My Aquarium cycling journey *10 GALLON TANK*

[IsisP]

Hi aquarists, I´d like to share with you my process. I am a beginner learning every day. And thank you to all the people who have been sharing different information and recommendations with me before, love you all! 

Everything started on July 17th when I started the filter and air pump.

On July 23rd, I put API QuickStart and started "ghost feeding" every 2 or 3 days.

On July 31st (3rd week of cycling). Ph was 7.5 / No2: 0 / No3: 0 / KH: 120 ppm /

GH: 180 ppm / Ammonia: 0

I had to change the filter cartridge on Aug 3rd, due to clogging complications. And poured a little more API Quick Start.

On Aug 7th, I test the water again. On this week I added 2 Anubias nana and a Mystery Snail. Results: Ph: 7.5 / GH:180 ppm / KH: 80 ppm / 

No2: 0 / No3: 0 / Ammonia: 0.

I stopped doing "ghost feeding" because I saw my fish food has a little copper and I read that copper is lethal to snails. But I fed my snail with some veggies occasionally.

On Aug 9th, I test again and had these results: Ph: 7.5 / Ammonia: 0.25 ppm / GH: 180 ppm / KH: 120 ppm / No2: 0 / No3: 0.  

I had a little fear that something could happen to my snail so I used Seachem AMguard to reduce the little Ammonia Spike. This week I got 2 Java Ferns.

My snail is doing good, he explores, eats, sleeps, etc. I would like to add some Platy fish to my tank.

Some other people told me about using Prime in my tank but I am confused about using it for cycling if I also had Seachem Amguard.

I HAVE NOT CHANGED MY WATER SINCE I STARTED CYCLING. And my temperature is always 78 degrees F. 

Any comments and suggestions are welcomed, thank you so much for reading my story. 

 

[Alex S.]

On 8/13/2023 at 2:33 PM, IsisP said:

Hi aquarists, I´d like to share with you my process. I am a beginner learning every day. And thank you to all the people who have been sharing different information and recommendations with me before, love you all! 

Everything started on July 17th when I started the filter and air pump.

On July 23rd, I put API QuickStart and started "ghost feeding" every 2 or 3 days.

On July 31st (3rd week of cycling). Ph was 7.5 / No2: 0 / No3: 0 / KH: 120 ppm /

GH: 180 ppm / Ammonia: 0

I had to change the filter cartridge on Aug 3rd, due to clogging complications. And poured a little more API Quick Start.

On Aug 7th, I test the water again. On this week I added 2 Anubias nana and a Mystery Snail. Results: Ph: 7.5 / GH:180 ppm / KH: 80 ppm / 

No2: 0 / No3: 0 / Ammonia: 0.

I stopped doing "ghost feeding" because I saw my fish food has a little copper and I read that copper is lethal to snails. But I fed my snail with some veggies occasionally.

On Aug 9th, I test again and had these results: Ph: 7.5 / Ammonia: 0.25 ppm / GH: 180 ppm / KH: 120 ppm / No2: 0 / No3: 0.  

I had a little fear that something could happen to my snail so I used Seachem AMguard to reduce the little Ammonia Spike. This week I got 2 Java Ferns.

My snail is doing good, he explores, eats, sleeps, etc. I would like to add some Platy fish to my tank.

Some other people told me about using Prime in my tank but I am confused about using it for cycling if I also had Seachem Amguard.

I HAVE NOT CHANGED MY WATER SINCE I STARTED CYCLING. And my temperature is always 78 degrees F. 

Any comments and suggestions are welcomed, thank you so much for reading my story. 

 

I think you have a really great start! I’m a beginner too so take everything I say with a grain of salt. I think you could probably let that ammonia sit just a little bit longer. Just based on what I know about microbiology and the nitrogen cycle, you want to give the nitrifying bacteria time to feed on the ammonia to break it down to nitrite, and eventually to nitrate. Since you’ve added quick start you should have a good base of bacteria in there. I personally use Fritzyme 7, but I think quick start is about the same. I know the test strips I use recommend changing water at 1 ppm ammonia, so I think you’ve got a little room, especially with no fish in the tank yet.

My only other pice of advice is make sure you use a dechlorinator. You probably already do, but just to be sure. Chlorine is not only bad for fish, but also your beneficial bacteria! 
 

Keep up the good work! Cycling a tank feels like an eternity, but it’ll get there! 

