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I've been reading the posts in this section about cloudy water and I am wondering if I need to add NIC as suggested to other people on this board.

My water isn't too cloudy (I wouldn't call it that anyway), however, it definitely isn't as clear as it was on day one.

Now, I definitely understand that this could be due to the cycling process plus my addition of new fish. So, I wanted to double check with some people here before doing anything.

My tank has been set up and running for a little over a week. A pair of Cherry Barbs were added along with NIC for the cycling process. I added 7 Harlies into the tank 2 days ago. (However, the water was cloudy before adding the Harlies.) All the fish are doing well; eating and their colors look spectacular (especially the Cherries). Infact after adding the Harlies the Cherries look so much more lively and are much more active.

Anyway, here are the stats on my tank...
Size: 20g
pH: 7.8
Temp: 77 degrees (F)
Ammonia: 0
NitrIte: 0
NitrAte: 8

So, since all seems well with the tank inhabitants from what I can tell, I don't want to go adding NIC if it wouldn't be a positive help. As I said, the water is just slightly cloudy, but would adding NIC help any or wouldn't it really do anything? And if it would help, how much should I add?

Thanks to anyone who can help me out. I appreciate it!

It would help, but the minicyle will pass on it's own. Adding cycle will help insure that the good bacteria keep themselves in the majority in your tank.

However, unless you had a fiter from a cycled tank to put on the new tank I cannot see that your tank has been cycled fully if it's only been running for a week. You really shouldnt be adding any fish till after both ammonia and nitrIte have spiked and returned to zero, even with a nitrAte reading .

^_^ [hr width='40%']"Somewhere beyond happiness and sadness
I need to calculate,what creates my own madness...
and I am waiting for disaster"

I thought the same thing myself (that the tank couldn't be cycled already). However, it is going on a week and that is how long the NIC instructions say that it would take.

The ammonia has already peaked and dropped to zero. The nitrIte peaked yesterday night and has dropped to zero this morning. The nitrAte is definitely present and increasing. According to the information that came with the NIC, everything is going as planned.

From what everyone else on this board has said about the amount of time it took them, this does seem very odd that it is finished already. But I have been watching the numbers like a hawk (check them twice every day).

And as a testimate to what positive feedback people have said about NIC, I can definitely agree that it is fast.

As I said, my numbers have basically been right on tract with the information that came with NIC. It says in the directions that it will only take a week, and it has. Strange as it is to some people, it really has worked.