Test for Chlorine

[hitman12131976]

It's hard to measure when the Nitrites kick in and end and then the Nitrates start. I don't know anyone whom has ever measured or timed this. I was able to cycle my tank (fishy style) in 3 weeks. Other take 8 weeks doing the same things I did. I think the cycle varies from tank to tank.

 

[DarkSoul]

OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH ..... i obviously missed where you mentioned having fish in the tank.....
sorry....


ill step out now

 

[Madness]

That's for fishless cycling. Every website and cycling article casts fishy cycling as a crime that shouldn't be done ever and thus don't mention a thing about the specifics. I imagine they just hope that the propaganda will keep people from trying it. The only problem with that is that there's no good info on how to do it as safely as possible because everyone seems too busy trying to get people to stop. It's an inevitablity that needs to be throughly explained even if it's an unappealing option.

Even more than no information is information that virtually guarantees failures. The following quote is from another board that I wont mention because it is a good board and because I don't want to create any bashing:

Stock the tank with fish at no more than ½ its’ full stocking capacity. This is calculated by using ½ inch of slender-bodied fish per gallon. Only the body is counted when calculating the length of the fish in inches.... don't count the fins!

Follow this and you'll be changing water 15 times a day and still loosing fish. According to this I should have a max of 75 young White Cloud Minnows in the 150 I'm breaking in right now. Missing is also any mention of plants and their tremendous help during cycling. One can have a detectable ammonia free cycle with a $3.00 handfull of floating Hornwort that will grow in just about any tank.

The idea is for the tank to be successful. To do that is relatively simple. Put in some easy growing floating plants and stock to a max of one slim bodied 1" fish per ten gallons - MAX. Less is even better. Perform 50% water changes with heavy vacuuming weekly, more often when detectable nitrites emerge or if detectable ammonia emerges.

It's all about having a managable bioload during cycling. Stock too much and the tank gets overwhelmed, even with plants.

 

[Impudence12]

Good news, my tank, dispite me missing my second water change for the day, ammonia levels are less than .25. Normally at this time it's somewhere around .5 with a water change earlier. No nitrites tho, I guess tomorow I'll have no ammonia. I hope.

 

[Cyberpaddy66]

Keep calm and think of how your tank will look when it's finished cycling, my 20L tank took less than a few days for the ammonia to appear and then took a couple of weeks to drop, the nitrites took almost 3 weeks to start dropping and even then I seeded the tank with old filter wool from my 1st 20L tank.

If you can get some used filter wool from a healthy tank that has already finished it's cycle then things will go a lot faster, just put it in a bag (pair of tights) and hang it in the tank or else if your filter has room put it in on top of your existing filter wool and leave it in until the cycle finishes.

I'm no expert and actually only been at this hobby for the last 6 months so I hope my advice helps and is not wrong (please feel free to correct me anyone!).