Is This Normal? Super Fast Cycling in 10 Gallon Tank

[Twoapennything]

Is this normal? I set up a ten gallon quarantine tank on Friday afternoon (I have an ich outbreak) to put my fancy goldfish in. Of course the tank will need to cycle, and I know cycling with fish is not ideal. But it seems to be cycling super fast. Today's readings were: Ammonia 1.0; Nitrites .50; Nitrates 5, and this is after only 48 hours. My last experience with cycling was that the 10 gallon indeed cycled much faster than the 40 gallon tank, but even so it took ten days to two weeks for the ammonia to go down and the nitrites to start going up. I do know that goldfish give off more ammonia than other fish . . . would this be the cause? In the meantime, I'm just doing daily PWCs. It seems strange that I'm getting readings for ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates all at the same time after only two days.

 

[mfdrookie516]

try and get that ammonia down lower.. have you tested your tap for nitrites and nitrates?

 

[Twoapennything]

try and get that ammonia down lower.. have you tested your tap for nitrites and nitrates?

Yep, I'm working on the ammonia. By that, do you mean just testing the water straight from the tap with the master kit? I could do that, sure.

 

[mfdrookie516]

yes, just test it straight from the tap... sometimes it can contain both which could explain the presence of them... if not, congrats on a super quick start on a cycle

 

[Twoapennything]

yes, just test it straight from the tap... sometimes it can contain both which could explain the presence of them... if not, congrats on a super quick start on a cycle

Well, I'll say Thank You for your congrats, because the tap water was zero/zero for nitrites and nitrates. Go figure!