How can you tell when your tank has cycled?

[Tiger_Oscar]

I started up a 230 gal tank and it's been running for 2 weeks now. I put some starter fish in and have even added a couple of my fish from my 55 gal.

I was told yesterday it takes 4-6 weeks for the tank to cycle. Now I'm worried my fish will die.

How can you tell when the tank has cycled? Will my fish die if I leave them in the tank while it cycles?

 

[mr86mister]

it all depends on your filtration and your water parameters....4-6 weeks seems a little much to me, how do your fish look....what are your parameters(ammonia, nitrite, nitrate) and how do your fish look, do they look happy and acting normal? just need a bit more info.

 

[Jchillin]

I do believe the person who told you this is me. You mentioned the parameters in AA chat and if I remember correctly, you were using the jungle test strips. I also advised you to get a re-agent test kit (AP FW) and ditch the jungle strips.

4-6 weeks is an estimate. In some cases, a tank could cycle faster, but not by much. You also mentioned that your 55 gal is over a year old and you still have nitrite readings.

You could use some of the filter material and gravel from the 55 gal to help cycle the 230 gal. This is known as "seeding".

Keep up the PWC's also.

 

[Tiger_Oscar]

Yes they look happy...lol The guy at the LFS sold me a product called CYCLE and said I could add fish instantly. I still waiting a week before adding fish from my 55 gal.

My Nitrite was a little high so I did a water change yesterday. Nitrite is still at 3.0. Nitrate is 40. Hardness 75. Alk 40, Ph is 6.2.

I know I need to make adjustments on all of those but I'm concerned with the nitrite at the moment.

 

[greenmaji]

you can do a fish in cycle.. thats the way the old timers did it LOL... you just do water changes to keep the ammonia and nitrite levels down.. the fish usually do fine unless the water changes are not done often enough or the percentage isnt high enough.. you need to test for these.. ammonia and nitrite.. unless you plan on doing very large water changes every day or two.. wich would be alot of water on your tank.. you should seed the filter with media from your 55 by the way.. you might only have to wait a few days to a week for a cycle to complete that way!

 

[greenmaji]

Cycle does not work for an instant cycle by the way.. its been tested and seems to not cut the mustard so to speak.. it isnt made to do this actually.. it is only suppose to speed up the cycle..

 

[Tiger_Oscar]

I do believe the person who told you this is me. You mentioned the parameters in AA chat and if I remember correctly, you were using the jungle test strips. I also advised you to get a re-agent test kit (AP FW) and ditch the jungle strips.

4-6 weeks is an estimate. In some cases, a tank could cycle faster, but not by much. You also mentioned that your 55 gal is over a year old and you still have nitrite readings.

You could use some of the filter material and gravel from the 55 gal to help cycle the 230 gal. This is known as "seeding".

Keep up the PWC's also.

Yeah I'm going to step my game up and get a real test kit. I know it's hard for you all the help me without knowing my exact tank parameters.

I'm just in over my head right now. I should have waited before adding my fish but I was having a over crowding issue in the 55 gal. Water started getting cloudy I removed the Pacu and it cleared the 55 gal up.

 

[greenmaji]

Pacu!!!! you might be in for some trouble.. Some of them get twice the size of oscars from what I remember...

 

[Tiger_Oscar]

you can do a fish in cycle.. thats the way the old timers did it LOL... you just do water changes to keep the ammonia and nitrite levels down.. the fish usually do fine unless the water changes are not done often enough or the percentage isnt high enough.. you need to test for these.. ammonia and nitrite.. unless you plan on doing very large water changes every day or two.. wich would be alot of water on your tank.. you should seed the filter with media from your 55 by the way.. you might only have to wait a few days to a week for a cycle to complete that way!

So I should just keep doing water changes right? I used one of the Rena filstar filter on the 55 gal at one point but took if off. I used that on my start up for the 230 gal. I was thinking this would add some biological to the new set up. Would this count as seeding?

 

[greenmaji]

Not unless the filter came strait off the 55.. if not it will only cause problems from dead bacteria, cloudy water..
With your size tank you really need to be testing to make sure you water changes are big enough..

 

[Tiger_Oscar]

Pacu!!!! you might be in for some trouble.. Some of them get twice the size of oscars from what I remember...

Yeah did some research on them and they get big. Allthough the black Pacu gets real huge. I have a red belly Pacu but he grew so fast. As soon as I get a way I'll be uploaded some pics of my set up and fish.

 

[Blazeherd2306]

Once they get up to three feet long they won't be able to turn around in that tank 8O !! I hope your planning to move him into a pond.

 

[greenmaji]

From the sounds of it your 55 never completely cycled or has gone though another cycle.. it only helps if your getting bacteria from a properly cycled tank.. it will help some but not as much..
It seems you might be having trouble from lack of paticence.. you cant move too much filtration off a running system and not having bio-filtration issues.. you might need to do some more reading on keeping fish..like reading most of the articles about FW fishkeeping on this site and that would just be a start.. Im not trying to be cynical It just seems like your having serious problems..
sounds like my cousin actually... hes been keeping fish for 5 years now and I still have to bail the tanks out bad trouble that he leaves around at our grandparents and his parents houses..

 

[Tiger_Oscar]

This what I read about Pacu size.

"Size and Life Span. Pacus can grow to 24" and even bigger, but they usually do not grow bigger than 12" in an aquarium. They can live for several years and perhaps many years in a huge aquarium."

They say the Black Pacu could reach 30'. I don't know I may have to find him a new home if he continues to grow. I was warned several time about the sizes they reach. He's part of the family now I would hate to get rid of him. I wish I had a 500 gal...lol

 

[greenmaji]

If your tank is not big enough for the Pacu and all other tank mates it will die early.. and Ive seen 18" red bellies at LFS's so Im just saying keep an eye on it..

 

[Blazeherd2306]

What site did you get that info from?
Fishbase says they can get upto 43" long
http://www.fishbase.org/Summary/SpeciesSummary.cfm?genusname=Colossoma&speciesname=macropomum

 

[Tiger_Oscar]

From the sounds of it your 55 never completely cycled or has gone though another cycle.. it only helps if your getting bacteria from a properly cycled tank.. it will help some but not as much..
It seems you might be having trouble from lack of paticence.. you cant move too much filtration off a running system and not having bio-filtration issues.. you might need to do some more reading on keeping fish..like reading most of the articles about FW fishkeeping on this site and that would just be a start.. Im not trying to be cynical It just seems like your having serious problems..
sounds like my cousin actually... hes been keeping fish for 5 years now and I still have to bail the tanks out bad trouble that he leaves around at our grandparents and his parents houses..

Well your right at one point I think I did send my 55 gal into the re cycle phase. What I did was clean everything to good a couple of months ago. I basically took all my biological out the tank. I learned from that but I'm sure it's cycled. I don't disturb the biological in the filter and try not to clean the gravel all the way out now.

 

[Tiger_Oscar]

What site did you get that info from?
Fishbase says they can get upto 43" long
http://www.fishbase.org/Summary/SpeciesSummary.cfm?genusname=Colossoma&speciesname=macropomum

http://www.aquariumfish.net/catalog_pages/wild/pacu.htm

 

[greenmaji]

Im glad your getting on track...
And for that cousin!!! I need to send him an invite if I can find his e-mail!!

 

[greenmaji]

fishbase is the best resorce out there... you need to find the one you have on fishbase Tiger_Oscar.. If any other site says something else I would consider it wrong!