Fishless Cycle!?

Question

Ok, I got lots of help on here re: which fish to get for my aquarium but I'm now getting conflicting advice on how long I should wait before I get any fish...
One pet shop said wait a week - a site on the net said it could take up to 7 weeks!?!
Tank is Juwel Vision 180 - been running 3 weeks with integrated filter & air bubble line.
Temperature has stayed a steady 27 degrees C.
Tank includes 2" of gravel, 6 real vallis potted plants, 2 smaller plants that don't look so good with brown spots (but had them when I planted them!), 1 big plastic plant, 1 big stone tree stump thing, one big rock with loads of hiding places & one smaller rock.
I've been adding a small amount of flake food each day & pH down as my pH has stayed at 7.8 for ages!
Pet shop checked my ammonia & nitrate & they were fine & I've acquired quite a few snails from somewhere.
My tank seems REALLY clean though & I was told it should go cloudy first.....
Do I just need to be more patient or is there anything else I can do?

After the answers left so far I went out & bought 3 clown loaches, 4 platys (2 silver, 2 orange) and 2 black mollies yesterday.....so far so good, in fact they look like they're loving it!! The mollies like swimming in the current of the filter flow pipe and the loaches are mental!!
I hope to get the plec next weekend then the angels the weekend after - I hope that seems ok?!
Oh, this morning I checked the pH & it's already at 7.2!! x

Answer 1

I would put a few fish in. buy just adding flake fish food your cycle well take for ever to end.
if you dont want to add fish and cycle it add a half raw shrimp to cycle it.
other wise your going to be waiting for months

Answer 2

If the pet store is telling you the truth,one of two situations exists. #1 The water is OK because the cycle hasn't started yet,or #2 the cycle is OK for Ammonia, but the Nitrite cycle is just beginning.
I'd bet the second situation is true,here's why,the first colony of bacteria(the Nitrosomonas) have had plenty of time to get going and have a good start on their colonies,however,they will have only begun to excrete the Nitrite,which is what feeds the second colony(the Nitrobacter) which convert the toxic Nitrite into Nitrate.All this would account for the numbers you are seeing at this time. If the pet store can't test for Nitrite,then you will have to wait for the Nitrate numbers to start to rise,and this will tell you that the second colony is working.
One more thing,quit trying to change the pH,when you do get fish this will only weaken their condition by yanking the pH up and down. Get fish that will do well in the pH water that you have,and enjoy the benefits of a stable water chemistry.
The water in your tank could still go cloudy,especially if you start adding fish too quickly,but the longer you go with the water remaining clear the better your chances that it won't.
At this point there is nothing left for you to do,but to try to get your Nitrites tested or wait for the Nitrate numbers to rise.

Answer 3

You should add 5 or 6 fish a week to minimize the nitrates and i would bring your temperature down to 26 degrees C
Your PH will be fine at 7.8 and when you stop using PH down it will rise again if your tap water is at 7.8, test your tap water for ph and nitrates

Answer 4

wat a pair of betta in a a hundred gallon tank will I somewhat have 2 cycle that edit: a single betta in a hundred gallons of water wit a clear out suited 4 the tank wit weekly 20% water variations and no u does not have 2 cycle it edit: im no longer been humorous im declaring actuality edit: no im no longer doing it as identification locate it a waste of money, besides the fact that this is possible so dont be rubbishing actuality edit: thats real that people dont care (yet some do) yet thats beside the point because of the fact this is not any longer proper wat u think of edit: unpractical besides the fact that it could paintings and specific there will be micro organism and that exhibits that a cycle wit fish can b carried out specific i understand its a loopy concept and im no longer posting 2 argue im merely including extra information edit: it does not make sense? its a actuality and it does not have 2prove something 2 all and sundry , this is not any longer proper wat all and sundry thinks as every1 thinks diverse, wat concerns is that u can shop fish witout biking the tank and it does not could desire to be as massive as a hundred gallons i could reckon a 30-50 gallon could paintings edit: i additionally a hundred% have faith in a fishless cycle i think of each beginner could desire to start up off this way and that i continuously state so in my solutions yet u suggested if all and sundry has something to characteristic please do and that i further that if a tank is great adequate u does not have 2 cycle it and u agree wit it yet have faith no longer many people could try this i additionally agree wit u on that yet cant disguise from the actuality that it could and is finished and carried out wit great bring about a secure and humane way edit: jasax im somewhat no longer arguing im putting in the time of a element that grew to become into disregarded and every1 is getting upset approximately it, why? i dont understand. and if u examine my submit i additionally suggested 30-50 gallons could be adequate i only suggested a hundred gallons because of the fact thats the dimensions of my tank and thats the 1st 2spring 2mind edit: jasax tanx guy, i dont understand each thing yet i think of my answer knowledgeable people merely somewhat i in no way argued a fishless cycle, its the superb and only way 4 a beginner, yet no longer the only way if u understand wat ur doing

Answer 5

You need only to wait one week for ordinary fish but for more rarer ones you will have to wait a little longer because the wholesalers will have to wait f more imports,and the bigger and colourful ones will cost more. BTW the water temperature should be kept at 75%f.

Answer 6

check what fish dont like others i had some that actually killed others the snails come from the plants must have had eggs on them

Answer 7

Sounds to me like you are ready to get your fish! Start off with a few though and gradually fill it over time.