Stocking Suggestions for a 4 Gallon Tank
- Thread starter Sushigeek
- Start date
i would say no still. the zero nitrates say not cycled to me.
how much fish food did you put in?
how much fish food did you put in?
if you are still reading 0 nitrates without doing a massive WC then you have not started the ammonia spike from the food breaking down. Nitrates are a natural by product of the cycling process.
Ok, fish lesson #1
Most big box stores will tell you that your tank is ready so that they can sell you the fish and stuff for the tank. Then they have a good likley hood of dying right after that period where they give you another for free. Then you go buy more fish, and on.
I would say dose pure ammonia to re start your cycle. Either that, or get dr tims one and only. It cost $15 and they will give you a bottle of PURE ammonia for free. (pure is caps because a lot of ammonia at stores has added stuff that is bad for your tank)
Most big box stores will tell you that your tank is ready so that they can sell you the fish and stuff for the tank. Then they have a good likley hood of dying right after that period where they give you another for free. Then you go buy more fish, and on.
I would say dose pure ammonia to re start your cycle. Either that, or get dr tims one and only. It cost $15 and they will give you a bottle of PURE ammonia for free. (pure is caps because a lot of ammonia at stores has added stuff that is bad for your tank)
Exactly! Because there is no bio load, there should be no of anything. you need to replicate a bio load by adding food like you have done in the past, or dosing pure ammonia. There is no way the bacteria is going to grow and break down ammonia without it being there in the first place. I remember saying the SAME EXACT THING as you are when I started out. Since then I have learned a lot. Cycling, is something that I feel I should be able to talk about because I have been cycling my 10g tank since mid September and I dont want any one else to have to wait that long if I can help them. Your fish will be much happier in the end if you properly cycle the tank. Hey, you did it once, you just made the mistake of listening to pet store people who are there to make sales. Talk to a few people here, you will find a few of them worked for petco and petsmart, there are some good reasons they dont work there anymore.
If anything I post seems rude to you, please tell me. I do not mean to offend people, but I want to get the point across.
I tend to upset some people because I am blunt. The bottom line is, if your tank is ready for fish, there will be a reading for nitrates. You just let it sit too long that is all. We are just trying to help you and your future fish. I get very adamant about cycling because we have the SPCA looking out for dogs and cats but, it takes people like some of us on AC to look out for fish. Education is the answer and we are here to answer questions we can to help others and ask questions that we don't know the answers to.
As someone with respiratory issues, breathing is very important to me. Fish breath through their gills. Ammonia burns a fish's gills. If you truly want to keep fish because you like fish just recycle your tank. You will, in the long run, be happier and so will your fish.
It is better to be safe than sorry.
unless a huge water change was done on this tank after the initial cycle, and ALL nitrates removed via that water change, then nitrates would be showing up, as they are removed via water changes (your few plants IMO would not account for all the nitrates being eaten up). i'm wondering if your tank didn't cycle fully/properly in the first place, hence the zero nitrates now.
i just went back and noticed that you used tetra safestart. IMO none of the 'bacteria in a bottle' products work, and are just a waste of money. i think when you used the safestart/fish food in the beginning, you didn't end up with enough ammonia from the fish food to get the cycle going, and then the cycle just 'fizzled' away - the plants ate up the ammonia and the bacteria colony never did get established.
i just went back and noticed that you used tetra safestart. IMO none of the 'bacteria in a bottle' products work, and are just a waste of money. i think when you used the safestart/fish food in the beginning, you didn't end up with enough ammonia from the fish food to get the cycle going, and then the cycle just 'fizzled' away - the plants ate up the ammonia and the bacteria colony never did get established.
Did ammonia even register after adding the food? I personally think that adding anything that is going to decompose as your initial ammonia source is a very crude and unnecessary method.
Again, the easy thing would be to add some ammonia until you test around 2-3 ppm, wait 24 hrs, and THEN see what happens.
Again, the easy thing would be to add some ammonia until you test around 2-3 ppm, wait 24 hrs, and THEN see what happens.
I know waiting for the cycle is so hard, because we are always so excited to get started with fish! But, to cycle the tank, you have to dose either ammonia or something that will break down and create a good bit of ammonia, test the water to see that you do have a positive ammonia amount, and then wait. Eventually you will have nitrite and the ammonia levels will drop off. Eventually after that you will start showing nitrate and the nitrite will drop off. Your levels are zero because there is nothing in your tank. If your tank was previously cycled, it may not take as long this time. But it will take a bit of time. Just get it cycling, sit tight and you will get there!
I applaud your research and doing things the right way - a lot people just throw the fish in the tank and wonder why they die. I totally understand the frustration of waiting but it will be worth it.
I applaud your research and doing things the right way - a lot people just throw the fish in the tank and wonder why they die. I totally understand the frustration of waiting but it will be worth it.
