Tank cycle question

[Wisconsinbadger]

Hey guys good to be back.
I’m cycling a 75 gallon tank and I set it up on Saturday with 6 neon Tets along with adding media from my currently filtered tank. I added that media about a day and a half ago. I brought in sample of water to LFS and they tested for ammonia and then nitrates etc. came back as my water looks like it’s already cycled. I just ran a test at home I don’t have the ammonia test kit but looking like my tank may actually be cycled? You can see the strip below. Idk I can’t believe it would cycle this fast even with media from existing tank

 

[Wisconsinbadger]

I’m running to get ammonia test kit now but the strip looks white to me idk how they are thinking it’s producing nitrates.

 

[esoxlucius]

Adding mature media from an existing tank is by far the best way to seed a new tank and in some cases, as with yours, the transition is seamless, perfect. It does happen, don't be surprised.

 

[Wisconsinbadger]

Adding mature media from an existing tank is by far the best way to seed a new tank and in some cases, as with yours, the transition is seamless, perfect. It does happen, don't be surprised.

Damn ok that’s good to know and makes me feel better.

 

[duanes]

Adding mature media from an existing tank is by far the best way to seed a new tank and in some cases, as with yours, the transition is seamless, perfect. It does happen, don't be surprised.

Agree
With already cycled media, or some seasoned substrate, as long as you don't over do the amount of fish you start with right away, you often don't need to start a cycle from scratch.

 

[TwoTankAmin]

There is another possibility here. It will take some time for ammonia to build up to detectable levels. It is possible you are OK or not. However, iy is also important to understand how the bacteria work.

When there is more ammonia or nitrite present than the existing bacteria need to thrive, they reproduce. The reverse of this is that when the amount of ammonia/nitrite is less than they need, they stop reproducing. because the individual bacteria are normally dying and reproducing. a colny stays pretty constand until; their "food" changes.

Because your stocking is so light it is going to take some time to get that 75 gal. filled with fish.

I have been cycling tanks for a few decades and normally use a bio-farm to cycle filters as it is easier and faster for me. I normally refuse to help people start a fish-in cycle but will help them if things go nuts in the tank. That is not the case here and I doubt it will be, But I would suggest as a rule of thumb that you next fish addition should be no more massive than 3 of the 6 Tetras are. Do not plop a ton of fish in because the tank is safe for the tetras.

Had you used ammonia instead of the tetras. you could have the bacteria reproducing much faster and gotten the tank cycled in a few weeks. That would mean you could have fully stoked the tanks safely all at once.

Seeding bacteria is a great help as long as there is a way to make them reproduce. Adding ammonia makes it go pretty fast, your way will now take longer by many weeks or months because you start is whatever ammonia 5 small tetras will make.

 

[Wisconsinbadger]

There is another possibility here. It will take some time for ammonia to build up to detectable levels. It is possible you are OK or not. However, iy is also important to understand how the bacteria work.

When there is more ammonia or nitrite present than the existing bacteria need to thrive, they reproduce. The reverse of this is that when the amount of ammonia/nitrite is less than they need, they stop reproducing. because the individual bacteria are normally dying and reproducing. a colny stays pretty constand until; their "food" changes.

Because your stocking is so light it is going to take some time to get that 75 gal. filled with fish.

I have been cycling tanks for a few decades and normally use a bio-farm to cycle filters as it is easier and faster for me. I normally refuse to help people start a fish-in cycle but will help them if things go nuts in the tank. That is not the case here and I doubt it will be, But I would suggest as a rule of thumb that you next fish addition should be no more massive than 3 of the 6 Tetras are. Do not plop a ton of fish in because the tank is safe for the tetras.

Had you used ammonia instead of the tetras. you could have the bacteria reproducing much faster and gotten the tank cycled in a few weeks. That would mean you could have fully stoked the tanks safely all at once.

Seeding bacteria is a great help as long as there is a way to make them reproduce. Adding ammonia makes it go pretty fast, your way will now take longer by many weeks or months because you start is whatever ammonia 5 small tetras will make.

This is my concern. Cause right now it’s still showing no ammonia. I wonder if the Tetras and the feeding just isn’t really showing yet and is delayed. The plan was to add a small firemouth from the LFS do you recommend against that for now and just wait?

 

[duanes]

I would not add the FM yet, because you need time to see (as TwoTankAmin suggested) if ammonia levels has yet to rise to detectable levels.
They may, or may not.
One thing is for sure though, a FM will (if big enough now) or in the near future eat the neons.

 

[Fishman Dave]

IMO , if you have a filter running on a tank already set up then you could after a further week start swapping the filter media between the two tanks (each week) thus any bacteria die off will be halted and you would keep up the good work on the new start up. Helping you to stock faster.

 

[Wisconsinbadger]

Thanks for the feedback everyone. I’m just keeping the tank as is. I have an ammonia tester in there now if I don’t see any change in ammonia in the next 3-4 days I’ll do another test.