Newbie here. Question on tank cycling

JP · 04-26-2005, 07:41 PM

Hi all. I just picked up my first aquarium on Saturday(55 gallon) and started the cycling process that day. Here is what my last three days have looked like since I started tracking on Sunday
day 2: ph- 7.4 ****ammonia- .5 ****nitrite- 0
day 3: ph- 7.2 ****ammonia- .25 ****nitrite- 0
day 4(today): ph- 7.2 ****ammonia- 0 ****nitrite- 0

How soon before I can add fish without hurting them?
I am planning on getting some cichlids, not sure wich ones yet though.
Here is a pic of my setup btw:
[/img]

DavidDoyle · 04-26-2005, 08:46 PM

Exactly how are you cycling the tank? Are you adding ammonia? Or are you intending to cycle with fish?

JP · 04-26-2005, 08:57 PM

I just filled it up and added Proquatics bacteria starter. Do I need to add ammonia?

cameraman_2 · 04-26-2005, 09:06 PM

yes you do. the bacteria eat the amonia which form another bacteria to eat there waste.

lawngnome · 04-26-2005, 09:07 PM

not really what also happens is most of the original bacteria die off and the remainig bacteria feed on them
so u dont need to add ammonia

JP · 04-26-2005, 09:12 PM

Ok. So how long should I wait before adding a fish?

ron v · 04-27-2005, 08:53 AM

When cycling a new aquarium, two totally different bacteria strains have to develop. The first ( nitrosomonas ) use ammonia as a food source and give off a waste product called nitrite. The second bacteria ( nitrobacter ) use nitrite and give off nitrates. Ammonia and nitrite are both highly toxic to fish. Nitrates are also toxic but not nearly as bad as the other two. When a tank is completely cycled, ammonia and nitrite are constantly broken down into nitrate. Nitrate is then removed by water changes. That's why its so important to change water often.... longnome, you DO have to add ammonia constantly while cycling. If you don't the bacteria will not have a food source and will die! JP, you can not safely add fish until the cycle is complete. It could take 3-4 weeks. Maybe longer. You cannot tell without test equipment. I'm not familiar with the "bacteria starter" you mentioned but there is a lot of "snake oil" out there, that is designed to seperate a hobbyist from his money. The only one I know of, that works, is Bio-Spira and its expensive!!! Good luck.

leongreenway · 04-28-2005, 10:04 AM

what is this snake oil, i hear about exactly then.
I got some Stress Zyne and was told it was snake oil

**Fishfirst** · 04-28-2005, 11:04 AM

snake oil is a general term for a product that claims to do something, but doesn't. Stress Zyme is one of them, it doesn't help cycle a tank.

leongreenway · 04-28-2005, 12:58 PM

conning ba***rds

04-26-2005, 08:46 PM	#2
DavidDoyle Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Age: 90 Posts: 496	Re: Newbie here. Question on tank cycling Exactly how are you cycling the tank? Are you adding ammonia? Or are you intending to cycle with fish?

04-26-2005, 08:57 PM	#3
JP Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 3	Re: Newbie here. Question on tank cycling I just filled it up and added Proquatics bacteria starter. Do I need to add ammonia?

04-26-2005, 09:06 PM	#4
cameraman_2 Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Maumelle, AR Age: 26 Posts: 123	yes you do. the bacteria eat the amonia which form another bacteria to eat there waste. __________________ 55 Gallon ...1 Pleco ...4 Sunshine Peacocks ...1 Altolamprologus Calvus ...1 Cyrtocara Moorii (Blue Dolphin) ...1 Julidochromis Marlieri Burundi ...1 Neolamprologus brichardi ...1 Yellow Lab ...1 Sciaenochromis fryeri (Chewere)

04-27-2005, 08:53 AM	#7
ron v Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Alabama Age: 61 Posts: 1,123	Re: Newbie here. Question on tank cycling When cycling a new aquarium, two totally different bacteria strains have to develop. The first ( nitrosomonas ) use ammonia as a food source and give off a waste product called nitrite. The second bacteria ( nitrobacter ) use nitrite and give off nitrates. Ammonia and nitrite are both highly toxic to fish. Nitrates are also toxic but not nearly as bad as the other two. When a tank is completely cycled, ammonia and nitrite are constantly broken down into nitrate. Nitrate is then removed by water changes. That's why its so important to change water often.... longnome, you DO have to add ammonia constantly while cycling. If you don't the bacteria will not have a food source and will die! JP, you can not safely add fish until the cycle is complete. It could take 3-4 weeks. Maybe longer. You cannot tell without test equipment. I'm not familiar with the "bacteria starter" you mentioned but there is a lot of "snake oil" out there, that is designed to seperate a hobbyist from his money. The only one I know of, that works, is Bio-Spira and its expensive!!! Good luck.

04-28-2005, 10:04 AM	#8
leongreenway Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 238	what is this snake oil, i hear about exactly then. I got some Stress Zyne and was told it was snake oil __________________ It's better to Burn out than to Fade Away !!

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04-26-2005, 09:07 PM	#5
lawngnome Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 9	not really what also happens is most of the original bacteria die off and the remainig bacteria feed on them so u dont need to add ammonia

04-26-2005, 09:12 PM	#6
JP Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 3	Ok. So how long should I wait before adding a fish?

04-28-2005, 11:04 AM	#9
Fishfirst Fish Guru Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Northern Wisconsin Age: 24 Posts: 3,704 Blog Entries: 6	snake oil is a general term for a product that claims to do something, but doesn't. Stress Zyme is one of them, it doesn't help cycle a tank. __________________ 210 Gal Reef w/ 55 Gallon Sump/Fuge, 125 Gal Fish Only, 65 Gal Seahorse-29 Gallon Sump, 55 Gal FOWLR, 54 Gal Corner FW Community, 20 Gal Nano FOWLR, 55 Gal Piranha, 29 gallon QT "All the yellow tangs and clownfish in the world can't save you now! hahahah" Peter from Family Guy

04-28-2005, 12:58 PM	#10
leongreenway Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 238	conning ba***rds __________________ It's better to Burn out than to Fade Away !!

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