How long will the tank cycle per gallon?

[mr86mister]

Does anyone think that there is a range of how long a tank will cycle based on the amount of gallons? Like a 10 gallon could take 2 weeks while a 100 gallon will take 6 weeks. I was just curious if there was like a ratio, 1 gal cycles in 2 days sort of thing. Get my drift? I know it takes longer the larger the tank so why not find a specific thing per gallon.

 

[krap101]

i think it usually takes the same. because the more water=more bacteria in teh water. in a 10 gallon lets say theres 1 million, and in a 100 gallon maybe like a trillion? i dont know but i think thats how it goes

 

[Fishyfanatic]

The larger the tank, the longer it takes for it to cycle. Many factors play a part in how long it takes. With fish, without fish, the amount of ammonia added to the water, frequency of water changes, levels, tap water levels. There really isn't a ratio. For example, doing a fishless in a 100 gal tank keeping the ammonia levels around 4 would cycle faster than a 29 gal with 1 guppy.

 

[Guest]

Plus the type of filter and if a product is used (Bio-Spira, Stability) are major factors in how fast your tank cycles.

 

[Kerrinne]

Hey, I still like my using shrimp from the grocery store to cycle my 75 gallon in less than a week. It did stink though. 8O

 

[talloulou]

If you can get filter media or gravel from an established tank this can help speed up your tanks cycle a great deal as well.

 

[BrianNY]

The cycle time is not dependant on gallons of water at all. It has everything to do with bioload, oxygen, and surface to grow a nitrifying bacteria colony.

 

[Pufferpunk]

I agree. If you cycled a 1g w/ ammonia & a 1000g w/ammonia at the same levels, it would take the same time to cycle.

 

[jersysman]

I agree. If you cycled a 1g w/ ammonia & a 1000g w/ammonia at the same levels, it would take the same time to cycle.

I slightly disagree with this statement. It is because the 1g wouldn't have a filter that could provide some agitation of the water. Without that, I believe that the 1000g would cycle first.

 

[Guest]

I agree. If you cycled a 1g w/ ammonia & a 1000g w/ammonia at the same levels, it would take the same time to cycle.

I slightly disagree with this statement. It is because the 1g wouldn't have a filter that could provide some agitation of the water. Without that, I believe that the 1000g would cycle first.

There are way too many factors to just look at tank size. What about if the 1g was filled with plants and gravel, hooked up to a good biological filter, and you were using Bio-Spira in it, while the 1000g was empty and hooked up to a cheap hob filter with just carbon in it. Still think the 1000g would cycle first? Basically, cycling is the combination of a lot of factors and there is not going to be one blanket statement you can make IMO.

 

[jersysman]

All I was saying is that I disagreed with the earlier statement. Of course adding in other factors will either increase or decrease the cycle. But, that was not what I was talking about. That is why I quoted the selection.

 

[Pufferpunk]

You're realy mssing the point... The bacteria in a 10g, if given the exact same chances to multiply as a 100g, will finish the cycle exactally at the same time.

 

[jersysman]

In the previous example you gave 1 gallon not a 10 gallon. Since a 1 gallon probably wouldn't have a filter, I just pointed out that the tank with the filter would probably cycle first. I don't think I really was missing the point. If you meant 10 gallon all along, then I would agree with you.

 

[Pufferpunk]

I just used 1 gal as an example of a small tank. It's not really the number of gallons that matter here.

 

[jersysman]

Actually it was to me because I know that you can't use a filter in a 1 gallon tank.

 

[Pufferpunk]

What I'm trying to say is, water volume has absolutely no bearing on cycling time.

 

[BrianNY]

Pufferpunk is right on. Although the water column will contain some amount of Nitrobacter, Nitrospira, and Nitrococcus bacteria, it will never be enough to have any effect on the cycle. These bacteria proliferate very slowly and are actually quite fragile. They need a surface to cling to and are dependant on water movement for their source of oxygen. Therefore the filter is the most ideal place for nitrifying bacteria colony growth.

The tank is only cycled when it reaches a point of equilibrium between the animals that produce ammonia as a waste product, and the microorganisms which feed on it. How this occurs is up to the aquarium keeper. The size of the tank has no bearing on cycle time. However, the smaller the tank the easier to unbalance the equilibrium.

 

[greenmaji]

How about adding to the question..??
What are the ideal conditions to speed up the cycle without the aid of chemicals?
Temperature?
Amount of aeration?
Ideal Ammonia level without fish..ie fishless..
Ideal stocking level with fish.. and levels at wich that water changes are nessasary..
Other variables that have to be in place in the first place.. sufficient surface area for the bacteria to propagate..

 

[jersysman]

They need a surface to cling to and are dependant on water movement for their source of oxygen. Therefore the filter is the most ideal place for nitrifying bacteria colony growth.

So having a filter doesn't speed up the process?

 

[chasgood]

Found the following here. http://www.2cah.com/netmax/basics/water/water.shtml

BACTERIA TRIVIA
Ammonia (NH3/4) is converted to nitrite (NO2) by nitrosomonas bacteria. It has been long held that the NO2 eaters, creating nitrates (NO3) were nitrobacter, but some recent research at Marineland points to a species of Nitrospira being responsible, additionally or solely. Using research done at NitroLabs, I've summarized some bacteria characteristics which could be of interest to hobbyists. I've no idea if NitroSpira's characteristics are similar to the NitroBacters, listed below, but then, we are just having a bit of fun with this.

To recap; NH3/4 => Nitrosomonas => NO2 => Nirobacter/spira => NO3.

The last part of the chain (NO3 => anaerobic bacteria => nitrogen gas) is not covered here. The anaerobic bacteria responsible for converting NO3 back into nitrogen gas (to re-enter our food chain) do not have a significant presence in the small ecosystems that our aquariums represent. A bit more on this is in the Filters page discussing biological filtration and filter servicing of sintered glass.
Note that the following characteristic will vary, depending on your setup's characteristics.

* optimum growth: 77-86F
* growth decreases by 50% @ 64F
* growth decreased by 75% @ 46-50F
* no activity at 39F
* death at 32F or 120F
* nitrobacter (makes nitrates) less tolerant of low temperatures
* nitrobacter growth, doubles every 13 hours (very slow!)
* nitrosomonas (makes nitrites out of ammonia) growth, doubles every 7 hours (slow!)
* nitrobacter optimum pH 7.3-7.5 (african's, look out), inhibited at 6.0pH
* nitrosomonas optimum pH 7.8-8.0, inhibited at 6.5pH
* maximum nitrification rates exist when dissolved oxygen levels exceed 80% saturation, inhibited at 2.0 mg/l (ppm) or less
* nitrobacter more strongly affected by loss dissolved oxygen than nitrosomonas
* they require micronutrients (not found in RO, distilled or deionised water), most common is phosphorus
* nitrobacter cannot oxidize nitrite to nitrate in the absence of phosphates
* nitrifying bacteria are photosensitive (bad), esp. to blue & UV light while suspended in the water column
* chlorine & chloramines kill nitrifying bacteria

It's not recommended to alter you pH and temperature to accomodate the bacteria, as later you will change back to where you were before, and the bacteria you want are those which like your normal tank parameters. Having said that, optimal bacteria parameters would seem to be, no chlorine or chloramines, 81F, a pH pf 7.4 to 7.9, lots of aeration and having some trace phosphates.