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would like to no if this is right. started it on sunday when i bought it and been adding (biomature and stress zyme been swapping between the two as i ran out of boimature after the first day lol)now im on day too and the nitrite level went up 0.25 on monday and 0.50 today if its got to spike at 10 before i stop putting the solution in .1 does this sound about right going up in that level for each day and how can i speed this up. would adding a couple of zebra danio help it speed things up or adding food at same time as solution .

thanks gaz

If you're using a bacterial starter, you actually need to have fish in there... the bacteria can't live without being fed by the waste of fish.

This is the 22 gallon tank? (If my brain hasn't deserted me, then I'm correct.) I'd say probably four danios would work to cycle the tank. I've never used the bacterial starters you're speaking of, but if they're anything like bio-spira, you can start stocking your tank with the hardiest fish you have on your wishlist.

~Meow. Thus spoke the cat.~

right well iv got a spare paire of catfish one black and the other albino anyway would they be ok to start it off now and does my nitrite level look ok for day 2 with no fish . fish to be added soon as possible maybe tonight if the catfish will be ok .

If you've had no fish in the tank you shouldn't have any nitrites. More importantly is ammonia. Are you testing for that? Catfish are not the best canditates for cycling especially if you mean cory. If you know what your doing it can be done but it's not suggested.

Ok after reading all your posts I could find I think I pieced this together. Biomature is meant to be used with bacterlife. Biomature is a nutrient supplement which I think is meant to take the place of actually using fish to cycle the aquarium. In a normal cycle using fish the fish produce waste(ammonia) which is used by the bacteria and turned into nitrites then nitrates. SeAquariums plan(makers of bacterlife and biomature) is to use biomature in place of fish to feed the bacteria found in bacterlife until your cycle finishes. If you are out of biomature you need to add some fish to generate food for the bacteria. Cory are too sensitive. What you could have done in the first place was move a filter from your 10g to seed the new tank and then put half your fish in there. You would likely have seen a very small cycle and then could have added a second filter if needed and slowly moved the fish over. If your ammonia tests over 2ppm I would do a water change and add something hardy like zebra danios to finish the cycle. You're already half way there. It would be good to know your ammonia level and what filter you decided to put on the tank particularly the gph of that filter. It is still possible to move 1 of your filters over but you will have to test both tanks to make sure you haven't removed too much of the bacteria from the 10g.

ammonia is reading at 4.0 is that ok or not .

i did put one of the fiters i had from the 10g into the 22g it is a riva filtstar v3 will be getting a larger one at the weekend just incase the one i got isnt powerful enough.

also i was speaking to heidi and she has sort of given me a time line of when to add my old fish and new ones . week by week . so im only going from her instructions to add the cory now .

no thats the xp3 mine is the v 3 i no the v2 can hadle 75 litres . my tank is 85 litres so i guess the one up from the v2 will do fine but not sure .