What Should I Do?

[RossC]

Ok so I began a fish-less cycle about a week ago but I also added around 40 plants to the 20gal (95L) tank after two days which at the time I was unaware that I could have just done a silent cycle until now. I thought I was doing something wrong due to the weird Nitrate and Nitrite readings as the ammonia was dropping but the Nitrites/ates didn't rise until now but even now they're fairly low. Should I let the rest of the ammonia process then water change and then add fish or what? Thanks

 

[TropicalJuwel]

Hi,

Did you put a source of ammonia in the tank to start the cycle off? You dont always get high readings of nitrite when cycling and nitrates stay pretty low at 1st then build up. When I done my fish less cycle last year I added ammonia and after about 3 days a had high ammonia and nitrite readings, nitrite dropped after a few more days but the ammonia took about 4 more weeks to clear but no more readings of nitrite. All you can do is wait for your filter to build up enough bacteria to be able to cope with the ammonia then when that happens make sure it stays that way for a few more day then you should be good to go.

 

[gatorsean]

the plants are using up the ammonia so youre not going to get nitrite or nitrate readings or youll get very low readings. you can start stocking the tank once the ammonia goes down but just be careful and add a few fish per week just to be safe.

 

[RossC]

Hi,

Did you put a source of ammonia in the tank to start the cycle off? You dont always get high readings of nitrite when cycling and nitrates stay pretty low at 1st then build up. When I done my fish less cycle last year I added ammonia and after about 3 days a had high ammonia and nitrite readings, nitrite dropped after a few more days but the ammonia took about 4 more weeks to clear but no more readings of nitrite. All you can do is wait for your filter to build up enough bacteria to be able to cope with the ammonia then when that happens make sure it stays that way for a few more day then you should be good to go.

yes I added ammonia to get it too 5ppm and now it reads 0.5 after a week

 

[RossC]

the plants are using up the ammonia so youre not going to get nitrite or nitrate readings or youll get very low readings. you can start stocking the tank once the ammonia goes down but just be careful and add a few fish per week just to be safe.

I guessed they were after reading some articles online I should have plenty of plants to cover the tank, do you agree?

 

[coldcazzie]

Can we see a picture Ross? To do a silent cycle your tank needs to be *really* heavily planted, so a picture would help us advise whether it's heavy enough.

How much more money do you potentially have to spend on plants

 

[RossC]

Can we see a picture Ross? To do a silent cycle your tank needs to be *really* heavily planted, so a picture would help us advise whether it's heavy enough.

How much more money do you potentially have to spend on plants

Here you go, theres around 40 in total, 10 amazon swords the rest are unknown mix I ordered offline. The tanks is 80cm long.

 

[coldcazzie]

Ok, I would definitely not describe it as "heavily" planted. You've also mostly got taller background plants - so mid and foreground plants would be a good way to go now. Cryptocorynes work well at being either mid or fore ground depending on what else you have. Where did you buy your plant mix from?

 

[RossC]

Ok, I would definitely not describe it as "heavily" planted. You've also mostly got taller background plants - so mid and foreground plants would be a good way to go now. Cryptocorynes work well at being either mid or fore ground depending on what else you have. Where did you buy your plant mix from?

I got them from an eBay store, why?