Can a tank cycle in a week?

[Ottermus]

A friend is setting up another tank in his house, he decided to run his new filter on his old tank for a week and then transfer it into new tank. He also but some decor from old tank into new tank and added some food to the tank. He ran it like this for 5 days. We tested the tank water for first time today with API master kit and got readings of

AMMO = 0
NITRITE = 0
NITRATE = between 10 and 20

Any advice would be appreciated, thanks.

 

[jcolon]

It this case it's possible though it usually takes a couple of weeks to seed a new filter this way. Since the bacteria's already in the tank and you used decor, colonizing the new filter wouldn't take as long as a whole new set up.

However, continue to test .. as long as Ammo and trite's stay at 0 and trates go up ... then you basically have a cycled tank.

 

[Ottermus]

Ok thanks, we will test again in 2 or 3 days and see how it is.

 

[jlk]

Are you adding an ammonia source? What size tank is it? Have you tested the tap water to rule out nitrates in the tap?

 

[Ottermus]

Not sure on tank size, it's my friends tank, I think it's 100 litres, just added fish food for ammonia source. He won't have tested the tap water because he's bringing his water to work for me to test, but I will ask him to bring some in to confirm, thanks

 

[MyDaughtersKeeper]

I can say I seeded my new tank with an old filter and 7 gallons of water from my other tank. It has been a month now, I have close to 40 total fish and I haven't seen a jump in anything. I did add them every couple of days, but I'm zeros across the board except nitrates and they are under 10. It is a 125 gallon.

 

[Ottermus]

Well lets hope it's cycled as my friend told me hes put all his fish into the tank this morning!!