Tank cycling period for a 10g?

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Zastrus

Turtley enough for the Turtle Club?
Oct 11, 2006
90
0
0
Go Chargers Go, CA
I'm in the process of cycling my 10g, (my first tank), and was wondering if anyone knew the general time it takes to cycle a 10g tank.

At first I had the tank set up ready for fish to begin cycling, but stuff kept coming up, so the tank went about 3 weeks or so with no fish, just the water circulating. We finally got fish, 2 little guys, to start the cycling.

It's been about a week and a half, and I did 1 water test 3 days into having fish, and the ammonia was a little high, so I waited some more, and did a 50% water change. I did another test today, (about a week later), and the ammonia is actually lighter than the test card indicates for 0ppm, the pH is pretty high around 7.2, and the nitrite is again, lighter than the 0ppm test card reading.

Would you guys say my tank is ready for a few more fish, even though it's been less than 2 weeks? Or should I keep cycling until about 3 weeks, test again, and decide?

edit:I also have a little bubble curtain that I turn on from time to time, since i got the fish. :dive2:
 
Last edited:

webcricket

(So chill.) No wonder it's freezing
Mar 22, 2006
1,481
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0
Syracuse, NY
Do you have a test for nitrates? I wouldn't add more fish until you see 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, and at least 5ppm of nitrate. Nitrate is the end product of a cycle and when it is present and ammonia and nitrite are 0, the cycle is done. Also be sure to test your tap water for nitrate, as it is often present. You'll want a tank reading of nitrate larger than your tap water reading if this tank does not have real plants.
 

boulderman1

AC Members
Aug 8, 2006
237
1
0
Chicago, IL
generally you don't want to do ANY water changes at all while the tank is cycling, this disrupts the process, also when your tank is finally cycled, 50% water changes are a bit extreme, i'd stay in the 25-33% range, also, if it were my tank i'd let the tank run with fish for 4 weeks with no water changes to be safe, then i would test and if all was well, add more fish, but SLOWLY

good luck
 

webcricket

(So chill.) No wonder it's freezing
Mar 22, 2006
1,481
0
0
Syracuse, NY
boulderman1 said:
generally you don't want to do ANY water changes at all while the tank is cycling
I disagree...in fishless cycling you do want to do water changes when ammonia and nitrite reach certain levels. Yes, it takes longer to cycle the tank (another reason fishless cycling is better), but I'm not an advocate of torturing fish by burning their gills with ammonia and poisoning them with nitrite. The water changes are necessary if you do not want permanently damaged (or dead) fish.

boulderman1 said:
also when your tank is finally cycled, 50% water changes are a bit extreme
I do 40-50% weekly water changes on all my tanks. Many people do at least that amount. There is nothing wrong with large water changes (especially in smaller tanks) so long as your tap water and tank water do not show huge differences (like pH) that might shock the fish.
 

Zastrus

Turtley enough for the Turtle Club?
Oct 11, 2006
90
0
0
Go Chargers Go, CA
I did a test of the Nitrates, and the tap and tank water seem to be the same, both around 0ppm. Haha. The tank may have been slightly higher, but not by much at all.
 

SirWired

AC Members
Sep 4, 2006
143
0
0
Raleigh, NC
Zastrus said:
I'm in the process of cycling my 10g, (my first tank), and was wondering if anyone knew the general time it takes to cycle a 10g tank.

At first I had the tank set up ready for fish to begin cycling, but stuff kept coming up, so the tank went about 3 weeks or so with no fish, just the water circulating. We finally got fish, 2 little guys, to start the cycling.

It's been about a week and a half, and I did 1 water test 3 days into having fish, and the ammonia was a little high, so I waited some more, and did a 50% water change. I did another test today, (about a week later), and the ammonia is actually lighter than the test card indicates for 0ppm, the pH is pretty high around 7.2, and the nitrite is again, lighter than the 0ppm test card reading.

Would you guys say my tank is ready for a few more fish, even though it's been less than 2 weeks? Or should I keep cycling until about 3 weeks, test again, and decide?

edit:I also have a little bubble curtain that I turn on from time to time, since i got the fish. :dive2:
Your pH of 7.2 is fine, as long as it remains stable. Fish like a stable pH more than they like the "correct" pH.

What kind of test kit are you using? Strips are notoriously unreliable. I'd have a LFS with a liquid kit double-check before you add more bio-load. Or better yet, print out the petsmart.com page for the API Freshwater Master Test Kit, and use the printout to get your local store to pricematch... this is really a good kit at a good price for a home FW aquarist.

SirWired
 

SirWired

AC Members
Sep 4, 2006
143
0
0
Raleigh, NC
boulderman1 said:
generally you don't want to do ANY water changes at all while the tank is cycling, this disrupts the process, also when your tank is finally cycled, 50% water changes are a bit extreme, i'd stay in the 25-33% range, also, if it were my tank i'd let the tank run with fish for 4 weeks with no water changes to be safe, then i would test and if all was well, add more fish, but SLOWLY

good luck
This is incorrect. You REALLY WANT to do water changes during a fishy cycle any time the Ammonia or NitrIte rises above healthy levels for the fish. (I think this around 0.5ppm or so.) If I was running a fishy cycle, I would be doing twice-daily tests...

I'd NEVER let a brand-new, uncycled tank run with a fishy cycle for an entire month with no tests or PWC's. That seems like begging for disaster, or at least severely damaged fish. Just because fish can live through some high ammonia periods doesn't mean it doesn't do permanent damage to the fish.

And as somebody else said, as long as your water will not pH or temp shock your fish, there is no such thing as an "extreme" PWC.

SirWired
 

Zastrus

Turtley enough for the Turtle Club?
Oct 11, 2006
90
0
0
Go Chargers Go, CA
I'm using a liquid test kit, where you use a certain amouts of drops and everything. Not sure if mine is API, but it says "FRESHWATER MASTER TEST KIT", and has a pic of an angelfish on it, and a hand holding one of the dropper bottles. :p
 

SirWired

AC Members
Sep 4, 2006
143
0
0
Raleigh, NC
Zastrus said:
I'm using a liquid test kit, where you use a certain amouts of drops and everything. Not sure if mine is API, but it says "FRESHWATER MASTER TEST KIT", and has a pic of an angelfish on it, and a hand holding one of the dropper bottles. :p
Yep, that kit is the one most folks here use. Good.

SirWired
 

kkifer

the one with the soggy cuffs
Apr 2, 2005
59
1
8
Oregon
nitrate chart

That's the kit I use, but maybe someone could help me on the nitrate chart. All the red's above 10 look about the same. There's a big difference between 0, 5 and 10, then from 20 to 160 is very subtle. Seems like you'd want a clearer reading.
 
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