Please bear with me - Cycling

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apotocki

Aquarium Advice Regular
Joined
Jan 17, 2005
Messages
97
Location
Rochester Hills MI
I'm looking for confimation and assurance that my cycle is moving in the right direction.
Started my tank on 02/19 (70 Gallon) with 25 small goldfish.

Ammonia spiked at about 1.5ppm on 03/07 (lost 2 fish in that time)
Nitrite (.5ppm) also started showing up on 03/07

Ammonia reading 0 starting on 03/09 (after 15 days
Nitrite reading 5ppm (!)
Started every other day PWC of 20%

I've been testing the water every day since and have a Nitrite reading of somewhere between 2-5ppm (hard to tell the colors). The fish look and act fine....haven't lost any.

Today, it is still at 2-3ppm or so.......I tested for Nitrate and see about 10ppm. So, I've been seeing no Ammonia and 2-5ppm Nitrites for about 9 days.

I haven't touched the filter nor have I done any gravel cleaning...does all this sound right? How long will I see Nitrites? I know that this takes time but I'm getting anxious!

Alan
 
I just finished cycling my 130 Gallon and honestly, it was like someone snapped their fingers and it was done. I did a PWC every second day and tested the water on the off days. It seemed like it was over night and suddenly, Bam! The Ammonia dropped to 0, the Nitrites dropped to 0 and the Nitrates were up to 40ppm. It took a little over 2 weeks.

During my PWC's I was doing a deep clean of the gravel because I was adding some substrate and it wasn't as "Clean" as it should have been and made the water foggy...when it all settled I deep cleaned the substrate to get the loose partciles out of there....

So, it shouldn't matter if you start to do a PWC or not. I wouldn't touch the filters cause that will hold more bacteria than anything else in the tank...and if you do a deep level Gravel clean try to limit it to 1/3rd of the tank during each water change...It seemed to work very well for me.

How many goldfish do you have in there? What are your plans with them when you're done cycling? Are you keeping them?
 
I would think you are well past half way, more like 75% + done. If we were gambling, I would take odds on 7 days or less to go.
 
Tom - Sure hope you are right! After 1 month, I'm getting very antsy.

Today's Nitrite reading is still at least 1ppm (its very hard to read/determine the closest match on the AP color card)
 
OK...I think things are changing (and hopefully for the good!)

Today's readings:

Ammonia = 0
Nitrite = .5 (!)
Nitrate = 5ppm

My nitrites spiked at 5ppm (or more) on 03/09 and stayed high until yesterday (03/18) where they also looked like about .5.
My concern is the Nitrates.....I actually had Nitrate levels approx 20ppm on 03/10 (pretty close to my Nitrite spike) and then they gradually came down to where they are today (5ppm) Maybe the spike in Nitrite threw off the Nitrate test?

Anyway, I 'think' I'm almost done cycling!?! I want fish!

Oh - once my Nitrites are at 0, can I/should I clean the gravel and mechanical portion of the filter?

Thanks
 
Oh - once my Nitrites are at 0, can I/should I clean the gravel and mechanical portion of the filter?
Nah, shouldn't be much debris in it just yet. Add fish and think about gravel vac and mechanical filter change in a few weeks.
 
I wonder if maybe it was because of the 25 goldfish that it only took a month to cycle the tank. . . :wink:
 
Ok...first of all, I know that there are alot of fishless cycle folks out there and I apologize for my 'decision' to use small feeder goldfish to cycle with. My LFS recommended these (and the quantity). They told me I would probably lose 1/2 of them during cycling. I have only lost 2 (during the first 2 days) and the rest look and act fine. I will be taking them back to the LFS.
cJw - I see that you are cycling with 6 danios in a 30.....is it really that much different than mine?

Oh well, I just tested again today.....Nitrites are still at .5ppm (for the 3rd day). I did a 20% PWC. I thought that I would see the Nitrites pretty much go right to 0?!

Also, I'm beginning to see small dark brown patches on some of my silk plants and on the driftwood......maybe a form of algae?
 
Egads ; I just clicked on the 'report' button on your post, apotocki - I guess I should wear my glasses when posting. :grin:

My 6 danios are producing much less waste than 6 goldfish would; that's all I meant, that goldfish are known for their 'dirtiness'. :)
 
cJw - Sorry if I jumped the gun...its just that it seems like alot of folks here like to point out the fact that cycling with 'any' fish is not desirable. As I said, being a newcomer, I relied on my LFS for assistance with the cycling portion and went with their recommendation.
 
Bah, I don't think it's so hard on the fish, so long as you don't mind doing a pwc every day or so. . . :D

Of course, I'm a rookie and will happily admit that I don't have true experience yet and therefore don't know wth I'm talking about. :grin:
 
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