One more new tank thread! :)

Because water quality can get out of hand very quickly when cycling, it can be helpful to own your own test kits so you can test daily. The sticky in this forum on cycling tanks (here: http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=84598) gives lots of good info on cycling both with and without fish in the tank. Based on what this article says, you could speed up your cycle if your local pet store would give you some pre-cycled filter media or gravel.
 
I wouldn't suggest adding any fish during the cycle but I would remove the zebra loaches soon. During a cycle the fish waste turns into ammonia which is highly toxic to fish. There are certain bacteria that turn it into nitrite (even more toxic) and then other bacteria that turn nitrite into nitrate (toxic only at high levels, hence the main reasons for water changes). Cycling with fish will end in deaths if not handled properly. I suggest getting a good liquid test kit (API is the best brand IMO) and commit to frequent testing of ammonia, nitrite and nitrate. Whenever the first two get above .25 ppm do a water change. I would read the sticky.
 
Okay so I ran out and grabbed some test kits on my way home from work yesterday:
First I ran an ammonia test which came up with.....0 mg/l
so I ran the test again, this time triple checking each step to make sure I was doing it right. Same thing. So then I ran the Nitrite test and it came back with less than .3mg/l.

I figured I would hedge on the safe side and do a 15% water change last night.
This morning I retested, still no ammonia, a little less nitrite, this time I tested the nitrate and got around 12.5mg/l

thoughts or ideas? seems pretty weird to me, but it seems like somehow my tank is like halfway through the cycle?!?
 
I'm definitely not the expert around here, but it does sound like your cycle is moving along pretty quickly. You may want to test your tap water for nitrates. Some people have nitrates in the water straight from the sink, so the nitrates you are seeing in your tank right now may or may not be a result of cycling.
Still, I think the fact that you have nitrites showing up means things are moving along. I wonder--did the live plants you bought come from tanks with fish in them? If so, then the plants could have brought some good bacteria into your tank and jump-started your cycle.
In any case, good for you for getting the test kits! I put off buying them for so long, and I don't even know why. Life is so much easier when you're in control of your water quality.
 
Yes, as a matter of fact the plants did come from fished tanks, that probably helps explain it. Plus for some reason I put some regular ol goldfish flakes in when I first put water in, about a week ago, Im thinking maybe that them decaying put ammonia in the water and helped kick start it. Good thinking, im going to go test the tap water for nitrates when I am done here.
 
Also test the tap for ammonia. Keep ammonia and nitrites less than .25 ppm.

Your tank will be cycled when you see those two stay at zero and increasing nitrates. Do water changes to keep nitrates below 40 ppm max, preferably 20 ppm.
 
Don't let companies get to you with things like "Ammonia Begone" or "Nitrite Away". A cycled tank should have 0 Ammonia and Nitrite and less than 40 Nitrates. Your Cycle is moving pretty fast, it's probably because of the plant you added. What test kit are you using?
 
Yeah I wouldn't buy something like that. Everything ive read has pretty much said that the best thing for a tank is to let it run its course without the "help" of chemicals.

I am using a tetra test lab kit that has pH, hardness, nitrite, and ammonia tests but it didnt come with a nitrate kit so i had to buy that separate.

It doesnt seem that my LFS carry any other test kits that are not tetra. Hopefully tetra is fairly decent with their test kits?
 
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