Newbie Help Please

[lilfishie]

wow lucky day. tank looks super, maybe head over to the planted section for some advice on keeping the plants lush and healthy

 

[pandacichlid]

That set up looks excellent well done! What were the readings of your test? if you're using the API kit then it's yellow for 0 ammonia and blue for 0 nitrites a cycle tanks about eight weeks to be fully done. I'm sure as soon as your cycle is completed then the fish your homing will adore their home, cus that's a good tank you've set up.

if you're a beginner which I guess you are then you've done an awesome job.

 

[Musho3210]

a tank with that many plants wont take 8 weeks to cycle, if it does than there is something wrong, my planted tank took 18 hours to cycle. Went from 8.0 ppm ammonia to 0 ppm ammonia in 18 hours. Most planted tank owners dont cycle their tank, they just put fish in there after they heavily plant their tank.

BUt since you are a beginner, put some ammonia in the tank and test.

 

[chris_walton]

ok i did a test just for you guys and heres the results

ph-7.2
ammonia-0.0ppm
nitrite-0.0ppm
gh-179
kh-179

i think i will give it a bit longer before i start adding fish even though im really tempted

 

[pandacichlid]

a tank with that many plants wont take 8 weeks to cycle, if it does than there is something wrong, my planted tank took 18 hours to cycle. Went from 8.0 ppm ammonia to 0 ppm ammonia in 18 hours. Most planted tank owners dont cycle their tank, they just put fish in there after they heavily plant their tank.

BUt since you are a beginner, put some ammonia in the tank and test.

18 hours?! I think that's a short amount of time to cycle a tank, but if it worked then nice one haha Mine took about 6 weeks I'd say, but that's the recommended time really.

 

[JamieBailie]

Plants consume ammonia, This is why he said heavily planted tank owners sometimes don't cycle.

 

[Musho3210]

Plants consume ammonia, This is why he said heavily planted tank owners sometimes don't cycle.

yup, plants take nitrogen from ammonia and nitrate.

 

[pandacichlid]

Plants consume ammonia, This is why he said heavily planted tank owners sometimes don't cycle.

yup, plants take nitrogen from ammonia and nitrate.

haha yeah my girlfriend just reminded me that's what they do, I did 'know' but didn't remember. I'll probably forget again though!