Quick cycling question

Obsidius

Obsidius

AC Members
Mar 23, 2009
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Hey y'all!

I'm sure the answer to this is "be patient, Obsidius, GAWD" but I wanted to ask:

I've had my tank set up and running for about 2 weeks now. From day 1 I've had 4 easy-going easy-growing plants in it, with 7 Lemon Tetras. I've tested the water every day and done 10-20% water changes either every day or every other day, depending on when I see a noticeable increase in the ammonia. I have still been getting 0 readings on my nitrate and nitrite, but I've seen that there are those who get their mini-cycles going in a week's time!

I had no friends to seed off of, so I'm starting from scratch, and I'm figuring that's making a difference. Alas, I thought I'd ask someone with an answer.

Thankees!!
 
What size tank is it?

Are you using a good liquid test kit?
 
Also, without using any kind of seeding method, its a long process to cycle as you already know.

If you are using test strips, they are probably giving you false readings. They are known for that.
 
247Plants said:
Also, without using any kind of seeding method, its a long process to cycle as you already know.

If you are using test strips, they are probably giving you false readings. They are known for that.
Click to expand...

QFT. They constantly gave me a 40 for NitrAtes, got a good liquid test and it was only 20 :)
 
Sowwy for leaving details out; 30 gallon, and I'm using a liquid kit :)
 
With no starter media it took me about 2 1/2 weeks to get nitrite at noticable levels doseing to 4+ ppm ammonia constant.

With you doing frequent WC keeping the ammonia low for fish things could progress even slower but they will progress.

Suspect you will see nitrite any day now but from what my tanks did it took about half again as long for the nitrite to drop as it did for it to show up just so you are prepared.

Did a fish in cycle on my 3gl man I was so tired of WCs by time it was done never again. A few drops of ammonia now and then and 1 or 2 lg WC at the end for me from now on the fish can wait.

Like you said be paitient it will get there
 
Cluunox:
Don't mean to intrude however I just started cycling a 10 gal. with ADA Soil and power sand. Used RO and put a bio wheel from a cycled tank in the filter. Nitrate/Nitrite are 0
PH is 6.4 and the ammonia is off the charts. No fish or plants in tank. Will the ammonia settle down with wc?
Thanks,
Karen
 
The ammonia will go down with water changes FishFan. With a pH of 6.4 you will have a hard time not having your cycle stall. It stalls completely around 6.4 or a bit lower. You need to stop adding ammonia until it comes down or get rid of whatever is dead in that tank.
For Obsidius, the nitrite spike will come along about the same time as it would in a fishless cycle, which means it could start any time now. When it comes it will last at least 2 weeks since you had no way to seed the filter in advance. The plants are probably helping control your ammonia somewhat but are not enough by themselves to completely control it.
 
I've just cycled 2 tanks. One was a 46 gallon bow front. One was a 10 gallon that I set up as a quarantine tank. The 46 gallon tank took almost 6 months before I got a nitrate reading! The 10 gallon tank took only about 4 weeks. I know, I know...seems impossibly long doesn't it. I think that the point here is that no tanks are going to cycle the same way. I believe that we have to take in all sorts of environmental factors, and methods used. By the way....I have yet to have ever seen a nitrIte reading.
 
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