cycling 40 gallon grow out tank

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lizerdking

lizerdking

Gambusia
MFK Member
Dec 30, 2014
138
13
18
west coast
So today is Tuesday and this past Saturday I started cycling the tank. As of today my API test kit reads zero amonia, nitrites and nitrates. I put 20 feeder guppies, chunks of one market shrimp and I'm using a walmart brand filter that I've had for a while. I think it's rated at 300gph, had it on a cycled 10 gallon tank.

Here's my question, is the tank cycled? I expected a quicker cycle due to the filter but it keeps reading zero. Any input would be great.
 
Hello; Here is alink to a site I use as a reference about cycling.

http://www.americanaquariumproducts.com/nitrogen_cycle.html

A possible answer is that the tank is not cycled based only on the test readings. If cycled I believe there should be a nitrate reading. You may have a bad test kits or made some procedurial error.

That you used a filter from a cycled tank should mean that the beneficial bacteria are present. Did you also use the old filter media that was in the filter. I guess it may be possible that the bacteria have not yet had time to convert nitrite into nitrate. Are you using a good liquid test kit or the test strips?

Could be cycled, but cannot be known for sure based on the test results.
 
So I used old media that was running on a cycled tank. It's an API master kit, and I regularly use it to test the water in all of my tanks. It's worked well before. I don't know if the chemicals expire, but I just purchased it in June.
 
lizerdking said:
So I used old media that was running on a cycled tank. It's an API master kit, and I regularly use it to test the water in all of my tanks. It's worked well before. I don't know if the chemicals expire, but I just purchased it in June.
Click to expand...

Hello; unless it sat on a store shelf for a long time the test kit should be good at only four months.

The fish may show signs of ammonia burn if there are no bb to convert it, so keep an eye on them.

You did what I do, which is to take media from an established tank. So the new tank setup should be good to go.
 
Should be good, but try and keep reading for nitrates to make sure; if it starts reading ammonia or nitrite, you could cheat a bit and add bottled bacteria, but you should be ok
 
Forgot to mention I did add some bottled bacteria initially. Going to give it a few days, maybe pick up some goldfish today as they create more waste then guppies. Then if it's still showing decent readings I guess I can start moving the fish in. It's only for three fish a 4 inch armature and 2 peacock bass of similar size.
 
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