How do I know when a cycle is done and the tank is ready for fish?

[Wolf89]

How do I know when a cycle is done and the tank is ready for fish? Thanks

 

[OutsideBrian]

Are you dosing ammonia? If so does it up to 2ppm and then again 24hrs later. If the ammonia is zero, nitrites are zero and nitrates are low then you’ve successfully cycled.

 

[Wolf89]

Are you dosing ammonia? If so does it up to 2ppm and then again 24hrs later. If the ammonia is zero, nitrites are zero and nitrates are low then you’ve successfully cycled.

no I will be ghost feeding

 

[lapin]

same thing.

 

[cvanchuck]

Be careful on how often You ghost feed. You don’t want to do too much and have your spike be extremely high. Take it slow and take your time. I started my tank a little over a month ago. And I just got to zero across the board with a little bit of nitrate almost undetectable.

 

[MrObscura]

As mentioned, when the tank can convert 2ppm of ammonia to no3 in 24 hours.

I'd recommend getting some industrial strength ammonia if possible, just make sure it's 100% ammonia with no additives, it's more efficient than ghost feeding as you can control the dose.

 

[ShaunRobinson]

Whoa! Time to slow down a little. Do you have any test kits? The only way you will know your tank is cycled is by monitoring your Ammonia, Nitrite and Nitrate levels and understand what is going on in your tank.

Have a read of this:
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/cycling-an-aquarium.306554/

Once you understand the nitrogen cycle and you are able to test what is going on in your tank you will know when you’re ready for fish.

 

[MrObscura]

I'm always shocked by how many people can actually go through the process of setting up a tank and not know this basic stuff.

This knowledge seems unavoidable when simply going through the process, and yet... It's like they just buy stuff on a whim and fill a tank with water and then go... What now?

No offense op, just as mentioned it surprises me.

 

[stageforkids]

I'm always shocked by how many people can actually go through the process of setting up a tank and not know this basic stuff.

This knowledge seems unavoidable when simply going through the process, and yet... It's like they just buy stuff on a whim and fill a tank with water and then go... What now?

No offense op, just as mentioned it surprises me.

And that's why professionals like you are here, and there are forums like this. People start somewhere, and starting somewhere means knowing nothing but ready to jump in.
We be patient, we be kind, and when someone says something like this, maybe not intentionally, but we may insult and put down new people.
No offence, of course.

 

[PharmrJohn]

And that's why professionals like you are here, and there are forums like this. People start somewhere, and starting somewhere means knowing nothing but ready to jump in.
We be patient, we be kind, and when someone says something like this, maybe not intentionally, but we may insult and put down new people.
No offence, of course.

Just to let ya know, you responded to a thread that's five years old. ......But you do have a point!

 

[EliMelly]

Just to let ya know, you responded to a thread that's five years old. ......But you do have a point!

Not the only one tonight. Strange lol.

 

[Bruttall]

What I did when I cycled my 300g was throw about 10 cubes of frozen in, while I was making the water, it was 2/3rds full, took another day and a half before I could start the pump's. It took about 10 days total for the Nitrifying bacteria to eat the ammonia out of the water column.

So basically
1. Add Food
2. Wait a week test for Nitrates every other day till you see them.
3. Test Ammonia should read 0.
If this is all true, then tank is cycled and I suggest you do a 30% water change before adding your first fish and coral.

Testing for Nitrites has never made any sense to me, the only time you really find them is between the Introduction of Ammonia and the Bloom of Nitrifying Bacteria so I never waste money on those test kits.

Good Luck to you.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Just to let ya know, you responded to a thread that's five years old. ......But you do have a point!

And the person he is responding to was banned from Reef2reef and has not been on in 5 years.

 

[PharmrJohn]

And the person he is responding to was banned from Reef2reef and has not been on in 5 years.

Jeez! Banned?! I'll have to go through some of his posts to see just how bad he was, lol!

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Any name with a line through it has been blocked from Reef2Reef.

 

[PharmrJohn]

Any name with a line through it has been blocked from Reef2Reef.

OK. That makes sense now. I tried to DM a member and didn't get a response. Later, going through my DMs and cleaning them up, I saw just that. LOL, it kinda confused me! Just a query......What does it take to get banned?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

OK. That makes sense now. I tried to DM a member and didn't get a response. Later, going through my DMs and cleaning them up, I saw just that. LOL, it kinda confused me! Just a query......What does it take to get banned?

Repeatedly or egregiously violating the terms of service is the main way. Most situations yield warnings first. The terms of service rules are in a link at the bottom of every page under Featured Links.