Cycle complete?

[Coyne]

45G tank with a Marineland 350 filter thats been doing a fish-in (5 Serpae Tetras) cylcle for two weeks.
Ive been doing daily 50% PWCs since ammonia started showing up on the tests (which was only 1 week ago) and have been using Prime and Top Fin Bacteria Supplement with every PWC.
It has been roughly 48 hrs since I have had any ammonia or nitrites show up on any tests (using the API liquid test, btw).
I still have nitrates, but they seem to be under control... increasing at a rate of about 5ppm/24hrs.

I know its only been 2 weeks of cycling an only 2 days of harmony, but what do you think? Am I letting my impatience and excitement lead me into a false sense of security?

 

[BBradbury]

Fish-In Cycling

45G tank with a Marineland 350 filter thats been doing a fish-in (5 Serpae Tetras) cylcle for two weeks.
Ive been doing daily 50% PWCs since ammonia started showing up on the tests (which was only 1 week ago) and have been using Prime and Top Fin Bacteria Supplement with every PWC.
It has been roughly 48 hrs since I have had any ammonia or nitrites show up on any tests (using the API liquid test, btw).
I still have nitrates, but they seem to be under control... increasing at a rate of about 5ppm/24hrs.

I know its only been 2 weeks of cycling an only 2 days of harmony, but what do you think? Am I letting my impatience and excitement lead me into a false sense of security?

Hello Coy...

By removing most of the dissolved ammonia (NO) and nitrites (NO2), you delay the growth of the good bacteria, because these microscopic bugs feed on these forms of nitrogen. No food, no reproduction.

This is why you use hardy fish, because they can handle the higher levels of nitrogen in the water and this allows the good bacteria to grow quickly and complete the nitrogen cycle in a month to 6 weeks.

You can speed the cycling process a bit by using bottled bacteria. Seachem's "Stability" can be added according to instructions, but you'll need to keep your daily water changes to no more than 25 to 30 percent of the tank's volume or your tank may still be cycling this time next year.

B

 

[shellieca]

45G tank with a Marineland 350 filter thats been doing a fish-in (5 Serpae Tetras) cylcle for two weeks.
Ive been doing daily 50% PWCs since ammonia started showing up on the tests (which was only 1 week ago) and have been using Prime and Top Fin Bacteria Supplement with every PWC.
It has been roughly 48 hrs since I have had any ammonia or nitrites show up on any tests (using the API liquid test, btw).
I still have nitrates, but they seem to be under control... increasing at a rate of about 5ppm/24hrs.

I know its only been 2 weeks of cycling an only 2 days of harmony, but what do you think? Am I letting my impatience and excitement lead me into a false sense of security?

I consider my tanks cycled when my ammonia/nitrites are 0 & nitrates <20 for a week. I've had odd things happen; 0 ammo/nitrites one day & then the next nitrites. So my advice keep testing daily, do a water change as necessary & when its been a week (or more) with the "perfect" readings consider yourself cycled.

 

[Coyne]

Hmm... I guess I thought that since Im seeing a regular daily increase in my nitrates it meant that I was getting the Ammonia -> Nitrite -> Nitrate conversion that I wanted.

I'll reduce my PWCs to 25% and keep an eye on it for another week. If I can control my urge to put in more fish for another day then I'll be back at work for the next 4 days and will have to wait until next week anyways.

 

[shellieca]

Hehe . . . we all know that impatience. only do a water change IF you have ammonia/nitrites >.25 or nitrates >20 while you're fish IN cycling and yes you are getting the conversion, its moving along as it should be but until you have 0 ammo/nitrites, <20 (some say <40) nitrates you're not fully cycled.

 

[librarygirl]

Water changes won't affect the cycle; with that said if your ammonia and nitrite are <.25 and your nitrates are under 20 then there's no need to do a water change unless they go higher. Have you had nitrites yet? You may be getting over the ammonia phase and heading into nitrite, so I'd keep testing. Have you tested your tap water for nitrates?

 

[Coyne]

yes... at the 7 day mark the ammonia started raising past the .25ppm mark and thats when I started doing PWCs. This lasted for 2 1/2 days and I have not seen any ammonia since.

The nitrites showed up 2 days after the ammonia (so 9 days into the cycle) and topped out at 5+ppm and I started doing two 50% PWCs per day for the next two days, which is when both ammonia and nitrite tests started showing up as 0ppm and have stayed that way for the past 48-ish hours.

During the past 48 hours the nitrates increased 5ppm every 24 hours. I went back to doing only one 50% PWC on those two days. Frankly I wasnt sure what nitrate levels I needed to be concerned with. In my afternoon reading is between 0 and 5ppm, so I dont do anything. In the evening my reading is between 5 and 10ppm, which is when I have been doing the PWC.

I'll start using the new guidlines Ive been given and wait until ammonia, nitrite and/or nitrate levels come closer to an unsafe level before I do anything.

Im sure Im just getting antsy and have convinced myself that the Prime and Bacterial Supplement are somehow working a miracle by doing in 14 days what normally takes 30+ days.

Im grateful for everybody's advice and help in keeping me grounded.
In the meantime, I'll just keep myself amused by watching my 5 tetras do loop-de-loops in the flow of the filters output.

 

[Coyne]

Have you tested your tap water for nitrates?

I had assumed that since my readings for all three decreased whenever I did a PWC that my tap water was fine, but after reading your question it dawned on me that I had only tested my tap water for PH and Hardness.
So I just completed a test of all three out of the tap and am happy to say it is 0ppm across the board.
Thanks for bringing this oversight to my attention.

 

[Coyne]

Well, another 24 hrs with no ammonia or nitrites. However, there's been no increase in nitrates either. Any ideas?
I do have plants in the aquarium and Thursday evening I changed the bulb for one that's supposed to have a range more ideal for photosynthesis. Also on Thursday evening I placed some root tabs in the tank.

Is it possible that the plants are doing better and are absorbing more nitrates out of the water? Or is it just coincidence that my nitrates stopped when I made these changes?

 

[shellieca]

I wouldn't worry about the nitrates not spiking really high, I had a tank go berserk with nitrates & another that spiked at maybe 20. I'd just enjoy the fact you don't have to do a water change because the parameters are good!

 

[Coyne]

Grrr... I almost made it a whole week with no ammonia or nitrites and then tonight I tested and my nitrites jumped up again (.25ppm).

I did break down yesterday and added two more Serpae Tetras to my school, bringing the total to seven. Could this have been the cause? I didnt think two more would make that much of a difference, especially since my water had been behaving so well.

On a side note: I was amazed at how much healthier and bright the 5 existing tetras were compared to the two new additions. Im taking this as a sign that I may be doing somethings right.

 

[Coyne]

Things have been steady for almost a week and, fingers crossed, I should be done ready to add more fish.
Since I'll be fresh out of the first cycle, would it be better to:
A) add 3 Mollies (heartier fish but larger bio-load)
Or
B) add part of a school of Harlequin Rasbora, say 5 out of the eventual 10. (Not as hearty but a less impactful bio-load). Or would it be ok to add all 10 at the same time?