Seeding tank

[koz]

If I can seed my filter from my lfs
how much will I help the cycling and is it worth doing at this late stage
Am doing a fish in cycle with 2 Neon tetras and 2 platies with a 65Lt tank and am currently on day 26
Current readings are

Day 25 was
Ammonia 0.50
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 25
Ph 7.6
Temp 24c
30% water change

Day 26
Ammonia 0.25
Nitrate 0
Others not tested
No water change

Am an impatient person by nature. But am a perfectionist
sorry lol

 

[Mr. Limpet]

It'll help and depending on how much you get, will determine how much it'll help. Fish in cycling is tough, but if you're diligent you'll get thru it.

If you haven't seen it, here's a link to help you out.

I just learned about cycling but I already have fish. What now?!

Good luck!

 

[jsoong]

Are you sure you are not done?

You have a nitrate of 25 on Day 25. <And I assume you meant *nitrite* is zero on Day 26.> Is that higher than when you started? <What was the nitrate in your tap??>

It is quite possible that you have missed the peaks and you cycle is already done. That low level of ammonia may be a testing error. <If you use a Nessler kit, it will read the bound ammonia from the chloramines in the tap & give you a low reading like that. Test tap water + dechlor to see if that is exactly what you are seeing.>

I would hold off on the pwc & test every day to see if that ammonia is increasing. If not, you might well be done.

 

[koz]

My nitrate reading in my source water is around 32 ppm and this is also consistent with my suppliers website readings for my area
I am using live plant to lower the nitrates which seem to be working.
I must start an proof read what I put I meant
Nitrite 0 for day 26

I have been monitoring Ammonia levels and when they have read over 0.25 I have done an appropriate water change.
this at the moment seems to be every other day or so.

 

[Randi]

I keep an extra filter sponge in the filter box of each of my tanks. You know, just in case I need one. If you are in Colorado you are welcome to have one.

 

[jsoong]

If you have live plants And nitrates in tap, that really makes interpretation difficult. It is possible to have a totally silent cycle with the plants, as they will take in ammonia preferentially, and you will never see any peaks in ammonia or nitrite.

The only way you can tell if you tank is cycling is watching ammonia clearance. You might just have to let the ammonia rise a little bit more (to say 0.5 or 0.75) even though it is not good for the fish. If you do pwc's at 0.25, you won't know if the ammonia is kept low due to pwc, plants or test error.

At day 25, I would expect at least the establishment of the first part of the cycle. I would watch the tank & see if the ammonia is actually rising without pwc.

 

[koz]

Thanks jaoong I will do that I posted a thread about the possibility my cycle had stalled. And have considered the possibility that what you have just said to be the case
Thanks again am going to keep a close eye on my fish though

 

[koz]

Thanks randi for the offer but am in Nottingham England