Is this tank cycled?

[yhbae]

Well, I have a mature tank already, cycled months ago and I seeded the 10g tank from the mature tank to kickstart the cycling process.

I have some java moss in this tank - it fills almost 50% of the tank in volume (to let fries survive), and I also have a sponge filter and Aqua Clear Mini (with 2 sponge media). This tank was initially used to grow platy fries, but now I am using it as a breeder tank.

The original fries were there over 7 weeks ago, and about a month ago, they were removed, and replaced with adult platies, starting initially 1, gradually increased to 4 now. There's also 2 otos residing in this tank as brown algae is present all the time.

I just checked the water parameter for the first time in about 3 weeks and here's the reading:

- Ammonia = 0
- Nitrite = 0
- Nitrate = 0

Hmm... Now I am getting a little nervous - did java moss suck up ALL of the above before the bacteria even got a chance to colonize? Do I have any bacteria in this tank?

I could have been running this tank for months without any problems just because I have enough java moss to absorb everything!

Does anyone have any opinion on what could be happening?

 

[OrionGirl]

Could be either one. Most likely, there is some bacteria--they really are tough and will be in pretty much any water that has a food source. Removing the java moss might cause a small spike, but not much.

Keep in mind that cycling refers to the balance between ammonia/nitrite/nitrate consumers and ammonia production. Since plants are consumers, they fill the same niche as bacteria.

 

[yhbae]

Thanks for the feedback!

I wonder which absorbs/eats chemicals faster - bacteria or the plants?

If bacteria is able to absorb them faster, I suppose there will always be a good colony of them around regardless of the density of plants, otherwise they could loose the "battle"... (Your comment suggests that perhaps the reality is the former).