Possible for tank to cycle in 6 days??

[pkremer]

Hi there!

6 days ago, I put my first fish in my new 38 gallon tank to cycle it. They were 4 tiny little green swordtails. After 2 days, I noticed the ammonia starting to come up, but it was still registering as safe.

After some advice and an offer from my LFS, 2 days ago I traded 1 of my biowheels (Penguin 330) for a biowheel from one of my LFS's tanks. Yesterday, I noticed that the ammonia was down a bit, nitrites were not registering, and there was a slight reading of nitrate. Today, I tested again, and the nitrates are a little higher (still safe), nitrites not registering, and ammonia not registering! In fact, nitrites have NEVER registered in all 4 tests I've done. The LFS biowheel has been running in my tank for 48 hours.

I am using dip strips (haven't gotten around to finding the liquid kits), and I know they are not as accurate, but the strips say 0 for ammonia and nitrite with a slight rise in nitrates...this is what my LFS said my results would be when the tank had cycled. Is this possible for this to have happened in only 6 days? Maybe since I only had 4 tiny fish in such a large tank and brought an established biowheel home?

Either way, I will take a sample of my water to my LFS and have them test it before I add more fish. It just seems fast to me for it to have cycled already.

Paul

 

[tmurphy171]

2 days ago I traded 1 of my biowheels (Penguin 330) for a biowheel from one of my LFS's tanks.

WOW what a great way to get your tank started! Please port your test results when you receive them. You might want to look for the AP F/W Master Test Kit (around $20 at a pet chain, $5 to $8 less online) My bio wheels are in the middle of a cycle now turning dark. I'm not an expert but if it was my tank and the water test shows cycled results I'd go slow adding new a fish or two every two weeks or so. The second bio wheel needs 4 to 6 weeks to get its bio filter up to speed. hopefully one of the resident experts will add to this. Good luck!!

 

[Menagerie]

It is cycled because you already have all the necessary bacteria on the wheel. Using an established wheel gives you an instant cycle. That's why everyone loves the product Bio Spira--it contains the necessary bacteria and the tank does not go through the harsh ammonia spikes, followed by nitrites.
Actually, go ahead and add in other fish. The bacteria on the wheel will happily "eat" all the ammonia from new fish.
I know you are happy with your LFS, but before I moved to Canada, I used eBay to buy many aquarium items--good deals to be had! You should order a liquid test test

 

[oscarbreeder]

I used two filters from another tank to cycle my new 180 and it worked in just a few short days also.

 

[pkremer]

Well, it is 2 days later, I tested again, and ammonia and nitrite are at 0 with a slight rise in nitrates! My LFS says it sounds cycled! Woohoo!

I added 2 Yo-Yo loaches today (based on the profile by fruitbat)! They are very active and 1 of them has found a little hole under one of my decorations in between the decoration and the gravel. I think that will be his hiding spot. I was a little concerned about how they would get along with my 4 green swordtails, but there has been no trouble whatsoever. In fact, they seem to get along very well, checking each other out and getting right next to each other. I put some food in there (my daily 7pm feeding) and if the swordtails let it hit the bottom, there was 1 of the loaches, chowing down! Now they seem to be scouring my decoration looking for algae...

I think they will be an excellent addition to my aquarium. I'll continue to watch my water parameters, but I don't foresee adding two fish causing a problem (I hope)!

Paul

PS - Hrrrm....I'm thinking one of my swordtails is looking pregnant? Her belly is getting bigger and there seems to be kind of a black area inside her belly?