Tank didn't instant cycle

[FireBallKY]

For future reference, you might want to run a couple of sponge filters in your tanks. That way you can transfer an established one to the new tanks when you cycle. Transferring an established sponge, filter media, handfull of gravel and a bucket full of established water is the way I go. I've successfully cycled 4 tanks in less than a weeks time this way.

The bucket of water may or may not speed up the process but it makes me feel like it does. LOL

 

[IceH2O]

Ran another test tonight.

Am 0
NI .25

I'm not going to do a water change today and see what happens.

 

[Roan Art]

Crosses fingers

You are showing nitrates, right?

Roan

 

[IceH2O]

When i checked the other day they had climbed from 2.5 to 5, I'll do a NA test to see what they climbed to today.

Edit: NA still at 5 ppm

 

[IceH2O]

ok I did another test

Am still 0
NI up to .5

water change tonight.

 

[Roan Art]

ok I did another test

Am still 0
NI up to .5

water change tonight.

Hrm, I predict 3 more days at .5, then a drop to .25, then 0.

We should gamble on this :joke:

Roan

 

[IceH2O]

So should I do another water change or just add salt to protect from toxicity?

If I had changed the water last night it would probably only have read .25 again tonight as it has been doing. i skipped last night hoping that the bacteria would grow more and take the trites out.

 

[tomdkat]

Please excuse me for asking what might be a dumb question.

Ok, so he transferred the filter media from his 20g to the filter for his 55g. He also transfered the fish over but everything else in the 55g is new (gravel, water, etc).

I would imagine the water in the 20g still had "food" for the bacteria colony in it even though the levels of toxic chemicals were undetectable (using consumer grade test kits). If this is a valid premise, wouldn't it make sense for the 55g to undergo a "mini-cycle" since there is 0 Ammonia and0 Nitrite to feed the bacteria transferred over in the filter media? I would expect some bacterial die-off and then growth as the water in the 55g develops levels of ammonia and nitrite. If this follows, then is it realistic to expect an "instant cycle" by simply transferring filter media from an established aquarium to a squeeky clean new one? Maybe transferring the filter media kick-starts the process more than anything else.

What am I missing here????

Peace...

 

[Roan Art]

So should I do another water change or just add salt to protect from toxicity?

If I had changed the water last night it would probably only have read .25 again tonight as it has been doing. i skipped last night hoping that the bacteria would grow more and take the trites out.

If you've only done one today, I'd do another one. I'd also add the salt anyhow, but that's me. I added salt the minute the nitrites started to kick in.

Roan

 

[beatle]

If this is a valid premise, wouldn't it make sense for the 55g to undergo a "mini-cycle" since there is 0 Ammonia and0 Nitrite to feed the bacteria transferred over in the filter media?

I don't think so. If an established tank is 0 amm and 0 ni, that's as good as (good) tap water. The fact that there is a smaller bioload in the new 55g has my head spinning with the new cycle. The only thing I can possibly think of is that there was an unusually large colony of bacteria in the gravel from the 20g. True, most bacteria should gravitate to the filter due to oxygen and sheer amount of bacteria "food" passing over the filter's bio-media, but maybe the colony was more spread out than we assume?