just woundering on someting??

[zao]

Hey people!
Well I have yet another quick question. I am currently in the process of cycling my 120Gal aquarium, and it has been three weeks now, and I have not seen any spike yet. The worst the ammonia gets is .25. I went the lfs today ask asked him on it. He said that, since it is such a big aquarium, that I might have all ready cycled, or I have not even started yet. You can't really tell. So do you think I have all ready cycled or not?

 

[krap101]

i doubt it... it took like 1 month and a half to cycle my 29... do u have any nitrates?

 

[Hooie]

4 weeks for my 75 doing a fishless cycle. I thought it was never gonna end.

If you haven't seen any nitrites or nitrates, you aren't cycled. I tested every day. If you test regularly, it's not something you're gonna miss. You aren't using any amonia absorbers like Ammo Chips or anything are you?

 

[Jchillin]

What are you cycling with? You may not have enough of a bio-load.

 

[zao]

No I am not using any ammo-chips. The filter that I do have is a filastar xp3. The filter media that I have in it are 20 - Bio-Stars, 1 - Bio-Zorb, 1 - Phost-Zorb and some small white filter pads at top. That is in the filter, I have do not have any nitriates, Ammonia the worse it gets is .25. I have about 17 Danios, 2 large Danios, and 3 Plates, in the tank for a bio-load. I did notice that I had some weird algee growing on my logs. I have never seen this before, it is in patches and it reminds me of hair. It reminds me of something you would see growing on a log in the lake. But I will take a picture of it later tonight, and post it here.

 

[ace1uno_00]

I dont even think it started yet.
Keep testing. give it time.

 

[zao]

Well I tested my water again today. and

Ammoina - 0 ppm
Nitrite - 0.50 ppm

So I guess it is kind of starting.

 

[Guest]

I would get some Seachem Stability, it worked wonders for me.

 

[zao]

Yeah I have a bottle of that stuff, I heard that some people say it works and some peole say it does not work. I know I did try it on the qt tank, and I never really saw it work, but then again I only gave it two days worth becasue I put him back home. The little sob, keep jumping out of the tank into my filter. You got to love eels!

 

[TankGirl]

The Bio-Sorb in the filter contains ammonia removing resin, so you will need to get that out of the filter if you want to speed things along. It won't completely stop the cycle, as it can absorb only so much ammonia, but it is holding you back.

No matter what the size aquarium you will have to grow bacteria, so just because it is large does not mean you will do anything differently, and your fish load seems adequate to get your cycle going. Mine have taken as long as six weeks, so do partial water changes to keep the ammonia below 0.5ppm and the same for nitrite, and wait it out. Do not disturb the gravel or clean anything, including the filter, during this time, and make sure the water temperature is up to at least 78F.

Don't bother testing nitrate until you have zero nitrite. The only way to chemically test for nitrate is to convert the nitrate back to nitrite, and measure that (that's why there are two reagent bottles in the test kit) and if you already have nitrite in the water the test won't be accurate.

Good luck!

 

[zao]

oh ok! My friend said that the other day with the bio-sorb. But he was not really for sure. But I think I will pull that out tonight! I am going to tell him to pull his out too, cause I think he placed his in there too. I think he started his cycle two days ago.

Yeah I tested the water the other day and ammionia 0 ppm nitries 0ppm. I am hoping that if I pull that out, it will really jump start.

 

[zao]

All right I tested the water again today, and on ammonia 0ppm, nitrites 0ppm. Does anyone think that I am done cycling or what? Cause this wed will be week 5.

 

[RoK]

What about nitrate?

 

[zao]

ok I tested for nitrate and they are between 5.0 and 10 ppm

 

[mattrox]

It sounds like your cycle just finished.