Is My Tank Ready For Fish!

[Mervin]

Hi everyone,
 
I've got 2 tanks cycling, a 10 gallon and a 35 gallon. The 35 is coming on nicely but no where near ready yet. However I think my 10 gallon is and would like to add fish but I just need some reassurance from you guys.
 
My 10 gallon is now processing ammonia back to zero in less than 24 hours. For the last 5 days, every morning when I check the levels the ammonia has been 0 and the nitrite has been 0. Infact I havn't detected any nitrite in about a week. The nitrate readings are very high.
 
From what i've read this means my tank has cycled and I should do a large water change (about 90%)?, wait for the temperature to be right and then I can add fish? I'm looking to add some fish tomorrow!
 
So would you agree it's ready?
 
Thanks
 

 

[FishHelper101]

it should be ready, I'd say a 60% and gravel vac anything you didn't get out.  But 90% should be ok too. Hope this helps! Feel free to correct if I said anything wrong. (i'm learning too lol)

 

[ThatAquaristChick1234]

I think so!

 

[cpwebsite]

I believe its ready, so you can do a large water change and get fish. Assuming the temperature is a few degrees in either direction you shouldn't need to wait for the temperature to change as fish can handle temperature changes pretty well as long as they are not to extreme.

 

[This Old Spouse]

I believe its ready, so you can do a large water change and get fish. Assuming the temperature is a few degrees in either direction you shouldn't need to wait for the temperature to change as fish can handle temperature changes pretty well as long as they are not to extreme.

 
What temperature change? The tank temp should be steady and in the range for the fish the OP is planning to stock the tank. Then the fish should be slowly acclimated to the tank, ideally using the drip method.
 
Mervin, you should definitely check your levels after your water change to be sure your nitrates are within acceptable levels. Other than that you sound good to go! Good luck!

 

[Mervin]

Thanks guys, the plan is to do a water change and then start with some loaches and glowlights! I've just been looking at my tank and have just noticed some things living inside it! There are several snails crawling around, I added some plants recently so I'm not surprised.
 
But there is also some other type of creature. They are white and really small (too small for a photo), barely 0.5mm in size, at first I thought there were just some dust or particle but they are actually moving with intent, and jumping from pebble to pebble and crawling around the glass really really fast. Some of the slightly larger ones seem to have 2 extra white dots trailing behind them. The more I look the more I see, there are hundreds of them! Some seem to be really small white worm like creatures.
 
Are these baby snails or some other thing, am I seeing different stages of the life cycle? Should I be concerned?

 

[This Old Spouse]

Really difficult to determine what they are without a photo. Could be baby snails, could be something like planaria. I'd be concerned about adding any fish until you can figure out what these are. 

 

[Mervin]

There seems to be 2 different types. Some look like planaria and some look like nematodes. Some really do look like snails without the shell. If they are those then they probably did come in with the plants and from what i've read they are harmless to fish and gravel cleaning and water changes is the only way to get rid of them.

 

[CezzaXV]

It's not unusual to get things living inside your tank while you're cycling, and they will usually get eaten once you add fish.

A big water change, and maybe another one if your nitrates are still high, then you should be good to go

 

[the_lock_man]

Under the "usual" cycling regime, to be classed as cycled fully, you would need to see both ammonia and nitrite reduced to 0ppm within 12 hours. That would then allow you to fully stock your tank in one hit. That said, if you want to part-stock the tank, that shouldn't be a problem.
 
But what sort of loaches are you talking about? Glowlight Tetras would need to be in a group of 6, which wouldn't then leave a lot of room in a 10gallon tank for much else.
 
In terms of a water change, you should try to change as much water as you can. That way you have nice clean fresh tasty water for your new fishywishies.

 

[David J]

I agree with the lock man that the ideal is 12 hours to process ammonia and nitrite, How much ammonia are you dosing? The guide on here states to dose to 5ppm but it seems now 2-3ppm of ammonia is best for cycling. If your bacteria are processing 2-3ppm in 12 hours you are considered fully cycled.

David