Hi I am new to this site I have just started & was looking at sites how to keep fish, so I liked this as i didn't have a clue about fish cycling & I don't want to harm any fish.So I;ve had my tank up & running for 8 days with ammonia reading
about 3-4ppm my ph is holding at 7 but no sine off nitrites,
what is the best temperature to get it started, my tank is 95 liters with 5 plants in it.The ammonia is from home base household ammonia,I done the shake test on it it doesn't foam
am I just being impatient or should nitrites be showing. My tank temp was 77 but 2days ago I put it to 81 plz help

Hi.

It has taken my tank about 9 weeks to cycle, so patience is certainly a virtue! I think it was about 3 weeks till the ammonia-eating bacteria started to appear...

Thanx what temp was your tank ?

I've had it at 25 degrees in the main.

Cheers I'll wait it out

Hi davefender, welcome to FK

Just to double check first, what brand of water conditioner are you using? Some only remove chlorine, not choramine as well.

What is the current tank pH? You are blessed with local soft acidic water it seems (suitable for so many tropical fish) but as the pH can swing around a bit during a cycle - quite normal - if it dips to under 6 that can sometimes stall a cycle. Low KH (carbonate hardness) as you have is easily depleted when you do no water changes as when you are cycling and can cause pH to drop rapidly, known as a tank crash.

I'd crank the tank up to 30 degrees to give the bacteria kick start.

IME, generally with cycles you see the initial ammonia dosing starting to be consumed by day 3 or 4.

Any questions, fire away

I noticed that the excellent article on the fishless cycle does not mention water temperature. The moderators may wish to consider an update.

Hi Violet I have used API tap water conditioner & API stress
zyme the current ph is 7ppm my normal tap water ph here is 6.6 ppm the temp in my tank was 25 but I put it up to 27, but you reckon I should put it higher, should I put anything else in the tank like shrimp? because I red somthing about phosphate

Is the local tapwater of PH of 6.6 after water has been left standing in a cup for 24 hours? pH can shift as many water boards add temp additives that gas off after 24 hours (nicer for humans to drink )

If so, something in the tank, such as gravel etc it pushing the pH up a tad.

Save your pennies on the stress zyme, not needed, this doesn't contain the bacteria the filter actually needs.

No livestock would be recommended until the tank is fully cycled - this will take about 4 weeks or so (shrimp are uber sensitive to water quality BTW and will keel over at the tip of a hat)

@ Pistol Pete, not sure modding the caresheet is needed. Most tank cycles kick off fine with normal temps. Just occassionally though with 'troublesome' cycles, raising the temp helps a bit IME but not sure everyone does that here