Tank cycled or no?

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo

Cycled or no?

  • yes

    Votes: 15 62.5%

  • no

    Votes: 6 25.0%

  • Don't risk putting fish in there yet...

    Votes: 3 12.5%
  • Total voters
    24
michael

michael

Tri-State Fish Hoarder
MFK Member
Nov 3, 2005
4,038
2
38
43
Dirty Jersey
I set my new 210 up a week ago now. I used a ton of old media, 5 lbs of eheim noodles covered in dirt and debris, old mechanical pads that I rung out into the tank, and a sh*t load of bio-spira. The tank still shows no ammonia or nitrite..Do you think its not gonna spike??
 
From your info it would apear thst you have beneficial bacteria present in your tank. You need to provide the BB with a food source(ammonia). Best would be to add some ammonia to the tank and monitor. Another option would be to add some fish and monitor the water parameters.
 
if you're not feeding it, there isn't going to be any ammonia or nitrite. you may have put a huge load of bacteria in there, but they may have all gone off and starved. do you have nitrates?
 
I have had 3 fish in the tank. Not sure if thats enough for the bacteria though. been feeding them everyday....
 
michael;1143249; said:
I have had 3 fish in the tank. Not sure if thats enough for the bacteria though. been feeding them everyday....
Click to expand...

have you been monitoring your water parameters daily? Most likely you are probably cycled, but if you add a ton more fish all at once your ammonia will spike. Just add new fish gradually over the next few weeks.
 
If all that was added a week ago & you added some fish, then there is only enough bacteria to support those fish that are in there now, nothing more.
 
I wouldn't think that you could fully cycle a 210 with 3 fish in a week. I wouldn't risk putting anything in that you don't want to risk losing.

Have you tracked your parameters?

I would have just done Ammonia injections, but if you have fish in there now I would track the cycle with those three fish and slowly add your desired population at the end of each system adjustment. As long as you don't overload the system I would think you'll be fine.
 
The three fish, 2 tropical gars and a large angel have been in there since the day I set up. I added the bacteria a day after putting in the fish
 
I've never really found it a problem to do what you're doing; I used to cycle all my new tanks with existing bacterial cultures and never had a problem. I didn't stock them to capacity immediately (or ever, on some of them), but the seed culture seemed to work consistently.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
MonsterFishKeepers.com
Top Bottom