Fluval Shaker 252 cycling

[Warrior-Lady]

Well today it's been my 3rd week with the Fluval shaker 252 litre cycling and i backed it up with a new Fluval U4 besides and used old media out my other U4.

I remove 2 buckets out daily and add fresh with API zyme or otherwise when i change my other tank water that gets put in besides any water i add that i've cleaned my U cartridges in, it did carry a film on the glass and that's totally removed itself so good bacteria as built up.

1st week - Ph 7.8, Ammonia 0.25, nitrite 0.15 and nitrate 30
2nd week - Ammonia 0.50, nitrite 0.20 and nitrate 8
3rd week - Ammonia 0.20, nitrite 10 and nitrate 20

 

[Warrior-Lady]

Tested water saturday 4th week cycling Ammonia & Nitrite 0ppm and nitrate 20ppm, i'll give till this saturday coming and if it's the same mine tanks cycled ? then it will be moving fish slowly over.

 

[fishorama]

So did you dose ammonia? If so, I'd dose 1ppm ammonia & see that it's gone in less than 24 hours. Then you're good to add more than a few fish

 

[Warrior-Lady]

So did you dose ammonia? If so, I'd dose 1ppm ammonia & see that it's gone in less than 24 hours. Then you're good to add more than a few fish

Hi fishorama, i didn't does ammonia i've just been letting the cycle takes it's course and i know everyone doesn't agree but i've always used a few guppies for cycling being such hardy fish and knowing when action needs taking on rises and i've never used the ammonia for any cycle, i've just let them take their course and this week won't hurt me i'll test again saturday and if it's fine then i'll start adding my harlequins first to see if any spikes happen.
I tested the ammonia and nitrite tonight to see if there was any difference here's the results.

 

[fishorama]

Oh, if you have cycled filter media from a healthy tank you can just remove up to almost half, add it to the new tank & you're good for say 1/3 the old donor tank's "fish mass" immediately. This is what I do most often. There is a bit of guessimating involved, I go a bit light on adding fish. But I always have live plants & they help too. The beneficial bacteria can doulbe in 24 hours.

I'm surprised you saw any nitrite but no food for the bacteria can impact things...& I'm guessing your earlier decimal places are a bit off, it looks just like the API test kit most of us use There's no 8ppm or 1.5 on mine...

Looking at you test tubes I see 0 for both (it's a little had to judge in pics). I would add at least some fish now. If you wait until Sat. some of the bacteria will have gone dormant without "food" (ammonia from fish poo, ammonia, or fish food) & will need to "wake up & multiply".

While I applaud your testing dedication, I think your making this harder than it needs to be.

 

[Warrior-Lady]

Oh, if you have cycled filter media from a healthy tank you can just remove up to almost half, add it to the new tank & you're good for say 1/3 the old donor tank's "fish mass" immediately. This is what I do most often. There is a bit of guessimating involved, I go a bit light on adding fish. But I always have live plants & they help too. The beneficial bacteria can doulbe in 24 hours.

I'm surprised you saw any nitrite but no food for the bacteria can impact things...& I'm guessing your earlier decimal places are a bit off, it looks just like the API test kit most of us use There's no 8ppm or 1.5 on mine...

Looking at you test tubes I see 0 for both (it's a little had to judge in pics). I would add at least some fish now. If you wait until Sat. some of the bacteria will have gone dormant without "food" (ammonia from fish poo, ammonia, or fish food) & will need to "wake up & multiply".

While I applaud your testing dedication, I think your making this harder than it needs to be.

I've added 9 harlequins in there today and there was food / urine and poop going in from the 6 guppies and i used all my good media from my old U4 and put it in my new one, then soaked the media in the 307 in my fish water for a good hour before starting it up besides adding fish water from my other tank and i've found those 4wks fly past.

Time will tell in the next couple of days adding the harlequins ??

 

[fishorama]

Sounds like you'll be fine

BTW there is very little beneficial bacteria in tank water, it lives on surfaces, media, decor, substrate. So you can skip this step next time. I'm into laziness