This comment has been deleted by unclescott

The time it takes for a tank to cycle varies depending on size of tank, the number of fish added and how often you do water changes. You have used "seeded" gravel and if you only add 3 guppies you may not even see a cycle with your water testing because that gravel may supply enough (or maybe even more than enough) bacteria to cope with the wastes of those 3 fish. That would be a good thing for the fish.

However, every time you add more fish, you will/may get a mini cycle ie. the bacteria numbers have to rise to look after your fish and they can't do that until your fish supply them with waste in the form of poop and possible left over food.

The idea is then that you always add only 2-3 fish at a time so you don't create a big cycle that may kill your fish.

That's all easier said than done because in my experience, 2-3 guppies don't look so happy on their own in a big tank.

Do what unc says and add some fish now to keep the bacteria alive and avoid adding more than say 3 guppies at a time. If later on you want to put different fish in that tank, remove what you don't want in there and immediately add the new fish but only so that you have added the same amount of fish as you had in there ie. replace 6 inches of fish with 6 inches of fish.

Awesome Christmas present by the way!

If you do not put any fish or conditioned water in the tank, that bacteria in the gravel will starve and you might as well have started with brand new gravel. The output of the fish and the gravel will further seed the filter. You can always move the fish used to begin the cycle out if you change your fish around later. Add a few fish every week or two, maybe checking ammonia and nitrate levels as you go along.

What two plants did you put in there? Are they fast growing floating plants or something like Val which multiplies fast? Then their numbers will help your tank over bumps in the cycling process and be numerous enough to discourage algae.

As for the mis-placed diary entry, move your log - right after you get those three guppies into the 33. ;)