Cycling question

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aclockworkorange;4459890; said:
He didn't say his ammonia level was up... he said he didn't notice an ammonia spike or a nitrite spike, and now he has nitrates.

If there is ammonia in the tank, but you are still getting a steady nitrate reading, it probably indicates that you have some bacteria cycled converting the ammonia to nitrite and and then another bacteria converting that to nitrate, but not enough to keep up with the bioload, AKA a mini-cycle. You may also get a nitrate reading with a crashed cycle, but this would disappear with water changes.

The most reliable tests compared to what? How do you know they are reliable? Are you sending your water off to a chem lab to get analyzed, and comparing with the API test results? Have you tried many other brands of test kits? How many?
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I compare my API test results with some of the tests they use at the Water Works treatment plant in the city I live in. My brother in law works there. I have used some paper test strips,and Seachem liquid test.API are always right on with the tests they use on the citys water. The others are not.

Unless there was a measurable amount of ammonia in the tank,that went to 0ppm,then he had another measurable ammount,then yes that would be a mini cycle. But that is not what he indicated has happened.

There is not enough bio load in the tank to cause a mini cycle in my opinion.

He needs better tests,and more bio load to get that tank cycled.
 
fishbum;4459918; said:
I compare my API test results with some of the tests they use at the Water Works treatment plant in the city I live in. My brother in law works there. I have used some paper test strips,and Seachem liquid test.API are always right on with the tests they use on the citys water. The others are not.

Unless there was a measurable amount of ammonia in the tank,that went to 0ppm,then he had another measurable ammount,then yes that would be a mini cycle. But that is not what he indicated has happened.

There is not enough bio load in the tank to cause a mini cycle in my opinion.

He needs better tests,and more bio load to get that tank cycled.
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So, Mr. Water Works, the nitrate that wasn't there before and but is now suddenly came from...?
 
aclockworkorange;4459936; said:
So, Mr. Water Works, the nitrate that wasn't there before and but is now suddenly came from...?
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The ammonia.

What's with the attitude? Don't like getting :owned:
 
without a liquid test kit we don't have proper readings
the bio load is light and I'm not sure the bio filtration is adequate (nobody asked)

#1 get 400gph+ filtration going (if it's not)
#2 get liquid tests and readings
#3 add moar bioload, in stages
#4 pix or GTFO
 
ar0wan;4459949; said:
without a liquid test kit we don't have proper readings
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True. Which makes it impossibe to know where the cycle is at in this tank.

But even with that said,you can still get nitrate readings during a cycle. It is not until there is a measurable ammount of ammonia,that drops to 0ppm, that you will know the tank has cycled. Some tanks(filters) will cycle and never show nitrites.
 
the ammonia did come up a bit
it topped up at 0.5 then came down
nitrites never came according to the tests i took

the tank isnt a new tank
it belonged to a friend of mine
the filter is a eheim pro3e
the mech for it was just rinsed off with conditioned water then repacked into the bottom tray
but the substrat in the 2 top teirs were new and the blue and white pads are also new
tank was stopped for 2 weeks before i came into possession
 
As long as the mechanical stayed wet,that should help speed the cycle up a bit. Does is have the ceramic rings/tubes in it?

I still think you should get a better test kit,and get some more ammonia in the tank before you can definitely call it cycled.

Or just stock your tank,get some SeaChem Stability,follow the directions,and enjoy the tank.
 
yep the ceramic rings and tubes are the ones in there
and the canister was still 1/2 full when i brought it home

i'll pick up the api master kit tomorrow and check that
 
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