My First Ever Fishless Cycle, Please Help, With Log!

[sjolliff]

After some great advice from members on here im now starting a dialy log.
Day 1, set up, with nutrafin plus,cycle and flake food, no test
Day 2 no test
Day 3 no test
Day 4 Api testing kit delivered, PH 7.1 Ammonia 0.0ppm Nitrites 0.3ppm Nitrates 4-4.5ppm Temp 29-29.2c
Day 5 PH 7.2 Ammonia 0.0ppm Nitrites 0.2ppm Nitrates 3.0ppm Temp 29.7c
Day 6 TEST 24HR PH 7.2 Ammonia 2.0ppm Nitrites 0.0ppm Nitrates 1.0ppm Temp 29.9c
afetr adding 5ppm ammonia
DAY 7/03 TEST 24HR PH 7.2 Ammonia 3.0ppm Nitrites 0.0ppm Nitrates 3.0ppm Temp 29.2c 3.0ppm Ammonia Added about !!EXTRA!!
DAY 8 TEST 24HR PH 7.1 Ammonia 2.0ppm Nitrites 0.0ppm Nitrates 2.5ppm Temp 29.1c
DAY 9 TEST 24HR PH 7.1 Ammonia 3.0ppm Nitrites 0.0ppm Nitrates 5.0ppm Temp 29.4c
DAY 10 TEST 24HR PH 7.1 Ammonia 2.0ppm Nitrites 0.0ppm Nitrates 5.0ppm Temp 29.3c
DAY 11 TEST 24HR PH 6.8 Ammonia 1.5ppm Nitrites 0.0ppm Nitrates 5.0ppm Temp 29.4c
DAY 12 TEST 24HR PH 6.8 Ammonia 1.5ppm Nitrites 0.0ppm Nitrates 4.0ppm Temp 29.3c
DAY 13 TEST 24HR PH 6.8 Ammonia 1.5ppm Nitrites 0.0ppm Nitrates 4.0ppm Temp 29.3c
DAY 14/10 NO TEST Went Night Fishing Temp Freezing!
DAY 15 TEST 48HR PH 6.8 Ammonia 1.5ppm Nitrites 0.0ppm Nitrates 4.0ppm Temp 29.5c
DAY 16 TEST 24HR PH 6.8 Ammonia 2.0ppm Nitrites 0.0ppm nitrates 4.0ppm Temp 29.5c
DAY 17 TEST 24HR PH 6.9 Ammonia 2.0ppm Nitrites 0.0ppm Nitrates 4.0ppm Temp 29.4c
DAY 18 TEST 24HR PH 6.8 Ammonia 1.5ppm Nitrites 0.0ppm Nitrates 4.0ppm Temp 29.3c
DAY 19 TEST 24HR PH 7.8 Ammonia 1.5ppm Nitrites 0.0ppm Nitrates 4.0ppm Temp 29.5c
DAY 20 TEST 24HR PH 6.8 Ammonia 1.5ppm Nitrites 0.0ppm Nitrates 4.0ppm Temp 29.5c
DAY 21/17 NO TEST
DAY 22 TEST 48HR PH 6.8 Ammonia 1.5ppm Nitrites 0.0ppm Nitrates 4.0ppm Temp 29.5c
DAY 23 TEST 24HR PH 6.8 Ammonia 1.5ppm Nitrites 0.0ppm Nitrates 4.0ppm Temp 29.6c Added Rabbuts Media

 

[mayurkirti]

Before i start hello to everyone, bought a fluval roma 125 yesterday with all the things i need to get started, iv put sand as my substrate. 4 diferent types of aquatic plants, and an old shipwreck.
i cleaned the tank out, washed the sand filled the tank added plants and filters and heater.
i allowed it all to settle for about 2 hours, the added nutrafin plus and cycle, then switched all on to start
im still waiting for my api master kit to come to fully test
water still looks abit cloudy
the care guide i got said after following the guide i can add fish after 48hrs

good luck!
have you already read this: http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=113861

There is not really a set time. I havent heard the cycle to finish in just 48 hours. You will have to do the tests and determine if the tank is cycled.

 

[sjolliff]

Cheers does everything sound ok? also iv set the heater to 29c as people have said its the best for bacteria growth

 

[mayurkirti]

Cheers does everything sound ok? also iv set the heater to 29c as people have said its the best for bacteria growth

I modified my first post.
I am cycling my tank too. Yeah thats the temperature I have been asked to set. Its working fine for me.

