Tetra tank set up...now what?

[LaRues Lady]

Hey everyone! I have finally gotten my 10 gallon tank set up which I'm planning on putting some Tetras in. I set it up last night and here are my reading from the testings:

Day 1 - Set up tank gravel, plastic plants, and three "castles" with swimming/hiding places, filter, heater, and thermometer. Put dechlorinator in the tap water before it went in the tank.
11:00pm
Nitrate - 20
Nitrite - 0
Hardness - 150
Alkinity - 80
pH - 7.6

Day 2
2:10pm
Water Temp. - 78 degrees
Nitrate - 20
Nitrite - 0
Hardness - 150
Alkinity - 80
pH - 7.2

10:50pm
Water Temp - 77 degrees
Nitrate - 0
Nitrite - 0
Hardness - 150
Alkinity - 80
pH - 7.6

I haven't added anything to the water or done any changes; just what I've put in my notes. Where do I go from here? What should I be doing or not doing? Thanks everyone!

 

[Dread]

Do you by chance have an ammonia test kit? It's not essential, but it could be helpful.

There's a rather odd swicth in Nirates and Nitrites at 10:50 on the 2nd day. Is this a typo, or how it really is? If so it's not a typo, that's kind of odd.

 

[LaRues Lady]

Yes, it was a typo...sorry! I changed it. I'll be out either tomorrow or Wednesday and will pick up an ammonia test kit then. Is there anythings else I should be doing in the meantime? Thanks!

 

[Dread]

Alright, if it wasn't a typo, that would've worried me. =P At 0 Nirates and 0 Nitrites in the tank, it looks like it's cycled! An ammonia test kit will tell you for sure, but it definately looks about ready for some fishies! It is a tad on the hard side for water as far as Tetras go, but if you can ask your LFS about the tetras you're buying, it could help alot. If they've been bred locally a long time (most Neon tetras are, if thats what you decided on? It would still be a good idea to ask, though), they should be used to your water hardness.

In the meantime, you might want to get a cheap feeder fish (like one of those 10 cent guppies or something that is not expensive, and that you won't mind potentially losing), and putting it in the tank for a little test run. If it is cycled, and the ammonia is 0, your beneficial bacteria in the filter could be pretty much "starving" as they feed on Ammonia. And a single little feeder guppy would provide enough ammonia to keep the bacteria alive. If the guppy is good after 2 or 3 days, I'd say you're pretty safe. Get a couple tetras, and put them in. Let them go for a week or so, and if they're looking happy and you don't see signs of stress, you're safe to up the stocking until you're at what you've decided on! The benefit of only adding a couple at a time is that if there is a problem, you haven't lost many fish, and you can correct the problem.

This is a tried and true method, and works for 90% of people, but I'm sure someone will be replying in a minute with another (probably equally effective) method that you're probably pretty safe trying. It's all up to you as long as it isn't an absurd procedure, of course.

 

[LaRues Lady]

Thanks! But I've only had the tank running for two days, so is it really possible that my tank could be cycled already (provided my ammonia is alright, of course)? If so, great! I'll definately try to get a guppy once I've tested the ammonia.

Thaks again! You've been a great help!

 

[Dread]

It would be an extremely fast cycle.. but if those tests are correct, then yeah.. it's cycled.

 

[LaRues Lady]

Awsome! Thanks! I'll get the ammonia test and report back before I put any fishies in!

 

[nickmcmechan]

how did you cycle it in 2 days?

what technique did you use?

 

[soobie]

Unless you added ammonia (which you didn't say you did) or already have fish in there, there is no way that tank is cycled. There is no ammonia source, just plain tap water with dechlor.

Check out the sticky on cycling. And don't get fish yet.

 

[LaRues Lady]

what technique did you use?

Beginners luck?

This tank is set up at my apartment at collage which I just moved in to stay last night. I had been making trips back and forth from home to here and started bringing stuff with me. I opened, inspected, and washed my tank and let it sit for a couple of days. Then I bought the gravel, plants, and castles, washed them and put them in the tank where I wanted them to stay. They sat like that for two or three days and then I started filling it last night. I bought two buckets for water changes - one I will use for the fresh water and one for the "dirty" water. I washed them both out and started filling them with warm water and a little dechlorinator (AquaSafe) in each load. I put the water in the tank, put the cartridge in the filter and put it in the tank, put the heater and thermometer in the tank and put the lid on. I plugged everything in and tested the water and didn't do anything until 2:10pm today when I checked the water. I didn't add anything to it or change any water; just tested it. I did the same thing today at 10:50pm (since it was pretty close to 24 hours later) and then logged everything in here. Like I said earlier, I still need to check my ammonia, so maybe there's something there that needs to be done and I just don't know it yet.

Anyway, I'll definately post the test results of everything (including ammonia) as soon as I get the test and results. Until then, if there's something I've missed, just let me know!