and leave it to start rotting,the ammonia starts to build up after a couple of days.
The whole process usually takes 1 to 2 weeks.

 

[LesGerber]

CFC is right if you wish to go fishless, The platies and the corys should be fine to cycle the tank unless water params get to far out of whack. Start with those, and test your water everyday or so to keep an eye on it


Les

 

[dragoon1230]

sorry bout that. i meant that i wanted to cycle the tank with fish. i don't know how to do it though. i read stuff on adding "just a few hardy fish at first" and then checking the water chemistry. out of the fish above, which ones would i add first, second, and so on and how long would i wait?

thank you for the info anyway!

 

[Jamnog]

for a fishey cycle i would wait a week then add the cheapest fish say 1 the first week or maybee two then wait and check the params others in the forum would wait 2-3 weeks some even go as far as 6 weeks. thats the longer you do it for the less likely your fish are to get caught up in some horendus nirtr*te spike tho the important think if you ask me is to only add your fish very slowly. like i hinted at before it is probably not going to be the same opinion as the other members in the forum but thats what i think.

edit : also i just put this new aviator on and im going to stick with this one honestwell untill it gets changed