dan the man
New member
I bought a 260litre/50gallon tropical aquarium 5-6 weeks ago. The guy that sold it to me said to do cycling with hardy fish (yes I know now fishless is better 
) it's been over a month and I have zero ammonia, zero nitrites and zero nitrates.
This is the tank history:
Set it up with air stone running, added 5 platies. 1 died the next day.
Added 2 gouramis a few days later.
Waited a week or so, nothing happened, guy told me to add more fish.
Added 15 neon tetras.
Waited a few weeks. Nothing. Guy told me to add a larger fish. Added a very large Angelfish. Got a spike reading of first level of nitrites that night. (though never got ammonia.). Next day readings were all zero again.
Within a week, tetras have all disappeared. Went back to fish place, he said "oops, your angelfish ate them all, sorry my bad..." he said to start feeding them a bit more which will promote cycling but also stop my Angelfish from devouring his colleagues.
So I got 8 large black/salmon tetras and start doing 2 small feeds per day . 2 tetras died next day. Algae started forming, so I gave tank a wipe down and did 1/4 water change (cleaned filter in tank water). Am minimizing lights to 5-7 hours per day.
A week or 2 later (now) and still have zero readings.
your thoughts/help really appreciated.
Do I just wait patiently for a few more weeks or do i slowly add a few more fish in to get a reading?
* 2 hours ago
* - 4 days left to answer.
Oh i have heaps of plants that i have been adding each time I added a new fish. They are eating the plants a lot so have been replacing them.
Currently have - 4 platies, 2 gouramis, 1 xl angelfish, 6 lg tetras, 2 xl snails
Im confused why there isnt any ammonia at all? fi there is no ammonia, how can the bacteria convert it to nitrites and nitrates???
Yep Im using API Master test. Also have taken water into fish place and he tested it once. zero ammonia.
) it's been over a month and I have zero ammonia, zero nitrites and zero nitrates.This is the tank history:
Set it up with air stone running, added 5 platies. 1 died the next day.
Added 2 gouramis a few days later.
Waited a week or so, nothing happened, guy told me to add more fish.
Added 15 neon tetras.
Waited a few weeks. Nothing. Guy told me to add a larger fish. Added a very large Angelfish. Got a spike reading of first level of nitrites that night. (though never got ammonia.). Next day readings were all zero again.
Within a week, tetras have all disappeared. Went back to fish place, he said "oops, your angelfish ate them all, sorry my bad..." he said to start feeding them a bit more which will promote cycling but also stop my Angelfish from devouring his colleagues.
So I got 8 large black/salmon tetras and start doing 2 small feeds per day . 2 tetras died next day. Algae started forming, so I gave tank a wipe down and did 1/4 water change (cleaned filter in tank water). Am minimizing lights to 5-7 hours per day.
A week or 2 later (now) and still have zero readings.
your thoughts/help really appreciated.
Do I just wait patiently for a few more weeks or do i slowly add a few more fish in to get a reading?
* 2 hours ago
* - 4 days left to answer.
Oh i have heaps of plants that i have been adding each time I added a new fish. They are eating the plants a lot so have been replacing them.
Currently have - 4 platies, 2 gouramis, 1 xl angelfish, 6 lg tetras, 2 xl snails
Im confused why there isnt any ammonia at all? fi there is no ammonia, how can the bacteria convert it to nitrites and nitrates???
Yep Im using API Master test. Also have taken water into fish place and he tested it once. zero ammonia.