Cycling tank

[Ptah_Gib]

Hi all. I have a 10G tank with two mollies and two guppies which is currently cycling (I learnt too late the art of fishless cycling-doh!). To speed things along, I have managed to obtain some floss from an established tank. The problem is (if I can call it that) is that I have been given more floss than I can stuff in my filter. I don't want to throw out the surplus, so I currently have what I can't put in my filter (aquaclear 30) hanging inside the tank inside a pantyhose. My question is, how long to leave it in and if it is just a simple case of discarding it once the cycle is complete. Sorry for the long post.

 

[Ptah_Gib]

Anyone with any pointers?

 

[Brian_Nano12g]

I would leave it in there until you get the right water parameter readings. Do you have a liquid test kit? You'll get ammonia readings at first in which you'll have to do frequent PWCs in order to keep the ammonia from spiking too high. You'll want to keep repeating the process every other day or so until you eventually stabilize at 0 ammonia, 0 nitrites, and a trace of nitrates around 5ppm. Then you'll be cycled

 

[Ptah_Gib]

Thanks. Yes, I am using the API master test kit. I have ammonia readings and doing PWC every other day. Hopefully I'll get nitrites soon now that I have seeded the tank-woohoo! (although I know nitrites are bad too but at least I know the cycle is progressing)

 

[Brian_Nano12g]

You'll really want to watch for elevated ammonia and keep it as low as possible because guppies are kinda sensitive and aren't really the best in terms of cycling. Ideally if you had to cycle with fish, hardy varieties such as danios or cherry barbs are good. Keeping the ammonia low will also take your tank longer to cycle unfortunately because the one thing your bacteria needs is the same thing that is deadly to your fish.

 

[Ptah_Gib]

I have been trying to cycle the tank for some time now, and realised it was probably down to keeping the ammonia levels low. I started looking around for some seeding material to speed things up.

 

[Jess1ca]

Thanks. Yes, I am using the API master test kit. I have ammonia readings and doing PWC every other day. Hopefully I'll get nitrites soon now that I have seeded the tank-woohoo! (although I know nitrites are bad too but at least I know the cycle is progressing)

You may never see nitrites while using active media, I never did... Went right to nitrates.

 

[Ptah_Gib]

You may never see nitrites while using active media, I never did... Went right to nitrates.

Does that mean I should be checking for nitrates straight away, or wait until ammonia drops to zero, or?...

 

[Jess1ca]

Does that mean I should be checking for nitrates straight away, or wait until ammonia drops to zero, or?...

I would test for Trates now, I have Trates but still have ammonia but I have a lot of fish too.

 

[Ptah_Gib]

Great, thanks! Will do.

 

[Jess1ca]

Great, thanks! Will do.

No Problem!