Cycled? Did my plants help?

[piao liang yu]

This is the post I put in the general discussion forum. One of the responders said it is because of my plants. I was under the impression you only get nitrates through the nitrification process after Ammonia converted to nitrite and then nitrite to nitrate. Is it true that my plants can explain my results explained below? It appears to me as if I am nearly cycled and it has only been a week today since I have added fish. I did use tetra safestart though. Plus I got several big pieces of driftwood from established tanks.

I got my tank setup and running with driftwood and plants from established tanks the Saturday before last. I added fish, three guppies a week ago today along with Tetra safestart (bacteria in a bottle) The next day I added two red wag platies, the day after that (Friday) I added one more guppy. Not adding any more fish until I know I am cycled. I did a pwc on Saturday, Actually two of them. One that morning and another that night.

I have been testing daily with the API master kit and the readings have all been pretty much 0 except for just barely trace amounts of Ammonia (like barely registering .25. Just checked a few minutes ago and Ammonia is zero, nitrites are zero and nitrates read at least 10 or higher and I tested twice to double check. Does this mean I am cycled and the tetra safestart worked? I am still gonna wait a couple of weeks before adding more fish, but I would like to hear from the experts (those who have gone through this a few times) to see if I am cycled or close to it? I had planned to do another pwc today, but wanted to test before and after. Well with my before results what they are should I do the pwc today or wait until Saturday?

60 gallon long with driftwood and around 10 plants such as anubias and java ferns.

 

[piao liang yu]

This is the post I put in the general discussion forum. One of the responders said it is because of my plants. I was under the impression you only get nitrates through the nitrification process after Ammonia converted to nitrite and then nitrite to nitrate. Is it true that my plants can explain my results explained below? It appears to me as if I am nearly cycled and it has only been a week today since I have added fish. I did use tetra safestart though. Plus I got several big pieces of driftwood from established tanks.

I got my tank setup and running with driftwood and plants from established tanks the Saturday before last. I added fish, three guppies a week ago today along with Tetra safestart (bacteria in a bottle) The next day I added two red wag platies, the day after that (Friday) I added one more guppy. Not adding any more fish until I know I am cycled. I did a pwc on Saturday, Actually two of them. One that morning and another that night.

I have been testing daily with the API master kit and the readings have all been pretty much 0 except for just barely trace amounts of Ammonia (like barely registering .25. Just checked a few minutes ago and Ammonia is zero, nitrites are zero and nitrates read at least 10 or higher and I tested twice to double check. Does this mean I am cycled and the tetra safestart worked? I am still gonna wait a couple of weeks before adding more fish, but I would like to hear from the experts (those who have gone through this a few times) to see if I am cycled or close to it? I had planned to do another pwc today, but wanted to test before and after. Well with my before results what they are should I do the pwc today or wait until Saturday?

60 gallon long with driftwood and around 10 plants such as anubias and java ferns.

Note: I actually forgot to test yesterday, but other than that I have tested daily.

 

[Scottyhorse]

Well there is a thing called a silent cycle, where you have about 80%+ coverage with fast growing plants, then you have the possibility of cycling in ten days. But since you don't have many plants, and the ones you do have a slow growing, I don't think they did very much.

 

[piao liang yu]

Well there is a thing called a silent cycle, where you have about 80%+ coverage with fast growing plants, then you have the possibility of cycling in ten days. But since you don't have many plants, and the ones you do have a slow growing, I don't think they did very much.

So according to my test results my tank is cycled correct? Is there another explanation for the spike in nitrates? I understand it is not planted heavily enough for a silent cycle, but I was asking here because some on the general discussion forum said it was due to the plants.

 

[Scottyhorse]

Yes you could be cycled but I am not positive, because it seems like you haven't been cycling for very long....

But you could very well be. If I were you I would keep dosing and see what happens.

 

[piao liang yu]

Yes you could be cycled but I am not positive, because it seems like you haven't been cycling for very long....

But you could very well be. If I were you I would keep dosing and see what happens.

What do you mean by "keep dosing"

I do plan to continue testing and not add any more fish until I know for certain it is cycled.

 

[aqua_chem]

A plants are not a miracle device in that they will cycle your tank faster than without them. Rather, the addition of plants helps absorb ammonia levels such that they never get to a point where they will be harmful your inhabitants, but they are still present in a level that bacteria can utilize, which is significantly smaller. Your filter will still take the same amount of time to cycle barring other factors, but the plants mask the ammonia and nitrite spikes. You might have helped seed your tank with some of the stuff from your old tank, and maybe the Safestart helped. You might try increasing your stock slowly to see if you can get a rise out of your ammonia.

Silent cycle is observed when you have both good light and fast growing plants. Anubias and java fern are nowhere near the speed we need for that, so I'm wondering what else you might have in the tank.

