Cycling question

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JenTN

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Dec 17, 2007
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Knoxville, TN
I have a 55 gal tank that has been cycling with 6 white cloud minnows since last sunday. I took a sample in Thursday, and my amonia was at 0.2. The lady said the cycle should be complete by sunday (tomorrow). I am going back Tuesday, should I pay for another test to see if they cycle is complet, or go ahead and add my cichlids? (I am DYING to get some cool fish in there, lol. The minnows are kinda boring.


TIA

Edit: It is a planted tank, don't know if that makes a difference.
 
You should find out what your other parameters are first. Where are the nitrites and nitrates at? Would also recommend getting your own test kit or find a place that does free water testing.
 
dragonfish;1419212; said:
You should find out what your other parameters are first. Where are the nitrites and nitrates at? Would also recommend getting your own test kit or find a place that does free water testing.
Click to expand...


Nitrates/nitrites were 0- ph 7.6

It's only $3, the biggest problem actually is keeping my 2 year old monstor child entertained in the LFS while they are testing it:D For some reason he wants to stick his grubby paws in the betta tanks every time (of course I don't let him , but it's a lot of chasing for me)
 
JenTN;1419199; said:
I have a 55 gal tank that has been cycling with 6 white cloud minnows since last sunday. I took a sample in Thursday, and my amonia was at 0.2. The lady said the cycle should be complete by sunday (tomorrow). I am going back Tuesday, should I pay for another test to see if they cycle is complet, or go ahead and add my cichlids? (I am DYING to get some cool fish in there, lol. The minnows are kinda boring.
please buy a test kit and it's easy to use

TIA

Edit: It is a planted tank, don't know if that makes a difference.
Click to expand...

please buy a test kit and it's easy to use
 
LOL, okay, I'll buy a test kit. The book on f/w fish I have says the ones you buy are not accurate, so I have been taking samples to the store.
 
Just do not get the test strips....they are very inaccurate.

I would wait myself to add the fish, I know it can drive you crazy waiting...but it will be worth it in the end.

Good luck:D
 
First of all the test kit the LFS is using is the same as the one you would buy. Your tank is just starting to cycle. first you would see a peak in ammonia, then a peak in nitrites and then once you see nitrates with no ammonia or nitrites then you tank is cycled. I would buy a test kit, even the test strips do fine, and test your water yourself.
 
I agree please get a test kit...API Freshwater Master Kit would be my choice

It usually takes weeks to cycle a tank unless you have seeded it with filter material or gravel from an established cycled tank and then it would still probably be 2-3 weeks to cycle.... It sounds to me like you are just in the beginning stages of a cycle and just now getting noticable ammonai readings...you still have to go through a nitrite spike and then nitrates should start rising.

After you get a test kit keep a check on water parameters daily and do any water changes needed to keep ammonia and nitrites both under .25ppm
 
It may of just been the strips I got...but when I first started testing my water I had the strips...when I did get the liquid test kits, I got completely different readings, the strips had me high on everything, when I switched over my results were substantially lower. I even tested a few times with both just to see, and I would get complete different results. Like I said though, it could of just been the strips I had.
 
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