Cycling question

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gilmorem1410

Aquarium Advice Apprentice
Joined
Jan 3, 2015
Messages
10
Location
Indiana
Ok, I began a fishless cycle 3 weeks ago. I added filter from my 3 gal tank to my marineland 360. I dosed to 3 ppm ammonia and waited. I got a drop to about 2 ppm in 2 weeks and then got impatient. I tested water and had 2 ppm ammonia, 0 nitites and 20 ppm nitrates. Yeah, weird i know. I then decided to change to fish in cycling. I did 80% water change and used prime. 48 hrs later I added tetra safe start and 5 1" zebra danios and 1 2" neon danio from previous tank. They have been in tank for a week now. Tested water and 0 amm, 0 nitrite and 30 ppm nitrate. Is this tank cycled? Its 70 gal btw. I have been doing water tests and have yet to get any nitrite readings. I am confused.


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the 0 A & 0 nI are good signs, but a week isn't really long enough to tell. The 30 nA is promising, the cycle has to be working to produce nA. Test every couple days, if the nA keeps slowly increasing and the others remain 0 I'd say it has cycled.

Likely the small filter from your 3G is doing all the work, I'd wait a few weeks before adding more fish. Starting a tank with an established filter is the best way IMO, you'll not have any cycle. You just have to remember that for the first several weeks the tank can only really handle the bioload that small filter is capable of.
 
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