Cycling

[Ld123]

Looking at this water test. Where am I in my cycle?

 

[Ld123]

Forgot to post picture

 

[Jbhardy]

About halfway. How long have you been started?

 

[Ld123]

Only a couple days but doing tank transfer so old substrate and filter media are being used. How much longer would u say?

 

[Bayo]

wow, looking at your water test, i am at the same stage. Mine has been cycling for 2.5 weeks but I started from scratch, no filter media or substrate from another tank. How often are you doing the partial water changes? Both of you nitrites and nitrates seems a bit high. Keep us posted and happy fishkeeping.

 

[Ld123]

I haven't done a water change yet as only been set up about 2-3 days. I don't know how much longer it will take though.

 

[Ld123]

Yes they are a bit high. I am confused how nitrate can be showing and nitrite is still high?!

 

[Stephen Rollins]

With fish or without?

 

[Ld123]

With fish

 

[Stephen Rollins]

With fish

Okay can't help you there. I'm new and I'm currently doing a fishless

 

[Bayo]

I'm doing fish-in cycle for close to 3 weeks now. I started with fish since day 1 and as of today no fish loss (yet). I have 3 neon tetras and 3 platies. I've been very diligent on checking my water parameters and doing pwc constantly. At least once a day ~50-60%. Also, I'm very careful of not over feeding my fish. You will do good, but focus on those parameters at least once a day and get those levels down by doing partial water changes. Keep us posted on your progress.

 

[Ld123]

Daily water changes do u mean? How much in a 90L? Yes my fish are fed every other day.

 

[Jbhardy]

Honestly it depends. My last setup cycled in 18 days. Incredibly fast IMO. So I waited until 30 to add fish. I have seen some take as long as 40 days. Amount of water flow, oxygen, LR all factored in it varies typically 30-40 days unless your using chemical to speed it up I personally am anti chemical.

 

[Ld123]

How long with chemical?

 

[librarygirl]

Was the previous tank fully cycled (0 ammonia and nitrite) before the switch? if so then it's probably just a mini cycle from switching over, some debris could have gotten kicked up from the substrate and causing nitrites. If it's a mini cycle it shouldn't last too long, a few days to a week approximately. WIth nitrite at 2+ though and with fish you'll want to do some large water changes to get those levels down.

 

[Bayo]

I'm using "cycle" to speed up the process, but I realized that the cycle has stalled. I'm wondering if it is because I was adding too much dechlorinator to the water on the daily water change.

 

[Ld123]

No the filter on the new tank is new but I used some old media from current rank

 

[Ld123]

I am using a cycle agent aswell. But I have not done a wc yet

 

[Jbhardy]

Some chemicals boast a 1-2 day cycle. Others say they make ammonias nitrites and nitrates non lethal to fish. I personally prefer patience. It's always worked in the past. But if you must hurry go get some bags of mud from a friend or LFS and place them in the tank in moderate water flow area but beware of the possibility of bringing in parasite and disease from other system

 

[Jbhardy]

Patience. It sucks it's slow. But it's worth it.