New Tank Cycle
- Thread starter mrkrsll
- Start date
Appears tank has cycled. In a cycled tank, ammonia and nitrite should be at 0 and nitrate will start showing up. Water change is how you rid the tank of nitrate, so try to keep the nitrate level below 40ppm (the lower the better)
I'm not sure that this is the case. I should have given a bit more info.
The tank is 75 gallon and I have been testing the water everyday for the past 5 days. I have a half dozen Barbs in there as well. I have never seen an ammonia spike or any trace of nitrite.
I'm pretty new at this, but I don't think the tank could possibly be cycled given the situation.
The tank is 75 gallon and I have been testing the water everyday for the past 5 days. I have a half dozen Barbs in there as well. I have never seen an ammonia spike or any trace of nitrite.
I'm pretty new at this, but I don't think the tank could possibly be cycled given the situation.
Ok. If you're going to give more info, how about: How large are the barbs? Are all the equipment new are something from an established tank? Did you use some sort of bacteria booster?
You have only a small amount of bio load (fish) in a large volume of water, you most likely will not get an ammonia spike. Test the water parameter out of the tap to see if there's any nitrate in your tap to begin with. If there isn't any nitrate from the tap then your tank has beneficial bacteria that is already breaking down ammonia and nitrite.
You have only a small amount of bio load (fish) in a large volume of water, you most likely will not get an ammonia spike. Test the water parameter out of the tap to see if there's any nitrate in your tap to begin with. If there isn't any nitrate from the tap then your tank has beneficial bacteria that is already breaking down ammonia and nitrite.
The Tiger Barbs are about 1/2" and the Odessa Barbs are about 1".
The filter I have is brand new canister, but I did take the blue filter out of the back of a HOB filter I have and put it in the canister.
I just tested the tap water and it shows no nitrate.
The plan is to cycle this tank then transfer the Barbs to a smaller tank to get ready for Angel fish and live plants.
I figured I would be at least 4 weeks before I can add the Angel fish...
The filter I have is brand new canister, but I did take the blue filter out of the back of a HOB filter I have and put it in the canister.
I just tested the tap water and it shows no nitrate.
The plan is to cycle this tank then transfer the Barbs to a smaller tank to get ready for Angel fish and live plants.
I figured I would be at least 4 weeks before I can add the Angel fish...
So, let's take the data as is:
1) you started with fresh water and some type of mature filter
2) in 5 days, you are at 0/0/5 in parameters
Here's what I would surmise: you have both types of bacteria, but the populations are either tiny or starving. For nitrates to grow at just 1 ppm per day is a very small amount of nitrogen addition to the tank. You could try upping the food and re-test to be sure both populations are adequate. What I would not do is simply swap in large bio load and feed all out as then you are liable for ammonia spikes and for sure nitrite spikes. Nitrites may be zero due to the small food load, and that could get out of hand if food is upped too fast.
1) you started with fresh water and some type of mature filter
2) in 5 days, you are at 0/0/5 in parameters
Here's what I would surmise: you have both types of bacteria, but the populations are either tiny or starving. For nitrates to grow at just 1 ppm per day is a very small amount of nitrogen addition to the tank. You could try upping the food and re-test to be sure both populations are adequate. What I would not do is simply swap in large bio load and feed all out as then you are liable for ammonia spikes and for sure nitrite spikes. Nitrites may be zero due to the small food load, and that could get out of hand if food is upped too fast.
Essentially, because you've added a mature filter media, your 75 is cycled for your fish population. The tank will not increase in beneficial bacteria until the ammonia level increase and sustains at that level. So, you can start adding your angels now, by 1 or 2 at a time, to give time for the bb to increase so you don't get an ammonia spike. Plants will also help keep the nitrate level down.
