ksimmons8001
Aquarium Advice Apprentice
- Joined
- Feb 17, 2018
- Messages
- 26
I have a 29 gallon tank with a 700 Cascade filter. The tank was originally cycled 3 years ago and has been maintained since. I chose to go from tropical to cold water. I removed the fish and gave them to a friend. I threw everything else out except the Cascade 700 which I rinsed in cold water from the sink. ( We have well water with a tap pH of 6 and no chlorine added). And also kept the 29 gallon tank. I added pool filter sand as a substrate and 5 plants ( 3 anubias and 2 Java ferns). My initial water test (API Freshwater Master Test Kit) after filling was pH off of the low scale side, ammonia and nitrite at 0 and nitrate at 5 ppm. Our well water here is very acidic as it is a shallow well with pine trees all around. I started a fishless cycle by adding ammonia at the rate of 4 ppm. On average, how long have you guys experienced the secondary cycle last? I remember at the beginning 3 years ago my initial cycle was 34 days. This time around I am seeing the nitrates immediately, but at a small rate.