# How long for my 15 gal tank to cycle?



## ilovemyplaties (May 3, 2012)

I have a new fifteen gallon tank. For the first week, I let the water filter with gravel and a few tank decorations. About three days in, I added some fish flakes. Once the Ammonia said safe, I added my black molly in there. It says the ammonia has been safe for a week now. Yesterday I added another fish (platy). I am going to get a nitrate checker too. I have a water machine that adjusts water automatically to 7.0 ph (the type fish need). Does anyone know how long until its finished cycling? I want to put the rest of my fish in there, but they're babies and I dont want them to die. Any suggestions??


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## Terry6000 (Apr 2, 2012)

You also need to get a nitrite test kit too. I suggest getting a API master test kit it's about 25$, it comes with ammonia nitrite nitrate and ph test. 

It's not just ammonia that you need to worry about. Nitrites are bad for your fish as well. A cycled tank will have 0ppm ammonia 0ppm nitrites and nitrates have a lot to do with how often you do water changed and how much you change. 

My 55 took about 4 weeks to cycle. That wat with filter and gravel media from a cycled tank. 
If you get to impatient in waiting for it to finish cycling you can buy echem's stabilizer add the correct dosage to your tank. Wait 4 hours and you can add your fish. you will have to dose the tank for a week.


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## lohachata (Jan 27, 2006)

it depends on a number of factors ; but generally it take from 4-8 weeks for a tank to completely cycle..


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## ilovemyplaties (May 3, 2012)

Im just going to get nitrate/nitrite testers. But I will look into stabalizer. Thanks!


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## vargasAquatics (May 16, 2012)

I have used the safe start live bacteria (green bottle) bio filter in a bottle.. works great and never lost a fish... still should do frequent water changes tho..


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## ilovemyplaties (May 3, 2012)

Yeah I do water changes every week. I didnt get anything I just trusted my instinct and the babies love the tank and I havent lost any


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## Betta man (Mar 25, 2011)

If you have a different tank that is well set up, (meaning cycled) you can take the filter cartridge out of the other tank and put it in your cycling tank. Another thing that would help would be to buy a sponge filter. For my 20 gallon, it only took 2 weeks to cycle because of that.


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