 

[sjolliff]

Cheers thanks for your reply, how long do you keep it at that?
or what would you put the temp at when ready for fish to live?

 

[mayurkirti]

Cheers thanks for your reply, how long do you keep it at that?
or what would you put the temp at when ready for fish to live?

Your temperature should be set to 29C the whole time you are cycling. After your initial cycling is complete, you will have to set the temperature to a level that is required for the particular fish that you decide to keep (which should not vary too much from 29C is most cases). You will find suitable temperatures for your fish from your pet shop or by doing a research online.

 

[sjolliff]

Cheers a few people have said about 27c but i will ask my pet shop
Hopefully have some fish this time nest week
probably a pair of fish

 

[mayurkirti]

Cheers a few people have said about 27c but i will ask my pet shop
Hopefully have some fish this time nest week
probably a pair of fish

I will strongly advise against getting the fish so early. You have to cycle your tank before introducing fish into the tank. You will end up losing your fish otherwise. If you add fish before your tank is cycled, there is a good chance they wont survive. Your only option after that will be to do a fish-in cycling, which is a really difficult and time consuming process. Your product guide will tell you whatever they know will make you happy. You can definitely NOT add fish into your tank in 48 hours, unless the tank came with a magic formula that cycles it in 48 hours.

Please read about the nitrogen cycle, biological filtration, and new tank syndrome. Believe me, you have to know this if you are serious about fish keeping. This hobby does require a lot of patience in the beginning.

 

[sjolliff]

Cheers thanks for that, it will be 8 days next sunday, that with using the nutrafin plus and cycle, will it be ok then?
i was only goin to get a couple of cheap ones to start, to see how things go

 

[mayurkirti]

Cheers thanks for that, it will be 8 days next sunday, that with using the nutrafin plus and cycle, will it be ok then?
i was only goin to get a couple of cheap ones to start, to see how things go

When are you expecting the test kit to arrive?

 

[sjolliff]

Should come tuesday,

 

[ellena]

Have you read the link mayurkirti posted?
It will take maybe 8 weeks for your tank to cycle. Putting fish in it before that is unlikely to be successful.
Fish produce waste which will pollute the water if the correct bacteria aren't there to process it into less harmful things.
The only way to get those bacteria there is to feed them with ammonia (chemical in a bottle) and use your master test ket to check levels and gauge the growth of the bacteria.
Or if you know someone with a mature tank, nick some media from them. If you can replace all the media (sponge, ceramics etc) in your filter with mature stuff, you could stock straight away. If only a bit, you'd still have to cycle, but it should be quicker.

 

[mayurkirti]

So you said you have been adding nutrafin plus and "Cycle" to your tank for about 7 days now...hmm.

I think nutrafin plus is just a conditioner, which is not related to nitrogen cycle (well, not directly at least). I dont know what "Cycle" is. It may be something that you add to introduce ammonia to your tank, which will start the cycle.
If thats what "cycle" is, then your cycle might have already started. Although I havent read anywhere on this forum of any people to have cycled their tank in as few as 7 days, I have heard from people that their tank cycled in less than a week.

The only way to find this out will be to, 1. confirm that you have been adding ammonia to the tank, and 2. the ammonia and nitrite are being processed in your tank, which you can find with the help of test kit you are expecting the coming tuesday.

What ellena said is also an option if you understand the nitrogen cycle and what it will mean to introduce an already mature media to your tank.

 

[OldMan47]

Cycle is another nostrum that has not truly shown a shortening of the fishless cycle by much at all, Sjolliff. Until you have added the ammonia to bring the tank up to 4 or 5 ppm and then seen it disappear in less than 12 hours without producing detectable nitrites, you are not ready for fish no matter what your fish shop tells you. It is understandable that they want to sell you fish and Cycle and whatever else that they can but there is no excuse for you believing their tall tales. As with most of us here, I have nothing to sell and won't make a cent more or less whether you ignore my advice or not. The advice is intended to keep you from falling into the trap that so many new fish keepers do when they believe their LFS.

 

[Yanks15]

IMO, I would listen to them. It my not be what you want to hear but they know what they are talking about. I came into this forum too late and I ended up having to do 2 fish-in cycles after listening to my LFS. I'ts alot of work, not to mention I lost some fish that I really liked I plan on doing a fish-less cycle on my next tank and I know there are alot of helpful people who will guide you through it here.