Cycling Question

V

VTwinFanatic

Endlers
Mar 17, 2005
505
0
0
40
North Carolina
OK...I just got a 24g Nano Cube about two weeks ago Sunday, and To cycle it i used two sponges from my Aqua Clear on my 10g that has been set up for about a year now (not the same sponges just that the tank had been set up that long), but my question is i tested the water on Wednesday and got the readings:

pH - 7.2
Ammonia - 0.0ppm
Nitrite - 1.0ppm
Nitrate - 2.5ppm
kH - 2
gH - 6

then today I tested the water again and it was the following readings:

pH - 7.0
Ammonia - 0.0
Nitrite - 0.0
Nitrate - 2.5ppm
kH - 2
gH - 4

I know its still considered early, but do you think my tank is cycled?...I'm thinking about waiting atleast another week (I'm on spring break this week and I'm leaving tomorrow to go home until Sunday), and I'm going to see if my reading have changed. Is this normaly cycling time...i mean ive tried it before and it has always seemed to take longer...but I also used less biological filter the other times...Just wondering


PS...i forgot to mention that its a heavily planted tank
 
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You'll need something to feed the bacteria. After you do that, test it again. If you leave, you'll need something in there to feed the bacteria while you're gone. I'm betting you're done unless there has been a couple of days without food. Use fish food or ammonia. If you are cycled, add a couple of fish before you leave.


Kim
 
that looks like it is cycled to me. I would add a few more fish, but remember every time you add fish you are going to go through an adjustment period due to the added fish. More waste lil more cycling. Just go slow.
 
i mean this isnt the first time that ive cycled with bio-filter from another tank...i was just wondering if the more i put in the filter the faster the tank would cycle
 
VTwinFanatic said:
...i was just wondering if the more i put in the filter the faster the tank would cycle
Click to expand...

The bacteria multiply so quickly, I wouldn't think so. As long as there was some waste being produced as soon as you put the old media in, or shortly after, it should be good. The exception might be if you put in a tiny piece of aged media into a huge tank with a ton of fish, but that wasn't the case :)
 
nitrates don't have to reach 10. Your cycle is done when you are getting nitrates and no ammonia and nitrites. I would be careful about removing the sponges too soon. The tank is cycled because those sponges have the bacteria. Leave them in for a month to ensure that the bacteria have a chance to get into the rest of the tank.
 
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