Am I cycling my freshwater tank right?

Question

I had my 2.3gallon tank empty (exept for water) with the filter running for about four days trying to cycle it, first i put some pellets in the tank and i was planning on adding some fish to it in a few days but i have noticed that the water smells funny. Is it natural for a freshwater tank to have a smell? or is it caused by the pellets at the bottom of the tank which are starting to turn white and cloudy? Is it safe to add fish in the water to continue the cycle? what should i do from here?

Answer 1

What fish did you have in mind for such a small tank? The only thing I can think of is betta. What kind of pellets are you talking about? Food pellets?

Answer 2

You're cycling correctly for a fishless cycle. When you add the water, you're starting with a blank slate. After 24 hours, the chlorine has dissipated. Once you added the fish food, it started to decay, releasing ammonia into the tank. For fishless cycling, a tester kit is a requirement. As well, you need a filter and a substrate (sand, marbles, gravel..whatever you're using). You need to test the water daily until you hit an ammonia peak...feeding the water with the fish food to keep a steady amount of ammonia going into the water. After the ammonia spikes, you'll notice your nitrites start to climb and your ammonia reduces...soon to 0. Nitrites stay high for a few weeks. Then nitrate starts to show up and the nitrites reduce. Once you are at 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite and about 20 ppm nitrate, your tank has cycled.
The cloud you are seeing is a bacterial bloom. Because the tank is so small, it shouldn't take much to cycle it.
The nitrates, when they start to form, will take up residence on your substrate and filter. Change the water, keep adding the pellets but don't clean the filter or clean the gravel too much or you'll disturb the forming colony.
If you're choosing to change to a fishy cycle...clean out the decaying food and do a very large water change (about 50 - 75% in the case of a 2 1/2 gallon tank) and then add just one small hardy fish. Keep testing the water and do frequent, small water changes according to what your test kit shows.

Answer 3

Yes. Tankwater smells. For your tank to cycle naturally, you need fish in there. It is the fish waste that begins the cycle. If you haven't put any fish in there, then your cycle hasn't even started yet. A natural cycle takes about 6 weeks.

That said, being subjected to the toxins caused by a cycling tank is very bad for fish.

There are other alternatives, such as fishless cycling or BioSpira.
Personally, I recommend BioSpira. I have used it successfully many times.
You also need a testing kit in order to know how your cycle is going. You need to test ammonia, nitrite and nitrate.
You also need to understand what the nitorgen cycle is all about.
Here are some links. I have posted them in the order in which I think it is best to read them.
Basic fish care-
http://www.geocities.com/shtinkythefish/basic.htm
The nitrogen cycle
http://faq.thekrib.com/begin-cycling.html#cycle
Fishless cycling-
http://www.tropicalfishcentre.co.uk/Fishlesscycle.htm
Thoughts on fishless cycling and BioSpira et al
http://www.skepticalaquarist.com/docs/startover/fishless.shtml

I suggest that, even if you decide to go with BioSpira, that you read the linked articles. The best way to keep your fish healthy and long lived is to understand the environment in which they live the best you can. These articles will give you a good start. There's plenty more info out there on the net.

Also be sure to research the fish you intend to get BEFORE you get them! This will surely save you and the fish some trouble.

Answer 4

Well, it's most likely still going through the cycle. You put the fish pellets in it to create ammonia, which turns to nitrite, then to nitrate. Your cycle is completed when your ammonia level reads as 0 parts per million, nitrite reads 0ppm, and nitrate is a low and safe amount (determined by the type of fish you want to keep).

Just get a test kit and test your water every other day or so. When the conditions are right, you can add fish. Do not add fish until your cycle is completed, and make sure you don't add more fish than your tank can handle (in your case, no more than 1 or 2 small fish, not goldfish).

Answer 5

1. Run the aquarium at a high temperature, up in the low to mid eighties, Fahrenheit. Only do this if you have no pets in the aquarium which need lower temperatures. The higher temperature leads to faster cycling.

2. Keep the tank only about 50-65% full. This creates a waterfall effect as the water leaves the filter, and when the water from the filter hits the surface of the aquarium water, there is a great deal of water turbulence, exposing more water to more air more quickly, and leading to increased oxygenation, and thus, faster cycling.

3. Keep the aquarium light on 24 hours per day during cycling. Only do this if you have no pets in the aquarium which need less light, or which need darkness. The increased light leads to faster cycling.

4. Use as many air stones and air pumps as you have access to, which will fit in the aquarium. Keep them all running all the time. This leads to increased oxygenation, which leads to faster cycling. Only do this if you have no pets in the aquarium which need calm, or still water.

5. Keep the filter running the entire time the aquarium is undergoing the cycling process. This increases water flow, and insures that good bacteria build up in the filter material, both of which lead to faster cycling.

Answer 6

An established tank does have an odor, but it's not unpleasant - I think it's kinda like dirt. If it smells bad, that's ammonia and nitrites, which means you are still cycling. As already said, when all of ammonia and nitrites are gone, it's safe to add some fish. And the bad smell should be gone, too.

Once the tank is established, a bad smell is a good indicator that something is wrong.

Answer 7

PUT BLEACH IN THE WATER IT HELPS CLEAR OUT ALL THE BACTERIA AND MAKES THE WATER SAFE FOR THE FISH

Answer 8

properly, it extremely is maximum probable nonetheless moving into direction of the cycle. you place the fish pellets in it to create ammonia, which turns to nitrite, then to nitrate. Your cycle is finished while your ammonia point reads as 0 areas in line with million, nitrite reads 0ppm, and nitrate is a low and secure quantity (desperate through the form of fish you opt to maintain). purely get a try equipment and verify out your water another day or so. while the situations are suited, you may upload fish. do no longer upload fish till your cycle is finished, and verify you do no longer upload extra fish than your tank can cope with (on your case, no extra advantageous than a million or 2 small fish, no longer goldfish).

Answer 9

you don't cycle a tank just by letting it run. if you put food in there without fish, you can start a fishless cycle. your tank has to go through the nitrogen cycle in order to be cycled. this can take 4-6 weeks with fish and sometimes 2 weeks doing a fishless cycle with pure ammonia or fish food.

Answer 10

I bet your having a hard time w/this tiny tank,huh?I think if I were you,i'd upgrade to something alittle bigger...maybe a 10 or 20gal?The reason I say this is because if you got yourself a bigger aquarium,you will be able to use power filters...and they seem to work the best for clean,clear&crisp water quality.These filter systems have a floss filter cartrige w/carbon and thats what does the job!
Good Luck!