Ooops!!! readings for Ammonia should be .25 and Nitrite .50

Water changes during cycling are appropriate when you have fish in the tank and they are in trouble. I would let things be.

Is the tank really cycleing or are the readings just from the used water you used? Have the readings gone stedily up?I thought you needed fish to produce waste and food breaking down to feed the bacteria? Never heard of a fishless cycle without adding ammonia. Agree that without fish why would you need a water change.

The only thing I can think of is your freinds water had some fish waste and food in it, but even that, one gallon of water into a 38G just wouldn't give those numbers. It is possible your test kit is tainted, is it one of those all-in-one test strips? Or- your tap water quality is very poor. If you added the product "Cycle" that would account for the nitrite detection. The ammonia could just be a bad test kit or your tap water. Anyway, you need a constant source of ammonia to initiate and maintain a cycle. Use the link below to check out some useful info.

Here is a link that might be useful: nitrogen cycle for aquariums

Thanks all for your help.

The test kit I have is one that tests ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and PH. It is the kind of kit with the test tubes. His pleco is about ten inches long, and is the only fish in the tank. Looks like I will be buying some ammonia today.

It won't cycle until you add something living that produces waste in it. (or ammonia for fishless cycle)

Easier method. (I must be much older then most, lol, as when I started ages ago, we never had to do all of this. Set up, wait a few weeks for plants to establish, then slowly add fish. That was it, didn't even have these test kits. I bred tons of even hard to breed fish and sold them for my pin money.

Any way, get some filter floss from the tank of your friends. Add enough of your water to change water to healthier water to start with. Or just start with fresh, add conditioner and this filter floss to your filter. Wait a day or so, then start adding fish slowly. If necessary, do partial water changes each day. I don't even check any more to tell you the truth. No fish die offs or gill damage or at the top suffocating. The bacteria is in the floss, and it is what cycles the water, (sand or wood or plants from the established tank as well).

Amount of fish to add depends on type of fish. If one large loner then that's it. Schooling tetra types in the size you mention say 5-6, or less. (or start with smallest, or non schooling (can start with fewer) or less of schooling types, say three (have tons of plants so they don't frighten with no school for the meanwhile) (if you feel more comfortable with that). Add more every other week. (I go faster but for a new person less is best?).

Again I've had a life time of experience and lots of established tanks, aged water to draw from. *some snails stick around there in aged tub, so probably cycled as well.

I have done it this way for ever, never do this ammonia or takes so long type of cycling.

I rarely change 100 %, but for instance to get rid of snails I have and have put back same fish in a few days just after heater heats water up. Add water, let it get up to temperature (I have to use cold as water has metal in pipes and hot will leach it out) and if large tank will not use my aged filtered but will use hose from sink to fill up so have to age and filter. I add filter from established tank. (each 20 long has two which I change opposite each other, one a week, so I can use one, and put clean one in older tank).

Next day, if it is cloudy (bacteria establishing) I use Diaton(m) filter (that speeds it up, cloudiness) and add this bio powder I have which is very viable - biodigesters (but I have read that will compete with floss bacteria??) not sure, actually just trying to use it up since the filter floss works. Either way, use of established filter solves problem. One can keep a small tank with extra sponge filters just for this purpose, with a mystery snail or a few fish.

If no diatom filter the cloud takes a few days to become clear as bacteria build up but it will clear. I think plants are helpful as they have bacteria on them if from established tank. I don't use 'cycling' fish, feel it is not necessary and if done properly don't need to harm any fish regardless of it's status to the keeper.

After a few days, I slowly add fish. If schooling fish at least five. Wait a week or so, depending on size of tank and eventual stock count and add second group. (I understock).

IF I don't do 100%, in other words using part of water fish are placed in while cleaning tank (with outside filter and lid, usually in large tall tub) I clean tank, add most of their water back with enough for them in the meanwhile, add most plants back in with a few for them in their holding tank (mostly all anubias now, with little sand. Plants are attached to wood attached to suckers so I can arrange easily and some wood arranged around as well. For me simple is best.

Then I cup/tub out fish (no nets) and lower lights and put them into tank. Then rest of plants, and for rest of water (about 1/3 or less) I add slowly fresh filtered aged water. After a while I dimmer lights back up. They go though big change so try to be gentle. Never a cycling problem with either method.

Hope this helps. Sherry

PS. Also I think I am way understocked. 20 long has 8 Asian glass cats, one moonlight gourami and sometimes one female betta.

Other 20 long, guppies with blue tails (big poohers so really understock, about 6) and 9 lamp eyed killies (hope they get a little bigger, lol) small frey like guppy young with huge blue eyes. 3 cories (won't restock to larger school - they are old)

I have had more fish, but when first started I add small group each week until bacteria can adjust. Start slow and only a few and it will cycle just fine. Use pre established floss and do small daily water changes if necessary. Small changes ok it's the big ones, and going slower will help but especially the filter floss. A friend from the local pet store came over just last night to get my ferns and look at fish to see which she will take. (downsizing) She said she does the same now, uses an already established filter from already in use tank, and same results.

In a larger tank like yours add a small sponge filter so when you change your other you won't cause a crash and have to recycle.

Best, Sherry

Plants always help much, and unless plants that need sand to root less is best. Just a bit to help bacteria in sand.

Mostly, people need to be patient and not try to put fish in too soon.