General African Cichlid Discussion • Tank cycling question

[DRose1836]

So I recently got into the hobby and plan on getting African cichlids in my tank. In order to cycle my tank quickly I got African cichlid salt substrate and api quick start. While at the pet store the guy told me to get a couple gold fish to speed up the cycle. So I have had my tank running for a few days now, gold fish are doing fine. Ammonia is at 1ppm but hasn't increased. I have all the other parameters set for African cichlids, 80 degrees, 8.2 ph. I recently read that you shouldn't cycle the tank with gold fish after the fact. Should I continue the route I'm on? I plan on removing the goldfish after the tank is cycled and giving them to a friend, so the cichlids.won't eat them. Please advise, thanks!

[DRose1836]

Sand substrate*

[DJRansome]

Welcome to Cichlid-forum!

Read the article in the Cichlid-forum Library about cycling without fish. Find out if you can return the goldfish as they won't speed up the cycle and thus no reason to subject them to the toxins that will be in your tank during the cycle.

Instead of the goldfish and the quick start and the African cichlid sand substrate, buy the API Master Freshwater test kit. It has test tubes and liquid reagents to test your tap water and find out if you need any additives, and also to test your tank water to monitor the cycle.

Unless your tap water is already pH 8.2 you may not need your pH that high and may be able to avoid additives. The additives are tricky when changing 50% or more of the water each week to get the parameters of your tap water to be exactly the same as the tank water. Stability is better than pH=8.2.

How long is your tank?

[DRose1836]

Thanks for the reply. The dimensions of my tank are: 49"/21"/19". I also have the api test kit. And ok I will see if they will let me bring them back. And the pH of my tap is pretty stable and sits around 8.

[DJRansome]

You don't need the additives. Get some ammonia without surfectants (grocery store brand shelf, Ace Hardware) and follow the article for cycling without fish (using ammonia instead).