so when exactly do you add the fish? right when your ammonia hits 0? or should I wait like a few days then add fish? also should I do a water change before adding fish?

PRichs87 wrote:so when exactly do you add the fish? right when your ammonia hits 0? or should I wait like a few days then add fish? also should I do a water change before adding fish?

NO, you don't add fish until the NitrIte level has returned to zero. First the Ammonia will spike and then NitrIte will spike and needs to return to zero before adding fish.



I did a 20% water change after cycling but I do regular weekly changes of 5 - 15%. I would suggest doing a larger change if you do less frequent water changes. The main reason for water changes is to reduce the NitrAte level that has built upon during cycling. NitrAte is much less dangerous to fish but a very high levels can be lethal.



p.s. Add fresh activated carbon to your filtering system after cycling to absorb any misc. chemicals left over in the tank water from the Ammonia.

Added 7.2 ml of ammonia to the tank and got a reading of 1.0PPM. Seems to be in the right direction. Just added another 7.2 ml and will measure the reading tomorrow evening. Might go to the fish store to purchase rock to expedite the build of ammonia. Any thoughts if I should go with rock or live plant.


Thanks for your help

Where are you all getting your ammonia? Do the ingredients say anything other than ammonia and water? I'm having a terrible time finding plain ammonia around here. Thanks!

I got mine at the local grocery store (Meijers).



The bottle states "Clear Ammonia". The only ingredient listed is "Ammonium Hydroxide".



Good Luck

Rychek - Got mine at ShopRite (if you have one in your area) - clear ammonia with no detergents or colors. Only ingredient is Ammonia Hydroxide.


Good luck..

[size=2][font=Arial] Seem to be on my 5th day and still not showing any Nitrites in my fishless tank. Time to worry and possibly start over? Was going to go to my local fish store but wanted to check with you experts first. The fish store will probably sell me the chemical additive or tell me to buy fish. Thanks Rich[/font][/size]

Rich, I would give your tank at least 14 days before getting worried. If you didn't seed the tank with active bacteria, it could take two weeks or more. A completed cycle can sometimes take 45 - 60 days. Also, check your aquarium temperature the warmer the water the faster the bacteria colony can grow. Upper 80's low 90's work great.


The pet store will most likely try to sell you a bottled starter solution. I can't imagine these working well. Bacteria simple will not live long without food and oxygen. How can a pre-bottled solution that has been sitting on a shelf have active bacteria?



However, a small non-mega store, pet store might sell you some seeded gravel or a squeezing from an active filter. Both of those items will instantly put some ammonia and nitrite eating bacteria in your tank.

I've been unable to find a liquid ammonia source, so I used some old HBH Oscar Chow I had lying around. It took a good two weeks for the nitrite to show up, but my tank is nearly cycled. Both colonies are established and producing. :) The only problem with the Oscar Chow method I used was the nasty food piles and fuzzy bacteria I had to vacuum out. But it worked and I didn't have torture any fish in the process.

Rychek,



Great job and thanks for posting. I've read that other folks have used raw shrimp placed into a filter bag and hung in the tank.



p.s. This means that you will be stocking a new tank soon. I can't wait to see the pics and/or vids.