 

[lefty o]

the trace amounts of copper in your fish food wont kill snails, or shrimp. high doses will harm them, but the trace amounts in food are actually needed for fish, snails, ivertebrates.

[River]

I don’t have experience with Prime or Amguard but I looked them up. Prime is a dechlorinator that also removes heavy metals and will detoxify ammonia, nitrate, and nitrite. Amguard binds ammonia for up to 72 hours in case of an emergency spike.

As Alex said, the bacteria actually need ammonia and nitrites to feed on so they can replicate and establish a large enough population to effectively process ammonia and nitrites once fish are in.  I don’t know this for sure, but I worry both Prime and Amguard could actually slow down your cycling process by making ammonia and nitrite less available to your bacteria.

Maybe look up how much ammonia your snail can tolerate and let it climb up a bit?

[IsisP]

Hi, the last week of Aug 14th i started to have a little Nitrates 0,5 ppm. And I go to the pet store where a lady suggest that I should do a water change and then could add a little fish because my water looked fine. I did so. And on Wednesday I bought a guppy because they are hardy enough to fish-in-cycle as some articles said. 

Everything was fine, but yesterday Aug 17th I test the water and the nitrite was 3ppm!! I bought Seachem Stability and poured some into the tank, I don't understand that spike when a couple of days ago I change almost 50% of the water... My snail acts normal. But my guppy is glass-surfing most of the time and explores a little bit at night the rest of the tank. I don't know if he feels alone, if it's the water, I have a filter and an air stone working so I don't think I have a lack of oxygen. 

[JettsPapa]

On 8/18/2023 at 12:45 PM, IsisP said:

Hi, the last week of Aug 14th i started to have a little Nitrates 0,5 ppm. And I go to the pet store where a lady suggest that I should do a water change and then could add a little fish because my water looked fine. I did so. And on Wednesday I bought a guppy because they are hardy enough to fish-in-cycle as some articles said. 

Everything was fine, but yesterday Aug 17th I test the water and the nitrite was 3ppm!! I bought Seachem Stability and poured some into the tank, I don't understand that spike when a couple of days ago I change almost 50% of the water... My snail acts normal. But my guppy is glass-surfing most of the time and explores a little bit at night the rest of the tank. I don't know if he feels alone, if it's the water, I have a filter and an air stone working so I don't think I have a lack of oxygen. 

I would recommend another 50% water change to get the nitrites down, and I'd suggest you stop adding chemicals to fix problems that are better fixed with clean water.

Also, you mentioned in your original post that you replaced the filter cartridge.  I know the instructions that came with the filter probably said to change it, but that's because they want to keep selling the cartridges to you so they can keep selling you replacements.  In the future I'd recommend just rinsing it and putting it back, and don't replace it until it's falling apart.  A good portion of your beneficial bacteria colony resides on the filter, so tossing it can cause issues.

Rinse it in tank water first, but after your tank is well established (six months after the cycle has stabilized would be okay) you can rinse it under the faucet.

[IsisP]

On 8/18/2023 at 12:57 PM, JettsPapa said:

I would recommend another 50% water change to get the nitrites down, and I'd suggest you stop adding chemicals to fix problems that are better fixed with clean water.

Also, you mentioned in your original post that you replaced the filter cartridge.  I know the instructions that came with the filter probably said to change it, but that's because they want to keep selling the cartridges to you so they can keep selling you replacements.  In the future I'd recommend just rinsing it and putting it back, and don't replace it until it's falling apart.  A good portion of your beneficial bacteria colony resides on the filter, so tossing it can cause issues.

Rinse it in tank water first, but after your tank is well established (six months after the cycle has stabilized would be okay) you can rinse it under the faucet.

Thank you for your advice. I will do that. 

maybe it would be better like discard cartridges and put ceramic pieces and sponge into my filter chamber? to keep a good population of bacteria and don't loose too much when I have to change some pieces?

[JettsPapa]

On 8/18/2023 at 1:11 PM, IsisP said:

maybe it would be better like discard cartridges and put ceramic pieces and sponge into my filter chamber? to keep a good population of bacteria and don't loose too much when I have to change some pieces?

That would probably be a good idea.  While cartridge filters are what most fish keepers start with, me among them, many choose filters with larger and more varied media later on.  I like the AquaClear hang-on-back filters, but there are other good brands.  They typically come with a block of sponge, a bag of ceramic media, and a bag of carbon (which I never use), but they can be customized to meet your needs.