Setup a 120 gallon a week ago and added 2 dozen feeder goldfish to speed up the cycle. Tank has one emperor 400 and a 30 gallon sump tank that has 2 5 gallon buckets. One has bioballs, the other has cotton and carbon. Anyways, a couple of the goldfish died 2-3 days in, and they are all now thriving. Checked the water today... PH 7.0, Amonia 0, Nitrite 0, Nitrate 30. Should I do a small water change and add my RTC or should I let it cycle longer?
Is my 120 done cycling already?
- Thread starter haywood
- Start date
The amount of ammoina (number of fish) usually doesn't make much of a differance. the bacteria have to mulitiply and there is a cetain amount of time that takes. Maybe Some bacteria survived the dry put.
If you have zero ammoina and nititres with fish in the tank then you are cycled. A water changed to get the nitrates down and good to go. Rememeber that the bacteria populate to the bio load so when adding more fish do it slowly so that the bacteria and mulitiply and comensate for the larger bioload.
If you have zero ammoina and nititres with fish in the tank then you are cycled. A water changed to get the nitrates down and good to go. Rememeber that the bacteria populate to the bio load so when adding more fish do it slowly so that the bacteria and mulitiply and comensate for the larger bioload.
In my opinion, 7 days is too fast for a cycle with no help. I would wait a couple of weeks to see if ammonia will show up to be safe about it. That is how I would do it.
epond83;4341743; said:
bacteria can go dormant in dry mode. I typically see this with gravek but I guess it works for bioballs as well.
to me it sounds like you're cycled but I wouldn't go out and get the largest fish you plant to put in there first, stard with a couple of the smaller of your planned stocking and then wait a few weeks before adding another.