What's up with my cycle?

[PallasAthena]

I'm not sure if this is the right forum or not, but as it's a cycling question...

I have a 180 gallon pond that I'm working on cycling. There are 2 goldfish in there currently because they were in my old pond. I used the filter and filter media from the old, cycled pond. Because it's got goldfish, and for cleanliness reasons, no substrate. I have plants in pots from the old pond, weighted by rocks from the old pond: 1 pot of rushes, 1 underwater plant that I can't identify. I added 2 bunches of anacharis, 3 water hyacinths, 2 water lettuces.

So we've been running like that for a week. Currently, here are my numbers:

Ammonia - 0 ppm
Nitrites - 0.26 ppm
Nitrates - 0 ppm

For a while, it was all zeros. Then middle of this week the Nitrites went up. Then they fell. Now they're back up. Everything else is consistently zero. I'm using an API liquid test kit.

I've never really observed a good cycle that well, so I'm confused about what's going on. When I was a kid, we just tossed the fish in the tank and hoped they didn't die. Thankfully we know better now, right?

Anyway, I plan to bring my stocking levels up to 8 fish. 2 existing common goldfish, 3 comets, 3 shubunkins. I plan to add them in groups of 3 to hopefully minimize the impact to the cycle. Obviously, I'm really excited about adding fish, but since I'm going to spend a little more than $0.23 this time, I want to do it right.

So... Help! What's up with my cycle?

Thanks!

[Blown 346]

I'm not sure if this is the right forum or not, but as it's a cycling question...

I have a 180 gallon pond that I'm working on cycling. There are 2 goldfish in there currently because they were in my old pond. I used the filter and filter media from the old, cycled pond. Because it's got goldfish, and for cleanliness reasons, no substrate. I have plants in pots from the old pond, weighted by rocks from the old pond: 1 pot of rushes, 1 underwater plant that I can't identify. I added 2 bunches of anacharis, 3 water hyacinths, 2 water lettuces.

So we've been running like that for a week. Currently, here are my numbers:

Ammonia - 0 ppm
Nitrites - 0.26 ppm
Nitrates - 0 ppm

For a while, it was all zeros. Then middle of this week the Nitrites went up. Then they fell. Now they're back up. Everything else is consistently zero. I'm using an API liquid test kit.

I've never really observed a good cycle that well, so I'm confused about what's going on. When I was a kid, we just tossed the fish in the tank and hoped they didn't die. Thankfully we know better now, right?

Anyway, I plan to bring my stocking levels up to 8 fish. 2 existing common goldfish, 3 comets, 3 shubunkins. I plan to add them in groups of 3 to hopefully minimize the impact to the cycle. Obviously, I'm really excited about adding fish, but since I'm going to spend a little more than $0.23 this time, I want to do it right.

So... Help! What's up with my cycle?

Thanks!

I agree, with not adding your fish until the cycle is complete.

It sounds like you are still cycling. Once your Nitrites hit zero and stay there, then add your fish slowly so you dont shock the system, and worry about fish loss.

[ianab]

Those test results are nothing to worry about.

You haven't seen any spike in ammonia because you have 2 fish in 180gal and seeded the system by using the pots and rocks from an existing pond.

The system hasn't settled down properly yet thats all. Give it another week or so, if the ammonia is still zero and nitrite has dropped to zero then you are good to add a couple more fish.

Your nitrate test may not register below 5ppm or so, but it should slowly creep up over time.

Ian

[Nue]

Looks like your on your way. The plants will soak up the nitrogen, anyways.