Well thats amazing, i have always set my tanks up, added water conditioner and stress zyme, left for a week and then added some fish (usually livebearers)..
Adding stress zyme actually wont do much either i'm afraid. It claims to have these bacteria in it, but as the bacteria need an ammonia source and oxygen to stay alive, it is unlikely at best that it can actually do what it claims to. Think about it, it might have been sitting on the shelf for 3 months. The bacteria will die after about 24hrs without their essential ammonia and oxygen. Even if it does have bacteria in it, you add them to your tank and wait a week so they'd be dead by the time you introduce your first fish.
The reason is because my LFS said to me: in a week bring a water sample in and il test it for you, he did nitrate and nitrite and ammonia, and said: ok everything seems ok and you can add fish, then i get the fish and take them home and add them.
No wonder my levels are ok if the cycle aint even started lol..
You've hit the nail on the head mate. The levels will be fine but not because you have a cycled filter which is taking care of them. It's because your cycle hasn't even started yet. This is really bad advice which is given out by LFSs all too regularly. You'd think they'd know what they're talking about, but lots of them don't.
But what i want to know is: from setting up a tank to adding the fish.
Can you explain to me in steps.. for example step 1: add the water etc...
I'd always recommend a fishless cycle. You can read all about it in the link in my signature below. If you still have questions, come back and ask. Basically, you fill your tank and then add ammonia from a bottle to cycle your filter. This avoids subjecting fish to ammonia and nitrite poisoning by using fish to cycle the tank.
The ammonia processing bacteria will form first and change the ammonia into nitrite, so you will see the ammonia disappear and the nitrite rise. That is the first stage.
Once the nitrite rises, the nitrite processing bacteria will start to develop, changing the nitrite into nitrate. You will therefore see nitrite falling and nitrate rising. This is the second and last stage.
Each time ammonia falls to 0, you must add more so there is always some in the tank, otherwise your bacteria will die.
Once you get to the stage where you can add ammonia and then the bacteria can process the ammonia and subsequently the nitrite back down to 0 within 12 hrs, your filter is cycled and you are ready for fish.
Each case is different, but the process usually takes 4 - 6 weeks. Once cycled, you can add a full tank of fish all at once because you have enough bacteria to cope with it.
I hope this helps.
Cheers
BTT
