Cycled?

[goldenchld]

Hope I'm not beating a dead horse but I searched the archives and am still confused.

I started cycling my 50 gallon with some gravel, filter media and decorations from my established aquarium, plus two guppys.

Day 5 did first test because I thought nothing would really be happening any earlier. Showed ammonia 0 ppm, 0 nitrites, 5-10 nitrate ppm, already???

Can I add half of my stocking list, none, I think adding a con would be okay right?

Thank you, this site is great!

 

[laura65536]

well right now your filters are ready for the bio-load of 2 guppies, so I wouldn't add half your stocking list (although I don't know what that is), but adding a con should be fine.

 

[goldenchld]

Sorry, forgot that info, full stocking list plan is...

1 bushy nose pleco
1 Thorichthys mixteco/aureum?
1 Black Con
6 Boesemani Rainbows
2 Gold Rams (undecided, scared Con will be mean)

 

[laura65536]

if it were me, I'd go ahead and add the con, wait a few days and see how that goes, then if it's still okay, add a few more, ect. just keep an eye on your water params.

 

[mostlycichlids]

I would skip the con it will kill the rams. I am assuming the guppies are for cycling. Add the stock slow but you should be ok to add them pretty quick. Just keep an eye on your parameters.

 

[goldenchld]

Well, I really want the Con so the Rams can stay in the 20 by themselves. Everything else work? Any other suggestions cycling or stocking?

 

[laura65536]

everything else sounds fine, I'm no expert on rams, but is 20 gallons enough for 2 of them full grown (I have no idea how big they get)

 

[goldenchld]

Thanks for your input brent. They get 3" max I believe. But I was hoping with lots of caves and hiding spots and the Rainbows as dithers the Convict wouldn't destroy the Rams.

 

[Ianab]

Showed ammonia 0 ppm, 0 nitrites, 5-10 nitrate ppm, already???

Whats the nitrate reading on your tap water? Some places have 5-10ppm nitrate (or More ) in their tap water already.

2 guppys may not be enough bioload to really get the cycle started in a 50 gal tank, although they will be doing something on a small scale I guess.

I would add a couple more / bigger fish and continue to monitor the water. A couple of fish each week for the next 6 weeks and you should be fine. Do the tests to make sure and if you get traces of ammonia or nitrite, dont add any more fish untill they go away.

Cheers

Ian

 

[laura65536]

well if they stay that small then they should be fine in a 20gal, sorry, I was assuming and that was dumb of me...but with the temperament of a con, I would certainly say that if they are that small they would get beat up pretty bad....
checking the nitrate of your tap is a good idea, but with all the seeded media you put in there it is also possible that it is cycled, however, as stated above, 2 guppies don't have a whole lot of a bio-load, but adding fish slowly should be fine.