New Fancy Gold Fish tank

[Chris J]

My wife and I have set up a new 60 gal fancy gold fish tank. We used API’s quick start, stress coat, proper filtration, airration. Ammonia present to start nitrogen cycle of course. As mentioned we used quick start. Question is this, how soon can we add new fish? It’s been 48 hours since we set it up. Any and all assistance is greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Chris from Leander Texas

 

[xXInkedPhoenixX]

Hi @Chris J Welcome to the forum. Hate to tell you but it will be a while yet before you can SAFELY add fish. While the Quick Start stuff of any brand can help- it's not a true cycle. What you end up doing is adding fish and ultimately doing a "fish-in" cycle- meaning you risk losing the fish you add. This is my favorite video from Aquarium Co-Op that explains the process: 

 

The best way to INSTANTLY start a cycle? Find someone with a healthy tank and a dirty filter you can have. 

[Flumpweesel]

Have you got a way of testing your water?  Unfortunately there is no golden number with cycling you just have to wait and testing helps you monitor what is going on .

You are looking at weeks rather than days, but as someone who has had to do  fish in cycles with goldfish they are a lot of work twice daily high volume water changes and the cycle takes much longer as you can't risk letting anything spike. So it is well worth avoiding that and doing the waiting now.

 

[Chris J]

Yes, do have ability to test water. Now I have noticed this morning the tank water is super cloudy. I assume this is the bacteria bloom?  Should I be concerned about this or should I just monitor water parameters for now? Thank you ?

[xXInkedPhoenixX]

That would be the bloom. Leave it, no water changes, usually just makes it worse. It will clear on its own. 

[Chris J]

I wanted to add some pictures of what I call foam on the surface. It doesnt smell.   Is this normal? 

[Flumpweesel]

Hmmm I wouldn't say normal but I didn't have airstones last time I cycled a tank so it might be, doesn't look filmy and as you said no smell so see if it goes as the bloom dies back.

I'm all for wait and see with cycles they seem to do their best the less you mess with them. (One of the many bonuses of cycling before you add fish is time)

Others might have more relevant experience though

Edited March 6, 2022 by Flumpweesel
Missed a bit

[Kathy F]

I have never seen an aquarium foam like that unless I put in Prazipro (Fluke medication).   What chemicals did you put into the aquarium?   Did you use a chemical to clean the aquarium before setting up?   Just trying to figure out if there is a chemical residue causing this.   

As for when to add fish, it depends.   I never do a full fishless cycle.  I find ways to put in bacteria from other tanks.   It is a bit harder to do if this is your first tank but not impossible.  If you have a friend with a tank that has been running awhile then you can ask them if you can borrow some old filter media or a little of their substrate (put in some cut up pantyhose or a filter bag so it doesn't mix with your substrate for easy removal later).    Another thing I will do is to buy immersed plants from the LFS meaning they have been kept under water in one of their fully cycled tanks.   

Yes, you can have a planted aquarium with fancy goldfish, you just have to careful what type of plants you buy.   I have had luck with Crypt Wendtii, Dwarf Sagittarius, Jungle Val (mine will eat american val so it needs to be jungle val), Java Fern, various Swords, various Anubias.   Now goldfish are rough on plants so don't go in expecting a tank that looks immaculate because that is unlikely to ever happen, but your plants can survive.    I have fish coming this week for a 10 gallon I haven't even set up, but I plan to pull a sponge filter, Anubias on some cholla wood and Windelov Java Fern from other tanks to jump start the tank so it will be safe to add fish.  Also feeding a fish sparselyin the beginning and testing the water frequently is a must.   

I like to use medium weight blaster sand easier to keep plants rooted because it is heavier than regular sand.   I have a much harder time with regular sand and gravel isn't optimal for fancy goldfish.    This is just the way I like to do things.  It isn't the only way to do a setup, but I have been successful keeping fish healthy and happy doing this without having to run an empty tank for weeks on end.