still trying to get my tank cycled

[Birdow]

its been about about a little over a month still trying to cycle my tank so broke the fishless cycle and bought 2 yellow tailed damsels 2 little hermits and one snail. I want to c if they can assist with my cycle pls forgive me.Can I get some feedback im open for critacism.

 

[superdave07]

You tried adding a dead shrimp or ammonia? I know that not good if you didn't cycle the tank and add fish

 

[Fischerman45]

The damsels and hermits should be fine. The snail is questionable. You might want to do partial water changes periodically (10-25%) this will speed up the cycling process and keep you're animals alive.

 

[Sergie]

Partial water changes do not speed up the cycle. In actuality it slows down the process. By taking away ammonia, the food source for nitrosomonas or nitrifying bacteria, you reduce the number of bacteria which then inhibits the amount of nitrobacters, or the bacteria which feeds on nitrites and produces nitrate as a result. PWC are only done during a fish in cycle in order to help keep the fish alive by keeping toxins down. To have a healthy fast cycle you must let nature take it's course and not deplete ammonia or nitrite until cycle is complete.

 

[David S]

how did you start the cycle off?whats your readings?

 

[jsa83]

waiting a month is no way near enough time. i waited 5 months cycling with 2 pieces of shrimp. adding those 2 fish that early in the cycle is just going to kill them right away or have them sick at the bottom of the tank for a month before they die. i know this bc thats what i did after the first month of setting up my tank back in dec. .. i added two damsels, one died the next day and the other one survived for a month. he always stayed between or unrder the live rock. i dont even remember a time were he swam up to the top even if food was there. i fed him daily but never seen him actually eat. he survived a month so im guessing he ate some food. do yourself a favor, add some shrimp and forgot about your tank for a few months. i tested the water weekly and kept my heater, skimmer and filter running ffor 5 months before adding fish.

 

[Sergie]

Scientifically 1 month is just about enough time. You have to understand once ammonia is introduced it typically takes 10 days for nitrifying bacteria to appear and feed off of the ammonia and turn it into nitrite. If the nitrite has the appropriate ammount of food source (ammonia) it'll usually take another 15 days or so for the next line of nitrifying bacteria to appear and feed off of the nitrite, producing nitrate. Around day 30 you should see a rapid drop of ammonia, and nitrite, and a rapid increase of nitrates. I'm sorry you had to wait a full 5 months but typically speaking a month is the normal time it takes. Because he has seen no ammonia I would worry that the cycle hasn't yet started. The appropriate ammount of ammonia according to the amount of gallons should be enough to kickstart the cycle. The damsels will definately start it off. The best bet would be to take them out and the cycle should take care of itself.

 

[hackteck]

my cycle took exactly 2 weeks

 

[carey]

My longest cycle with sw was about 6 days with established rock and sand. Shortest has been no cycle with my established stuff.

It just depends on the tank and situation I think.

 

[dskidmore]

Scientifically 1 month is just about enough time. You have to understand once ammonia is introduced it typically takes 10 days for nitrifying bacteria to appear and feed off of the ammonia and turn it into nitrite.

There are a _lot_ of factors in cycle speed. Seed bacteria, temperature, ammonia levels, water quality, photosyntisis in the system, etc... never use time to measure a cycle's progress.

 

[Sarcothelia]

Yea cycle depends on a lot of factors. If everything you use pretty much is from an older tank you may not even have a cycle. My current tank had only a week long mini cycle because I used everything from established systems except for the sand bed.

 

[Sergie]

All I did was explain the nitrogen cycle as it would be if a tank were not seeded. Sure if you add plenty of rock that already has the latter part of the cycle than you should see little to no cycle. I never said that's how long all tank cycles take under certain situations. All 3 of my tanks, with only adding minimal live rock, and mostly base rock with no ammonia dosings, no shrimp trick, took almost exactly 1 month each. So speaking from expirience, without using tricks of the trade, only live rock and base rock, yes I can say the nitrogen cycle itself without intervention takes around thirty days. There's a reason they teach it as such. But it's a science so ofcourse it doesn't always work that way. **** nature.

 

[Sergie]

Secondly, I know all of you are knowledgable, but I didn't see anybody after my post trying to give this guy advice. All poeple tried to do was to disprove me when all I was doing was sharing information to help him better understand a cycle. I respect all of you especially hackteck and Carey (you've been awfully helpful in the process of my last tank) but I thought this was called Aquarium Advice, not Aquarium Attack. Let's all just try and help this guy cycle his tank instead of disagreeing with my cycle explaination.

 

[dskidmore]

Let's all just try and help this guy cycle his tank instead of disagreeing with my cycle explaination.

I'm sure we'll get back to that when he answers the questions posed to him. Information has been given, questions have been asked, links have been provided.