Is my tank cycling?

B

binnesman

AC Members
Nov 24, 2004
22
0
0
Colorado Springs
I have a 75g tank that has been set up for about two weeks. There is a substrate of gravel and flourite. I use an Emperor 400 and Rena xp3 for filtration. I started the tank with plants only for the first week. The water was cloudy for a few days and then cleared. I am using Cycle and Prime to condition the water. I then added four goldies and four ottos. Everything seems to be fine.

My ammonia is 0, my nitrIte is 0, and my ph is 7.6. The thing that concerns me is the nitrAte is 0 also. Has the tank not started to cycle yet? Or maybe because it is planted, the plants are using it? I am using carbon (for now) foam and ceramics in my filter...no nitrate removing compounds. I'm not too concerned because everyone seems quite happy! I'm just waiting for the other shoe to drop and it hasn't.

Is it possible the ammonia level has started to rise, but the Prime has changed the ammonia to the type the test cant read? I'm using the AP test kit.

Any suggestions? Thanks.
 
I coulda sworn that carbon is designed to absorb the amonia in the water? thus killing a cycle... if I were you I'd yank carbon and never use it again...
 
I agree. Jerk the carbon. I don't use carbon unless I have some out of control levels or I'm cleaning medication from a tank.

At this point I would keep a steady eye on the NitrIte and NitrAte tests. If the nitrItes begin to rise, your tank has probably not cycled yet. If the NitrAtes rise without the NitrItes doing the same, it's probably fine but you'll have to start regular water changes. That's a decent sized tank too. May take a little time for the levels to rise enough to where they will register in the test.
 
No, carbon alone will not remove ammonia/ammonium. Zeolite will. It's possible your plants are using the ammonium and nitrites before they become detectable...but keep monitoring your levels nonetheless. The nitrates usually don't start showing until
toward the end of the cycle.
 
Last edited:
If your tank is moderately to heavily planted and at least moderately lighted, you may never read any ammonia or nitrite, and with the light bioload you currently have, may never even see any nitrate. In fact, if that is to be the load for some time to come, you may want to consider adding nitrate to feed the plants.

Well planted tanks with healthy actively growing plants have a "silent" cycle (so-called on some sites), as the plants take up and use the ammonia as quickly as it is produced. The bacterial oxidation we count on in unplanted tanks does not happen with light bioloads.
 
Thanks everyone. I will continue to take readings everyday. Today: same as yesterday!

RTR: What is the best way to add nitrate?
 
I know you directed the question to RTR, but I thought I'd speak up anyway ;)
There's a LOT of information over in the planted forum about fertilizers - there's an amazing sticky, and always at least one fert-related thread going on.
I've been hunting for KNO3 (Potassium nitrate, aka Saltpeter) lately - this is what many people use to dose nitrates.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
AquariaCentral.com
Top Bottom