# Is My Cycle Done?



## Brinksta (Nov 16, 2011)

It has been a little over a week now. Started testing recently and the ammonia is reading either 0 or .5...I can't tell because the darn colors look almost the same. The nitrates and nitrites are looking great.

Using used media, filter, gravel and decorations.

Would like to know if it's done so I can add a female betta to the tank. Right now I have two zebra mollies and that's it.


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## Brinksta (Nov 16, 2011)

Oh and another question.

I am trying to think about what fish I want to complete my 47 gallon tank.

Here is what I am thinking.

2 zebra mollies
1 female betta
5 black tetras

I am thinking about adding 1 or two more zebra mollies because they are beautiful, but I don't want them to have babies.

How many more fish should I get so its not understocked, or overstocked? Do you recommend any that are could size and type to go with these?


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## harveya (Aug 12, 2011)

i have a 44 gal and stock is
10 neon tetra
5 harley raspora
1 blue ram
1 bolivian ram
1 kribnesis
4 sterbia cory
3 zebra loach
2 SAE
1 sp. pleco

might have to pull the SAE when they grow up. people probably wouldnt recomend the kib and rams all together but they are best of mates.....

There is a sight called Aqadvisor or something and it is great to a stocking guide.

As for you original q, there is quite a difference in 0 to .5 ammonia, you shouldnt have many troubles determining the differance there. dont look at it and think yuou see 0 if it is zero it will be zero. What is you Nitrate and Nitrite? Have you read the instructions clearly for the nitrAte test? paticularly the shaking of bottle 2??


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## Brinksta (Nov 16, 2011)

Using test strips, so results are just colors. Kinda hard to read on some.


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## harveya (Aug 12, 2011)

Dude you gotta get rid of them. They are way off!!! Do yourself a massive favor (i spell favour...) and get the API master test kit. Honestly the strips are a waist of time and money. Everyone else (with experience) will 100% agree


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## Brinksta (Nov 16, 2011)

I have looked into that and I think I am going to get it. Bad thing is I will have to wait for shipping because no one in town has it. So the strips is all I have for now.


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## harveya (Aug 12, 2011)

i can appreciate that. However with out a definitive zero ammonia you have no idea if your cycle is done. As far as ammonia levels go 0-.5 is a huge difference!


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## Brinksta (Nov 16, 2011)

I understand. Going to try a store tomorrow and if they don't have it I will buy it online.


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## harveya (Aug 12, 2011)

You won't regret it. You'll probably find your PH comes down a bit....well not come down but test acuratly. Not that it really matters....


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## Brinksta (Nov 16, 2011)

harveya how does your ram get along with your other smaller fish? no nipping or anything? they are a beautiful fish. Thinking about getting one.


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## harveya (Aug 12, 2011)

I have 2 rams, a Bolivian and a German blue. The only problem if any is between the 2 rams. The blue is the boss and can chase the Bolivian at times. No nipping at all, just the odd chase around the tank. Oddly the krib was best mates with the Bolivian then I added the blue and now the krib is best mates with him.... 

The blue is a cool looking fish I have to admit! But it is the zebra loaches I like the most. The krib will eat from my hand...


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

A cycle with fish will usually take 6-8wks. Your cycle has just started.


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## harveya (Aug 12, 2011)

Ben you need to read his other post.


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

Yeah.....why people start multiple threads having expected you to read and remembered them all is beyond me.

If all the stuff wasn't washed with tap water, his cycle may go quicker than normal. Otherwise, ......


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## bmoore09 (Nov 20, 2010)

jrman83 said:


> A cycle with fish will usually take 6-8wks. Your cycle has just started.


This. There's no way your cycle is done. It just started. Ammonia's just starting to build up. The reason your nitrites and nitrates look good is cause that part of the cycle hasn't started yet. Give it two weeks, you'll see the nitrite spike.


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## Brinksta (Nov 16, 2011)

bmoore09 said:


> This. There's no way your cycle is done. It just started. Ammonia's just starting to build up. The reason your nitrites and nitrates look good is cause that part of the cycle hasn't started yet. Give it two weeks, you'll see the nitrite spike.


Haven't had any ammonia for 3 days.


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

Brinksta said:


> Haven't had any ammonia for 3 days.


Your first post in this thread says you had 0-.5.


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## Brinksta (Nov 16, 2011)

jrman83 said:


> Your first post in this thread says you had 0-.5.


I meant the color looks like the 0 color but I can't tell for sure meaning I wasn't 100% sure it was 0. 

I have been feeding every other day and now have 3 Dalmation Mollies and 4 Tetras. 

If it wasn't cycled the readings would be above 0 or even .5 with all the waste and fish food, right?


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## harveya (Aug 12, 2011)

You really need to explain that you brought the tank second hand and was established. The substrate remained wet, as did the filter.


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## Brinksta (Nov 16, 2011)

harveya said:


> You really need to explain that you brought the tank second hand and was established. The substrate remained wet, as did the filter.



Thought I did. Didn't know I did in another thread and not this one.


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## harveya (Aug 12, 2011)

In the thread titled "what do you think of my tank". You made ref to the fact that you tank is second hand and was established. I knew who you were from that thread, but others answering you original question have no idea that it is second hand. For all they no it is a new tank and your cycle has just started.....

Just saying... Did you manage to grt the test kit??


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## Brinksta (Nov 16, 2011)

harveya said:


> In the thread titled "what do you think of my tank". You made ref to the fact that you tank is second hand and was established. I knew who you were from that thread, but others answering you original question have no idea that it is second hand. For all they no it is a new tank and your cycle has just started.....
> 
> Just saying... Did you manage to grt the test kit??


Ordered test kit online last night..

Added 4 tetras and another dalmation molly this morning. Tested water tonight and ammonia and nitrates are still reading 0


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## harveya (Aug 12, 2011)

The fact that you have no nitrAtes present leads me to believe you cycle has only just started. See what happens when your test kit arrives. Those strips are worthless.

FYI make sure you read the instructions clearly, specifically the nitrate test and shaking bottle 2.


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## fauxcive (Nov 25, 2011)

The nitrite reading will determine where the cycle is at. Normally (for me anyways, always testing with API test drops), my tanks read 0 ppm ammonia, 0 ppm nitrIte, and usually 20 ppm nitrAte when cycled. A low level of ammonia or nitrite usually occurs for me when that stage of the cycle is just starting, and at that time, the stage after that reads 0 or near 0. For example, if my tank reads 0 ppm ammonia, 0.25 ppm nitrite, and 5 ppm nitrate... it usually indicates that my nitrites are about to spike. Similarly if it reads 0.25 ppm ammonia, and 0 ppm nitrIte, and 5 ppm nitrAte (my tap water typically has 5 ppm nitrAte), that means it's really just at the very beginning.

Granted, I don't have live plants, so for me my nitrates normally hover between 20-40 ppm, at 40 I immediately do a water change.

Live plants usually take care of nitrates (or so I'm told).

Edit: Even knowing the numbers, the length of time really varies greatly from tank to tank. The only way you can give a good guestimate is to compare where you are now with where you were before, and note the progress.


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