Cycle Completed?? Could this be??

[Cichlids4ever]

I haven't posted in a while because I was sick, but I am back with a VERY strange happening here.

I restarted a 30 gallon tank that once had cichlids in it.
The tank was empty for a week but the gravel was still wet. Like a 1/4 inch of water left in it.

I filled it 8 days ago, I added raw shrimp to start a cycle, and in 2 days I had ammonia readings of 5ppm.
I then added stress zyme and raised the temp up.

I tested the water daily, and up until yesterday, there was ammonia, but no nitrites or nitrates. Are you with me?

OK, I tested the water this morning and found zero ammonia, zero nitrites, and 10ppm nitrates????

Those were the exact water perameters that I had when the cichlids were in there??

I NEVER saw a nitrite spike???

Could it be that the gravel still held the biological elements of a cycled tank even not having fish it it for a week before restarting?
Is my tank cycled?
Strange to see nitrates without never seeing nitrites?

[CaitxSith]

stress zyme is useless, but i guess the definition of "fully cycled" is no ammonia and nitrite, with some nitrates....

[Cichlids4ever]

stress zyme is useless, but i guess the definition of "fully cycled" is no ammonia and nitrite, with some nitrates....

I have cycled 3 tanks in the past 6 months. The first tank was without stress zyme and it took a month.
The last two tanks I used stress zyme and each time the tank was cycled in 8 days with no fish.

I was just asking if you thought the cycle was complete. Normally you see some trace of nitrites but I didn't.

I won't praise or suggest stress zyme if you can get bio spira and are willing to spend money, but it is far from useless, at least with me.

[critter333294]

That doesnt sound strange. I seeded a lot of filter media for my cycle, got an ammonia spike, no nitrites, and nitrates in the end, although it took like 7 weeks.

[jm1212]

stress zyme will work for a very short period of time. i have used it once and it worked, but after the first use it stopped, because the bacteria died. i guess i just got lucky because alot of people ahve siad that it does not work, and that is most likey because they LFSs that get it do not refridgerate it, and then the bacteria die.

i havent bought it since because i havent needed it. once you cycle one tank yu can cycle them all with the media from the first tank

[Cichlids4ever]

I only used the stress zyme in hopes to speed things up.
I do not use it as directed all the time. Only to cycle, and for me, it seemed to help although it could just be coincidence?


I feel more confident now that Critter has posted that you don't always see nitrites.
This was a first for me.
Maybe because I used old, wet gravel, or maybe it just was a good quick cycle.
I suppose I will wait a few more days, do a partial water change and then I can add fish.
You folks rock!
Thanks for everything...