http://forum.aqua-fish.net/ A forum devoted to aquarium fish, plants, techniques and fish keeping as a whole. en http://forum.aqua-fish.net/?topic=6-weeks-on-no-ammonia-nitrites-nitrates#1 I bought a 260litre/60gallon tropical aquarium 5-6 weeks ago. The guy that sold it to me said to do cycling with hardy fish (yes I know now fishless is better ) it's been over a month and I have never had any ammonia, nitrites or nitrates. This is the tank history: Set it up with air stone running, added 5 platies. 1 died the next day. Added 2 gouramis a few days later. Waited a week or so, nothing happened, guy told me to add more fish. Added 15 neon tetras. Waited a few weeks. Nothing. Guy told me to add a larger fish. Added a very large Angelfish. Next day readings were all zero again. Within a week, tetras have all disappeared. Went back to fish place, he said "oops, your angelfish ate them all, sorry my bad..." he said to start feeding them a bit more which will promote cycling but also stop my Angelfish from devouring his colleagues. So I got 8 large black/salmon tetras and start doing 2 small feeds per day . 2 tetras died next day. Algae started forming, so I gave tank a wipe down and did 1/4 water change (cleaned filter in tank water). Am minimizing lights to 5-7 hours per day. A week or 2 later (now) and still have zero readings. Your thoughts/help really appreciated. Oh i have heaps of plants that i have been adding each time I added a new fish. They are eating the plants a lot so have been replacing them. Currently have - 4 platies, 2 gouramis, 1 xl angelfish, 6 lg tetras, 2 xl snails Im using API Master test. Also have taken water into fish place and he tested it once. zero ammonia. nanirami 2009-06-24 http://forum.aqua-fish.net/?topic=6-weeks-on-no-ammonia-nitrites-nitrates#2 Im afraid the guy you were talking to has given you totally bad advice. Full marks to you for testing your water neon tetras should never be added to a new set up they need a mature tank, angelfish will always look at them for food and eat them all. encouraging you to add extra feed has probably started off the algal growth but at least your parameters are stable. mickey 2009-06-25 http://forum.aqua-fish.net/?topic=6-weeks-on-no-ammonia-nitrites-nitrates#3 hey in my expeirience (be it not very long) but i used 4 neon tertras to cycle my old tank and they survived, and now there in my 200litre tank with 4 gold tetras and i use denitrol and its been nearly 2weeks and no ammonia, nitrites or nitrates i asked the guy at the LFS and he said if you use denitrol it will just eat up anything that is there so i wouldnt have a readin of ammonia or nitrites, you didnt say you were using any live bacteria but thats just what happened to me shane87 2009-07-20