Am I being impatient
- Thread starter Ian1357
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ScotJudd
Aquarium Advice Addict
Hi Ian - Yes!
However, you could speed up the process by seeding your filter using an old piece of 'dirty' filter media from another tank (a friend or your LSH). Bottled bacteria cultures have helped some but I don't rate its success above 50/50.
Flourish and Excel should neither help or hinder your cycling but will help the plants to get established.
Keep your Ph above 6.5 and your temperature up at around 80f.
There is no known equation to determine the time taken to cycle a tank, they all vary, but once the bacteria starts up it can be quite rapid to a full cycle.
Hang in there ?. Steve.
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However, you could speed up the process by seeding your filter using an old piece of 'dirty' filter media from another tank (a friend or your LSH). Bottled bacteria cultures have helped some but I don't rate its success above 50/50.
Flourish and Excel should neither help or hinder your cycling but will help the plants to get established.
Keep your Ph above 6.5 and your temperature up at around 80f.
There is no known equation to determine the time taken to cycle a tank, they all vary, but once the bacteria starts up it can be quite rapid to a full cycle.
Hang in there ?. Steve.
Sent from my iPad using Aquarium Advice
ImACoolguy
Aquarium Advice Addict
^^^
Yup, cycling from scratch with no help from seeded media can take 4-6 weeks.
Caleb
Yup, cycling from scratch with no help from seeded media can take 4-6 weeks.
Caleb
Fel
Aquarium Advice Regular
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Mines been cycling since 9/12 just finished a 4ppm test today and still had nitrites....so yeah it can be a while
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ScotJudd
Aquarium Advice Addict
Hi. You can test as often as you like but in the early days about every 3 to 5 days. More often as you start to get some action where additional ammonia and or water changes are needed. No more than daily though.
Once cycled treat your filters like a baby, nurture it and grow that bacteria. To a great extent the Fish will look after themselves.
Sent from my iPad in West Yorkshire, U.K.
Once cycled treat your filters like a baby, nurture it and grow that bacteria. To a great extent the Fish will look after themselves.
Sent from my iPad in West Yorkshire, U.K.
skylane
Aquarium Advice FINatic
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Hi guys, I finished my 90 gal, planted , and my cycle took and took about 16 days. It was a fishless cycle and my first attempt at it. I used some plants from my Aquarium and the ones that I bought, they helped with my seeding material for the cycle. It promoted some bacteria to start to grow, plus I used a pinch of fish flakes to feed the bacteria that's growing your filter. At first I thought it was never going to happen, but by doing my daily water tests I started to see how a scientific approach can be done , with a lot of patience.
I'm currently cycling a 10 gal, for a future aquascape, or just a hospital tank? Now I have my own seeding and the process moves pretty quick now. It works , and its less stress on the fish when you add them in , even though your filter is strong and could handle a full stocking of fish, gradually introduce them in groups over a week or two, just to keep your water parameters in check. Do partial water changes, weekly is best , but after all that said your water will balance out and your fish will be happy [emoji1]
Clem.
I'm currently cycling a 10 gal, for a future aquascape, or just a hospital tank? Now I have my own seeding and the process moves pretty quick now. It works , and its less stress on the fish when you add them in , even though your filter is strong and could handle a full stocking of fish, gradually introduce them in groups over a week or two, just to keep your water parameters in check. Do partial water changes, weekly is best , but after all that said your water will balance out and your fish will be happy [emoji1]
Clem.
this could help you understand how you can speed up your cycle
Tips and Tricks For Your Fastest Fishless Cycle! - Aquarium Advice
Tips and Tricks For Your Fastest Fishless Cycle! - Aquarium Advice
skylane
Aquarium Advice FINatic
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Thanks , I got advice from there. I couldn't figure out how to post the article from the advice column. It would have saved a lot of explaining! [emoji39]
Clem.
Clem.
skylane
Aquarium Advice FINatic
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Your on your way!!![emoji39]Tested today and the ammonia has dropped. to about 2ppm. Going to test again tomorrow. Then bring it back up to 4ppm
Keep your ammonia up, you should start to see spikes in the nitrites, and nitrates soon. But keep an eye on your pH , once it drops, water change , but wait for the nitrites and nitrates to come up first.
Clem.
update
did a test yesterday. Ammonia was 0 NitrItes above 5ppm. Now here is the dilemma. NitrAtes after the initial test it was between 5 and 10 ppm. I came back today to do a test today (BTW I did i put ammonia back to 4ppm). I had not cleaned out the nitrAte test bottle the color now indicated over 80ppm.
so todays results show 0 Ammonia over 5ppm nitrItes 5ppm for NitrAtes.
Can any one explain the NitrAtes results please.
I am using API Fresh water test kit. I did shake the nitrAte tests for above the recommended time.
P.S. PH 7.8 No change from the start
did a test yesterday. Ammonia was 0 NitrItes above 5ppm. Now here is the dilemma. NitrAtes after the initial test it was between 5 and 10 ppm. I came back today to do a test today (BTW I did i put ammonia back to 4ppm). I had not cleaned out the nitrAte test bottle the color now indicated over 80ppm.
so todays results show 0 Ammonia over 5ppm nitrItes 5ppm for NitrAtes.
Can any one explain the NitrAtes results please.
I am using API Fresh water test kit. I did shake the nitrAte tests for above the recommended time.
P.S. PH 7.8 No change from the start
ImACoolguy
Aquarium Advice Addict
The nitrate can be tricky as you have to shake the heck out of it. I often test twice to make sure I get the same reading.
You're just waiting for those nitrites to drop off soon
Caleb
You're just waiting for those nitrites to drop off soon
Caleb
Fel
Aquarium Advice Regular
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- Jul 5, 2015
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Don't worry about nitrates yet, they really aren't important until you have fish in there. Just test ammonia and nitrite until they zero out then water change then test nitrates to make sure enough have been removed to add fish
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skylane
Aquarium Advice FINatic
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- Jul 9, 2015
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- 556
Keep going, your almost there!!![emoji39]
Clem.
Clem.
NitrIte Question
I know you have to shake a lot for the nitrAte test.
I have seen suggestions you should also shake the NitrIte test bottle.
However my question is when doing the test for nitrItes. The instuctions say say wait for five minutes for the test to change color. After this period my test shows 5ppm . However after about 30 minutes the color changes to show 0 nitrItes.
Baffled any suggestions?
Cheers
Ian
I know you have to shake a lot
for the nitrAte test. I have seen suggestions you should also shake the NitrIte test bottle.
However my question is when doing the test for nitrItes. The instuctions say say wait for five minutes for the test to change color. After this period my test shows 5ppm . However after about 30 minutes the color changes to show 0 nitrItes.
Baffled any suggestions?
Cheers
Ian
