Where I am now.

[ReefWreak]

I'm always happy to help out and offer info, but to be fair, most of the questions you ask tend to be very standard by-the-book questions, especially if you think about what they discuss in most of the books/start up guides and read between the lines.

I'm not faulting you, I know it's hard. I was completely lost when I started this tank up, because I haven't started a tank in almost 10 years.

It takes time, patience, and money. And a lot of patience. And a lot of money. And effort in going through all of the thousand threads on ReefCentral that have your exact same question. And reading, and re-reading, almost every book available on the hobby.

You can stop in at a bookstore and see what they have in stock, and read through that. Or I'm sure many people on MR have the books and would be willing to lend it (I'm one of them), or you can buy a used copy ($0.01 from amazon, just like $3 shipping: Conscientious Marine Aquarist or this one, also for $0.01 used Natural Reef Aquariums)

So there is a ton out there, and it's really cheap to learn more about the hobby. And honestly, it'll save you a lot of money in the long and short term (like not having you buy bumblebee and chestnut snails when there are only one snail that is necessary for a small tank, and there are others that might be nice to have, but those two are not either of them)

 

[reefer4eva]

Hello,

So I am now moving towards the end of week six of my cycle for my new 20 L gallon tank. I held off so far another week before getting my fish for several reasons.

So I changed my water I think about 95% last week. Say last saturday sunday or friday?

Anyway all the new water is RO/DI water.

With that said, my ammonia level now is very low or at 0

Nitrites are now 0

Nitrates last time I checked a few days ago, was now 10 or 20ppm, though this is way down considering a week before the water change they were about 160ppm


With this said, I was already going to buy my first fish, but a employee at Manhattan aquariums said I should still wait, as even a trace of ammonia was bad for the fish.

I countered with, "Well if a fish constantly produces ammonia from it's gills it can't be so bad if it's surrounded by just a trace of ammonia in the tank."

She countered with, "See yes that's true, but you know a tank is cycled when the ammonia the fish produces naturally is instantly consumed by the nitrifiying bacteria in the tank."

Thus I learned a new thing here. The bacteria doesn't quickly consume ammonia, it is suppose to instantly consume it?

Anyway, so I added a small cleaner crew into the tank.

I have one ninja star, one chestnut and one bumblebee snail, and 3 hermit crabs.

I am also adding though three more nassarius snails?

I am doing this because knowing I had to feed them something, I think I added maybe a little bit too much fish food, and just wanted a few more snails to eat up any leftover detritus in the tank.

I am also doing this, because as they eat up whatever leftover fish food is in my tank, I'm hoping any ammonia coming off the fish food will be held in check at least until the nitrifying bacteria I added into the water the other day takes hold and consumes it.

My question is now how much longer should I hold off getting a fish?

I plan to do another test 2 days from now.

If ammonia is totally yellow, nitrites are blue, and nitrates are very low, I think it will be ok then to finally add one fish?

I'm also wondering if I should feed everything in my tank right now just algae wafers I have, or let them consume it off the live rock I have in the tank, which is roughly 15lbs worth?

Besides the lack of knowledge you have..I'm really shocked that others on this site missed the obvious...
when cycling a tank (atleast for me)the last thing I do is a waterchange..as you said you did a 95% waterchange.doing that much of a waterchange brings you back to square one as most of the benificial bacteria is removed.IMO i never use ammonia instead I put in a few cocktail shrimp.during the time of cycling (which for me always took 2 months)I usually change around the aquascape till it is more appealing (I get bored fast with the same old look)

 

[watevadog5]

Bacteria is all on rocks, sand and in filtration media ( which I'm not sure he has discussed) but I do agree his methods are not anywhere near the norm. I don't have much experience but I didn't solely use this site for answers. I did research, just like 99% of others on the site.