- Location
- NY
Vern, theoretically you should wait until the ammonia cycle is complete. Ideally you should wait 4-6 weeks to allow your system to cycle and then mature just a bit.
The ammonia cycle is when your tank is newly established and there is no presence of beneficial denitrifying bacteria, a large spike in ammonia, then a decrease of the ammonia and a rise in nitrites. The nitrites then decrease and the nitrates increase. When you have zero ammonia, zero nitrites and below 20 nitrates your cycle is complete and technically you can add fish. I like to wait a few weeks longer (but that is my recommendation).
Hope this helps,
Russ
The ammonia cycle is when your tank is newly established and there is no presence of beneficial denitrifying bacteria, a large spike in ammonia, then a decrease of the ammonia and a rise in nitrites. The nitrites then decrease and the nitrates increase. When you have zero ammonia, zero nitrites and below 20 nitrates your cycle is complete and technically you can add fish. I like to wait a few weeks longer (but that is my recommendation).
Hope this helps,
Russ
