unfiltered bowl or uncycled tank?

[Jackalope]

PLEASE HELP! - So, I knew nothing about fishkeeping before somebody gave me guppies in an unfiltered bowl. After doing some research on their needs, I bought them a tank with a filter and plants. It's been cycling for about a week now, with bacteria supplements and stuff. It's had a big ammonia spike and I've done a water change. The bowl has similarly high ammonia (that is to say, too damn high) and it's cloudy despite a 50% water change. They're still pretty active and appear healthy in the bowl.

Do I leave them in the bowl, for a week or two longer, until the new tank is finished cycling? Or do I risk moving them to their new home, too early, so that they can swim in clearer, filtered waters?

 

[HoldenOn]

PLEASE HELP! - So, I knew nothing about fishkeeping before somebody gave me guppies in an unfiltered bowl. After doing some research on their needs, I bought them a tank with a filter and plants. It's been cycling for about a week now, with bacteria supplements and stuff. It's had a big ammonia spike and I've done a water change. The bowl has similarly high ammonia (that is to say, too damn high) and it's cloudy despite a 50% water change. They're still pretty active and appear healthy in the bowl.

Do I leave them in the bowl, for a week or two longer, until the new tank is finished cycling? Or do I risk moving them to their new home, too early, so that they can swim in clearer, filtered waters?

Put it in the tank. Do daily 75% water changes.

 

[AdoraBelle Dearheart]

Deep breaths, we'll help you with this! I'd recommend getting a bottle of Seachem Prime, and using that in between 75% daily water changes, you'll be doing something called a fish-in cycle, and it'll be better and easier to do this in the tank, rather than in the bowl, since the bowl won't be cycled either. More water volume = more dilution = safer for the fish The Prime will help by detoxifying ammonia and nitrites between water changes.

You've clearly looked up what cycling is, so that's great! It's great that you're doing what you can to give the fish what they need. If you have more questions, people will be happy to help!

I've found this video to be one of the best for explaining the nitrogen cycle to new hobbyists

 

[AdoraBelle Dearheart]

Forgot to add - do you have a test kit to check ammonia, nitrite and nitrate levels? The liquid test kits such as the API freshwater master test kit is one of the most commonly used in the hobby, liquid kits are more accurate than strips you dip into the water, and more accurate than the dip strips, which is important when you know how toxic ammonia and nitrites are to fish.

While the tank is cycling, you want to test daily, and do a large water change anytime ammonia or nitrites are anything other than zero, or nitrates are above 20ppm. Those parameters mean the water is safe for the fish.

Fast growing live plants can help this process a lot, they absorb ammonia, and help improve water quality. Fish enjoy having live plants to interact with too, and if the female guppies happen to be gravid too, live plants provide hiding places for the fry too. If you'd like to get some live plants for the tank, we can recommend some that are particularly good for helping with the cycle, and also easy for beginners.

 

[PheonixKingZ]

I agree with all of the above. ^

The cloudy water is most likely a bacteria bloom, which is a good sign! This means the tank is cycling.

I would get as much Anacharis as you can. This plant sucks up ammonia like a sponge.

 

[Jackalope]

Deep breaths, we'll help you with this! I'd recommend getting a bottle of Seachem Prime, and using that in between 75% daily water changes, you'll be doing something called a fish-in cycle, and it'll be better and easier to do this in the tank, rather than in the bowl, since the bowl won't be cycled either. More water volume = more dilution = safer for the fish The Prime will help by detoxifying ammonia and nitrites between water changes.

You've clearly looked up what cycling is, so that's great! It's great that you're doing what you can to give the fish what they need. If you have more questions, people will be happy to help!

I've found this video to be one of the best for explaining the nitrogen cycle to new hobbyists

Thanks so much to you and all the other people in this thread, for responding so quickly and clearly! I took your advice and moved them to the new tank. It was absolutely the right move, and they’ve been having a ball! Ammonia levels have been dropping too, so I think the bacteria coming along.

Cheers, y’all!

 

[AdoraBelle Dearheart]

Thanks so much to you and all the other people in this thread, for responding so quickly and clearly! I took your advice and moved them to the new tank. It was absolutely the right move, and they’ve been having a ball! Ammonia levels have been dropping too, so I think the bacteria coming along.

Cheers, y’all!

That's good to hear, nice to hear a happy update! But you haven't shared a photo of the guppies enjoying their upgraded accommodation... tsk tsk! We need pics