How is this possible? cycling

[cichlidfish]

I got a free used 50g bowfront w/ a fluval 205 canister. I cleaned out the canister w/ tap water, and scrubbed down the tank w/ bleach. I set up the tank w/ the filter running last night. I didn't even use water conditioner until today. I did add a little sand from another tank, but it was very little. I did add some new play sand too. Anyway my water params are:

0-ammonia
0-nitrite
10-nitrate

How is this possible, and is it safe to add fish?

 

[dwilder]

you wont have ammonia unless there are fish or your adding a source the nitrates probably from the sand

 

[cichlidfish]

you wont have ammonia unless there are fish or your adding a source the nitrates probably from the sand

That much nitrate though? Maybe the filter still had some waste. I have some swordtails that I can use to help cycle. Should I do that?

 

[jcardona1]

it isnt possible. your tank is not cycled. you have no ammonia because you have no fish, or no other source of ammonia. you have no nitrites because you have no bacteria that is consuming the ammonia.

and you have nitrates because thats normal. you will never have zero nitrates. most tapwater everywhere has some amount of nitrates to it.

 

[jcardona1]

That much nitrate though? Maybe the filter still had some waste. I have some swordtails that I can use to help cycle. Should I do that?

ya the swordtails will help. if you ever want to cycle that tank you will either need to add some hardy fish to start the cycle process or add pure ammonia under the "fishless cycling" method. or you could add media from an established tank/filter.

if you dont do either of these things, the tank will NEVER be cycled

 

[cichlidfish]

ya the swordtails will help. if you ever want to cycle that tank you will either need to add some hardy fish to start the cycle process or add pure ammonia under the "fishless cycling" method. or you could add media from an established tank/filter.

if you dont do either of these things, the tank will NEVER be cycled

Cool, thanks for the help. It has been awhile since I started a tank. I didn't realize tap water may have nitrates. I am adding the swordtails, and will use some of the substrait from another tank.

 

[tcarswell]

The tap has nitrates in it. You need a bio load to start cycling.

I recommend a fish less cycle

 

[Venom SS]

Ive heard from more than one reliable source that pure ammonia is the way to go for cycling. Basically all you are doing is jumpstarting the ammonia spike portion of the cycle, rather than waiting 2 weeks or more. If you add the ammonia, then add some type of bacteria source either commercial products or established media, you will get an explosion of the bacteria you need. Just wait for the nitrites to spike and decline, test again after nitrites are gone that you have zero ammonia, do a big water change and youre ready for fish. The amount of pure ammonia you need will obviously vary with tank size. But get it to around 5ppm then add your bacteria source. Pure ammonia without surfacants or perfumes / dyes is kinda hard to find, but Ace Hardware brand seems to be the easiest to find. Dont bother going to Home Depot or Lowes or anything like that. They dont carry what you need.

 

[EllieGreene]

I disagree with the idea of adding one dose of ammonia and going from there. Logically, a number of small doses would seem to make more sense.

Ammonia is eaten by a bacteria called Nitrosomonas. Nitrosomonas establish in a biofilter on a normally loaded tank over a period of 12 days or so. Nitrosomonas "poop" Nitrite.

Nitrite is eaten by Nitrobacter. Nitrobacter establishes over a period of day 8 - day 40 in the same loaded tank. Nitrobacter "poops" Nitrate.

If you add a single big dose of ammonia, you are going to have a big jump in nitrite as all the ammonia is consumed. Then the Nitrobacter will go to work on the nitrite over the next couple of weeks. The downside is that while the nitrobacter are munching away, your Nitrosomonas are going to starve to death, and die off.

Imho, the swordtails are a good idea. Add fish slowly and the biofilter will grow to compensate.

I am !not! an expert. Don't listen to me, I use sponge filters. They aren't nearly complicated enough to be the right answer.

Source:
Management of Recirculating Aquaculture systems. The bacteria growth chart is on p. 5