My tank as been running for a week now with 6 Dainos and 4 Tiger barbs. I just tested the water and everything is perfect. Does that mean my tank hasn't officially started cycling or has it cycled? I was under the impression it should take about a month. I assuming I'd have high nitrates right now.
Cycling?
- Thread starter sbrodacz
- Start date
You need to have a measurable amount of ammonia and nitrite in your tank,then have them drop to 0ppm,and have some nitrates to have completed the cycle.I would say yours has not even started yet.
How big is your tank?
How big is your tank?
ammonia usualy shows up by the next day or 2 after putting fish in test nitrates and if you have em its cycled
It's 125 gallon tank. The fish have been in the tank for a week now. This is my first time measuring anything, so I don't know if anything showed up a couple days later or not. Should I assume the process has not started yet? Over all, water seems pretty clear. There was a slight cloud of a day or two but that's gone away. When should a water change be done? My local fish store told me to wait a month.
I would assume the cycle has not started yet. With 8 small fish in a 125,it is going to take awile before there is enough waste in the tank for you to get an ammonia reading.
Do water changes when the ammonia and/or nitrite is above 1ppm.You want to keep it below that so the fish do not die.
Do water changes when the ammonia and/or nitrite is above 1ppm.You want to keep it below that so the fish do not die.
you should overfeed purposely and get some excess food to start the ammonia in the tank. it could take months with that amount of fish and that size tank to get it cycled without some help. or you could buy a bunch of feeders to add more ammonia
A few 2 and 3'' fish in 125 gallon are not going to produce enough waste to have any measurable ammonia for weeks,if not months,especially if you are only feeding them every other day.
When people use pure ammonia to do a fishless cycle,they add enough ammonia to get it up to 3 and 4ppm.Then when the bacteria can take it from 3ppm to 0ppm in 24 hours,the cycle has completed.Assuming there has been measurable amounts of nitrites at some point,and they have droped to 0ppm and well.The nitrates at this point are also very high.Usually above 60 or 80ppm.This is when you do a large water change,75% usually,to drop the nitrates to lower levels.Preferably below 20ppm.
Hopefully that gives you some idea about the amount of ammonia you need to just get the cycle going.Granted when using fish,you would not ammonia levels at 3 or 4 ppm,but 1 or 2ppm is common when cycling with fish.That is why once the waste starts to build up,you need to do large water changes daily to keep it a safer levels to keep your fish alive.
You really need to add a lot more food,fish,or both to get your cycle started.Or go the easier route,take the fish you have now back to the store you bought them from,go to Ace Hardware and buy their brand of pure ammonia,and do a fishless cycle.
When people use pure ammonia to do a fishless cycle,they add enough ammonia to get it up to 3 and 4ppm.Then when the bacteria can take it from 3ppm to 0ppm in 24 hours,the cycle has completed.Assuming there has been measurable amounts of nitrites at some point,and they have droped to 0ppm and well.The nitrates at this point are also very high.Usually above 60 or 80ppm.This is when you do a large water change,75% usually,to drop the nitrates to lower levels.Preferably below 20ppm.
Hopefully that gives you some idea about the amount of ammonia you need to just get the cycle going.Granted when using fish,you would not ammonia levels at 3 or 4 ppm,but 1 or 2ppm is common when cycling with fish.That is why once the waste starts to build up,you need to do large water changes daily to keep it a safer levels to keep your fish alive.
You really need to add a lot more food,fish,or both to get your cycle started.Or go the easier route,take the fish you have now back to the store you bought them from,go to Ace Hardware and buy their brand of pure ammonia,and do a fishless cycle.
i used like 30 feeders in my 125 to start my cycle,got a ammonia reading in a week,completed the cycle in four weeks(kinda torchered the fish though,no daily water changes)