Cycling question

[JEAE21]

It's been a week since my XP3 has been running on my turtle tank. the 2nd day it started to get cloudy. but now it's pretty clear.
but just 'cause the water is clear, doesn't mean the aquarium is cycled right?

you knows those bottled bacteria for speeding up cycling?! how much do they shorten the span to? do i need to remove fish when i add the bottle?

also say that i have a established filter on one side. and on another a new filter.
bio media needs to feed on ammonia to grow bacteria at first right?
but wouldn't the established filter kill off all the ammonia produced by the new filter in the tank, leaving nothing for the other filter? leading to a never-ever cycling tank?

 

[wataugachicken]

It's been a week since my XP3 has been running on my turtle tank. the 2nd day it started to get cloudy. but now it's pretty clear.
but just 'cause the water is clear, doesn't mean the aquarium is cycled right?

Right. you should be using test kits and testing your water to find out the ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate levels. Testing the water is the only definite way of determining if you are cycled.

you knows those bottled bacteria for speeding up cycling?! how much do they shorten the span to? do i need to remove fish when i add the bottle?

The only true 'bottled bacteria' is Bio-Spira. It can cut cycling time down to 1-2 weeks instead of 6-8 weeks, but if it is handled improperly, it may not work at all. Some people have had luck with Cycle or Stability, but those products are mostly enzymes which feed any bacteria you might already have, they are not bacteria. No, you don't need to remove the fish.

also say that i have a established filter on one side. and on another a new filter.
bio media needs to feed on ammonia to grow bacteria at first right?
but wouldn't the established filter kill off all the ammonia produced by the new filter in the tank, leaving nothing for the other filter? leading to a never-ever cycling tank?

No. If you have one established filter, and add another filter, bacteria will move onto both of them. You won't get more bacteria unless your fish are producing more ammonia, but the bacteria will spread themselves over all available surfaces. For example, if your tank produces 3ppm of ammonia daily, your filter will convert all the ammonia. If you add another filter, the bacteria will move over to that one as well, and eventually each filter will handle 1.5ppm. Cycling is when the bacteria grow to a large enough amount that they can consume ammonia and nitrite immediately.

.

 

[ziggy2]

Very nicely put wataugachicken.

 

[JEAE21]

thanks.
so you're saying i can add 1 more(making 3 filters) and they will all share the ammonia right? so no worries of un-cycled filters?

ok, so if it's not cycled my readings will be high in ammonia and nitrites

 

[ziggy2]

It might be high on one or the other. If the Ammonia is high, you haven't got ammonia eating bb that transform the ammonia into Nitrites. If the Nitrites are high your ammonia should be OK. The Nitrites will drop as soon as the bb that consumes them and transforms them into Nitrates. They can be eleminated by doing water changes.