Newbie Needs Guidance with Levels

[Sharelleshobbies]

Hey there! I’m new.  We just got a new tank- it’s 36 gallons.  We don’t have any fish yet, but we have a few plants.  I just tested my water and was surprised to find .50 ppm ammonia.  What do I do with this information? I’ve watched loads of videos, joined the YouTube membership- but I’m just not sure what to do when my levels are up in any of the tests while ‘cycling’.  I’m assuming I do a water change? 25%? Or more?

Here are the levels of my *tank (after a couple days started with API Quick Start and API Stress Coat Water Conditioner, and Easy Green + root tabs):

ph 7.4

Ammonia .50 ppm

nitrite 0

nitrate 0

 

this is our tap water:

ph 7.4

Ammonia 0

nitrite 0

nitrate 0

*we have aquarium gravel and plant substrate too

If you have a ‘for dummies’ link for what to do about different levels- that would be great as well.

thanks for your patience as I learn this new hobby ☺️

[lefty o]

for a fishless cycle, you are for the most part along for the ride. unless things go extremely sideways, just monitor water parameters, and wait.........

[Sharelleshobbies]

We plan on getting a few fish soon.  We’ve just been getting settled with setting it up and whatnot.

[xXInkedPhoenixX]

Hi there @Sharelleshobbies welcome to the hobby. Appearance of ammonia and nitrites are a good thing when doing a fishless cycle. No water changes necessary. We're waiting for that magical moment when your tests are zero ammonia and nitrites and a little bit of Nitrates anywhere between 5 and 20. 

Don't add fish until your tank is cycled or you risk losing fish and/or upsetting the cycle. 🙂 

[Sharelleshobbies]

On 3/27/2022 at 1:50 PM, xXInkedPhoenixX said:

Hi there @Sharelleshobbies welcome to the hobby. Appearance of ammonia and nitrites are a good thing when doing a fishless cycle. No water changes necessary. We're waiting for that magical moment when your tests are zero ammonia and nitrites and a little bit of Nitrates anywhere between 5 and 20. 

And if we decide to add some fish soon? It’s just been put together in the past couple days and I’m hoping to add something soon.

[Sharelleshobbies]

On 3/27/2022 at 1:50 PM, xXInkedPhoenixX said:

Don't add fish until your tank is cycled or you risk losing fish and/or upsetting the cycle. 🙂 

Okay- I guess I’m in it for the long haul 😂. I didn’t mean to do a fishless cycle but we just don’t know what kind of fish we want yet… 

[lefty o]

if you want to add fish before the tank has "cycled", you will need to add a source of bacteria to the tank. this can come from a filter or hardscape from an established aquarium, or a bottled bacteria like stresszyme7 or fluval cycle. the bacteria is what is in a tank that helps break down waste, and ammonia, and without it it can be difficult to keep fish alive. there's more than 1 way to establish beneficial bacteria in a tank, but without it you will be up against a big struggle.

ill add, plants are very helpful towards getting a tank established, so you are at least a step in the right direction.

Edited March 27, 2022 by lefty o

[xXInkedPhoenixX]

The first thing everyone new needs to learn in this hobby is patience. If you do this too quickly, being inexperienced you risk losing all your fish. 

If you choose to do a fish-in cycle which is what you are doing if you add fish now the .5 of ammonia will cause ammonia burn, stress and likely fish deaths. So in order to try and prevent that you'd have to do water tests and water changes every. single. day until you see Nitrates and zero ammonia and nitrites. I don't recommend this method for new hobbyists.

I'd recommend watching this video that simplifies tank cycling.

 

[Sharelleshobbies]

On 3/27/2022 at 2:03 PM, lefty o said:

if you want to add fish before the tank has "cycled", you will need to add a source of bacteria to the tank. this can come from a filter or hardscape from an established aquarium, or a bottled bacteria like stresszyme7 or fluval cycle. the bacteria is what is in a tank that helps break down waste, and ammonia, and without it it can be difficult to keep fish alive. there's more than 1 way to establish beneficial bacteria in a tank, but without it you will be up against a big struggle.

ill add, plants are very helpful towards getting a tank established, so you are at least a step in the right direction.

Oh good- I did add some beneficial bacteria + plants

[Sharelleshobbies]

On 3/27/2022 at 2:06 PM, xXInkedPhoenixX said:

The first thing everyone new needs to learn in this hobby is patience. If you do this too quickly, being inexperienced you risk losing all your fish. 

If you choose to do a fish-in cycle which is what you are doing if you add fish now the .5 of ammonia will cause ammonia burn, stress and likely fish deaths. So in order to try and prevent that you'd have to do water tests and water changes every. single. day until you see Nitrates and zero ammonia and nitrites. I don't recommend this method for new hobbyists.

I'd recommend watching this video that simplifies tank cycling.

 

I think I’ve watched this before- but I’ll watch again. ☺️
 

We have had fish before for several years- but we didn’t know anything and didn’t test, cycle or anything.👎🏻 So I still consider myself a newbie. We didn’t lose many fish though… in fact, we had lots and lots of Molly babies we had to give away…. but I want to do it better this time.  I’ve got a bigger tank, live plants, beneficial bacteria, a quarantine tank setup, testing kits… etc 😄. 
 

If I add fish I will definitely do lots of water changes.  We are starting to see a little algae so I was hoping to add something to help with that while we wait for things to settle.  I don’t plan on overwhelming my tank with a lot of fish at first.  Gradually over the next few months.  Our budget has forced us to be patient- and do things this way regardless of our excitement.
 

I’m trying to sort through a lot of information, so thanks for being patient with me. 🙂

[lefty o]

when adding fish early on, only add a couple at a time.

[Sharelleshobbies]

Thank you all. I think I’m starting to understand the cycling process. 🐠

[Katie B.]

@Sharelleshobbies I am 110% with you right now! I have a 29-gallon tank that is working on cycling as we speak. My ammonia levels are 0.5 (on the strips it says that 25% of the water was "safe" at 0) and nitrites are between 1 and 3 and nitrates are between 25-50.  

I have more plants arriving this week which I think will help a lot; however, like you I am anxiously awaiting when I can put my betta in (and other fish that are arriving this week). 

I am learning patience, but boy is it difficult. Since I am a stay-at-home mom, I spend my time watching my betta (who is in a 5 gallon) and watching youtube videos on fish and the hobby 😁

[Jeff]

On 3/27/2022 at 4:06 PM, xXInkedPhoenixX said:

The first thing everyone new needs to learn in this hobby is patience. If you do this too quickly, being inexperienced you risk losing all your fish. 

 

I can't stress this enough. This hobby is a marathon; not a race.

I know it's hard to wait; but it's well worth it in the end....if you wait for your tank to cycle.

[Sharelleshobbies]

Hooray.  Here’s todays levels:

nitrate: 50

nitrite: 1

kh: 80

ammonia: 0

I still haven’t added fish. I think we are making progress!  I was super surprised to find the ammonia at 0 today.  It's been .5 for several days.  Now to wait for everything else to even out.