 

[piao liang yu]

A plants are not a miracle device in that they will cycle your tank faster than without them. Rather, the addition of plants helps absorb ammonia levels such that they never get to a point where they will be harmful your inhabitants, but they are still present in a level that bacteria can utilize, which is significantly smaller. Your filter will still take the same amount of time to cycle barring other factors, but the plants mask the ammonia and nitrite spikes. You might have helped seed your tank with some of the stuff from your old tank, and maybe the Safestart helped. You might try increasing your stock slowly to see if you can get a rise out of your ammonia.

Silent cycle is observed when you have both good light and fast growing plants. Anubias and java fern are nowhere near the speed we need for that, so I'm wondering what else you might have in the tank.

Well I have three large pieces of driftwood that came from the mom and pop shop's established tanks plus I have two smaller pieces I bought with plants on them from an individual that was in an established tank. And as soon as I poured in the tetra safestart I added three guppies. Added two red wag platies the next day and another guppy the day after that. Then did two pwc's the next day. I guess the tetra safestart something, but I am wondering if there was more beneficial bacteria in the driftwood that took off for me. I don't know, but it is encouraging. I will keep testing and add fish slowly. Gonna wait a while before adding more just to be safe.

Thanks for the clarification.

 

[jetajockey]

6 little fish in a 60g isn't going to produce tons of waste, which is a good thing. Sounds like you are off to a good start all around.

 

[Mrs.h2012]

6 little fish in a 60g isn't going to produce tons of waste, which is a good thing. Sounds like you are off to a good start all around.

I agree here. Since we aren't for certain the tank is in fact cycled its now essentially in a fish in cycle. I remember reading in a fish in article that the general rule is you want one fish per 10 gallons when fish in cycling. Since you do have plants that will absorb the ammonia, if you feel
comfortable doing this, and by comfortable i mean being sure you have the time to dedicate to daily testing and possibly daily water changes, and I would slowly add maybe a platy or two, I wouldn't do more than 2, until you are getting a trace amount of ammonia (and by trace I mean no higher than .25ppm), but ONLY a trace. Again, I would only do that if your comfortable doing that.

 

[Fresh2o]

Regarding the nitrates, you may want to test your tap water. I have about 10 ppm nitrates (along with 1.0 ppm ammonia) in my tap water. Good to get a baseline. I try to keep my PWCs to about 25% because of that.

 

[piao liang yu]

Regarding the nitrates, you may want to test your tap water. I have about 10 ppm nitrates (along with 1.0 ppm ammonia) in my tap water. Good to get a baseline. I try to keep my PWCs to about 25% because of that.

I have tested my tap water and it tests zero for all parameters. The tank water tested zero except for small traces of ammonia until today. Now i have at least 10 nitrates and zero for nitrite and ammonia.

 

[Fresh2o]

I have tested my tap water and it tests zero for all parameters. The tank water tested zero except for small traces of ammonia until today. Now i have at least 10 nitrates and zero for nitrite and ammonia.

Now that we've determined the PWCs are not contributing to the nitrates I think we can assume that the BB generated them and that it is active. Perhaps, as mentioned previously, the tank volume and low bioload are factoring in here. I'm guessing that since the ammonia levels are low due to volume dilution, the BB can process them. I agree with the incremental increases (plus monitoring and PWCs).

 

[piao liang yu]

Now that we've determined the PWCs are not contributing to the nitrates I think we can assume that the BB generated them and that it is active. Perhaps, as mentioned previously, the tank volume and low bioload are factoring in here. I'm guessing that since the ammonia levels are low due to volume dilution, the BB can process them. I agree with the incremental increases (plus monitoring and PWCs).

So as long as my parameters continue to look right I can start adding maybe two or three fish a week? Until I get up to 24-26 fish. The type of fish I am getting are guppies, platies, probably a school of something like tetras or danios, maybe a small catfish like a cory or something?? All smaller fish. I reckon the platies will be my biggest fish. My tank is a 60 gallon long.

 

[Mrs.h2012]

So as long as my parameters continue to look right I can start adding maybe two or three fish a week? Until I get up to 24-26 fish. The type of fish I am getting are guppies, platies, probably a school of something like tetras or danios, maybe a small catfish like a cory or something?? All smaller fish. I reckon the platies will be my biggest fish. My tank is a 60 gallon long.

I wouldn't add that many every week. I would say 2-3 every two weeks, maybe even three weeks.

 

[jetajockey]

Just let the test results guide you. If you add 3 or 4 and still read 0 nh3 /no2 for a week or so then I'd assume you are safe to add more.

 

[Mrs.h2012]

Just let the test results guide you. If you add 3 or 4 and still read 0 nh3 /no2 for a week or so then I'd assume you are safe to add more.

+1! Very well said!