ectini
New member
Hi all, I had a question about cycling. I read up on how to do it with a pure ammonia source. I set up my tank and am ready to start the process, however I had a few questions. This is how my setup went:
Oct 17 - Set up 10 gallon tank. Tank previously housed a turtle. Scrubbed clean with vinegar and water. Added 2 tank decorations (plastic rock platforms) that were previously with the turtle, that were scrubbed clean with just hot water. Added a small airstone.
Oct 19 - Added a Aqua Tech hang-on-back power filter.
Oct 21 - Added 3 live plants to the tank, which came from a petshop tank with fish.
Oct 23 - Water parameters are ammo/nitrites 0 and nitrates 5.
During this time, I didn't start adding any ammonia or do any water changes. I just tested the water today and those were the levels. I read that a cycled tank should have 0 ammo/nitrites and less than 20 nitrates. Is it a silly question to ask if my tank has cycled itself somehow with bacteria from the turtle tank decorations or the live plants?
Should I start adding ammonia and try the actual cycling process? When is it safe to move my axolotl into the tank? Also the filter I got says "New BIO-Fiber removes ammonia and nitrate 'on contact'"... If my tank isn't actually cycled, then would this "bio fiber" actually be hampering my efforts if I started adding ammonia to do the fishless cycle? What should I do in that case?
Thanks for any advice!!
Oct 17 - Set up 10 gallon tank. Tank previously housed a turtle. Scrubbed clean with vinegar and water. Added 2 tank decorations (plastic rock platforms) that were previously with the turtle, that were scrubbed clean with just hot water. Added a small airstone.
Oct 19 - Added a Aqua Tech hang-on-back power filter.
Oct 21 - Added 3 live plants to the tank, which came from a petshop tank with fish.
Oct 23 - Water parameters are ammo/nitrites 0 and nitrates 5.
During this time, I didn't start adding any ammonia or do any water changes. I just tested the water today and those were the levels. I read that a cycled tank should have 0 ammo/nitrites and less than 20 nitrates. Is it a silly question to ask if my tank has cycled itself somehow with bacteria from the turtle tank decorations or the live plants?
Should I start adding ammonia and try the actual cycling process? When is it safe to move my axolotl into the tank? Also the filter I got says "New BIO-Fiber removes ammonia and nitrate 'on contact'"... If my tank isn't actually cycled, then would this "bio fiber" actually be hampering my efforts if I started adding ammonia to do the fishless cycle? What should I do in that case?
Thanks for any advice!!