Cycling question

[Metatron]

Hi...I am doing a fish less cycle in a 5 gallon tank to get ready for a Betta...I introduced the ammonia nearly a week ago and now the water is cloudy, feeling like it is a bacteria bloom. I have nitrate spike. Do I do any water changes or just let it do its thing?


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[ScotJudd]

Hi there. It's early days and you're doing well to get a nitrite spike so early. The bacterial bloom, presuming it to be milky white, will clear in time and needs no treatment.
When cycling I normally only water change to keep the nitrite and nitrate reading about mid scale on the colour charts, if it's off the chart then you can't tell if it's rising or going lower. If your reading are not off the chart then I'd leave it alone, apart from maintaining a decent ammonia level to feed the bacteria. I keep my tanks at 4ppm ammonia whilst cycling and at 2ppm when cycled but awaiting fish, just to keep it ticking over.
Obviously a huge water change is required before the fish arrive so that the nitrates are well below 20ppm. Then you're good to go. Enjoy.


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[Metatron]

The ammonia, nitrates and nitrites are way up...would adding water from my existing tank speed things up?


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[ScotJudd]

There is very little free floating bacteria in tank water. If you have an existing tank then a small part of the filter media put into your new filter will seed it and the tank will cycle quicker.


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