Is my tank cycled already?

[teejay]

Hello people,

A quick bit of advice from the many wise and experienced fishkeepers on here would be much appreciated. I'm very much a newbie at this game. I have a 90 litre Fluval Roma. 3 weeks ago I set it up, including with plants (2 anubias nana, 2 java ferns, three hygro, java moss) and let them settle in for a week. Then I added two of a friends green tiger barbs, still youngish, not full size. I also added filter squeezings, plus rubbed his filter pads all over mine, and added a fair amount of his gravel. I've been learning quick, but not quick enough. Having now read about fishless cycle I would do that if I had another chance.

But, the two little guys seem to be doing well, feeding hungrily and buzzing around the place. As I read more I realised I needed a testing kit, and the API Master arrived yesterday. Today, 13 days since the barbs wre added I tested for the first time and got Ammo 0ppm, Nitrites 00pm, and Nitrate 10ppm. The 10ppm on Nitrate could be 20 the colours are very similar on the chart.

Surely this doesn't mean the tank is already cycled? I know seeding is suppossed to speed things up, but can't imagine it does it that quickly. Could it be that the Nitrite hasn't even started to go up yet? But Nitrate already has?

Any inputs would be much appreciated. I guess I need to keep testing, but what should I be looking out for?

 

[teejay]

Lots of views but no replies! Anyone with any thoughts on cycling times and next steps?

 

[JimmyJBBPJMT]

Sounds like it done cycling to me. The best thing you did was trying to get bacteria from your friend. I just set up a 55 gallon cichlid tank, added six used filters and the next day started adding fish. Cycling the tank allows for bacteria to grow and in the process harmful chemicals to dissipate. If you add good bacteria to the tank it skips the entire process as the bacteria feed on the bad chemicals as soon as they appear making it safe for fish. If you skip the cycle like this you actually need to add fish relatively quickly compared to normal as the fish produce waste which feeds the bacteria. If you don't add enough fish the bacteria will all die and then you'll have to cycle like normal.

 

[teejay]

Thanks for the reply, much appreciated. I knew seeding could speed things up, but had no idea it could work so quickly. Good news!

In terms of adding fish, you think I should add more quickly then? I can add some this weekend if so, on Sunday. The tiger barbs were only on loan, so they will go when I add more. So I need to replace their bioload, and also add more for the bacteria to feed on. I'm thinking a shoal of black neon tetras. But how many to add? I've read that you shouldn't overdo it, as you don't want to create more waste than the bacteria can handle.

Any thoughts on this?

 

[shellieca]

I would be cautious about adding fish, only a few at a time. 2 Barbs in a ~23g may not be producing enough ammonia to feed much BB & the little bit of seeding you did is fine for them. Adding fish may overwhelm what BB you do have. Just make sure you continue to test, especially after adding fish to make sure there are no major issues.

 

[Caliban07]

Sounds cycled to me bud. Seeded media rapidly speed things up.

 

[teejay]

Thanks folks. I guess this the problem, there is good bacteria present, but how much?! Hard to tell, but can only presume it's relative to what bioload is being produced, so if there are only two barbs plus planst taking on ammo and nitrite), it can't be too much.

In which case I'll go slow with stocking. I'm thinking maybe take out the two barbs, and add 5-6 black neon tetra? How does that sound?

 

[Caliban07]

Yes. From what I have read though, reproduction rates of our bacteria differ slightly which can be an issue with a fish in cycle in the early stages. Water changes are important and it's always best to use a small amount of small fish. A bigger volume of water helps and very careful feeding. If you do this then a fish in cycle is a safe and effective way of cycling a tank even more so when using seeded media.

The heterotrophic bacteria that breaks down organic compounds in the aquarium reproduces at an alarming rate so ammonia is present fairly quickly during a fish in cycle but if the organic compounds are very few then it traces of ammonia will be slim and of course diluted in large volumes if water. The second bacteria though nitrosamonas is very efficient at converting ammonia so even small amounts of bacteria would do this quickly. It is the last bacteria nitrobacter which converts nitrite where the problem lies. Reproduction rates are very slow and many people see large reading of nitrites during cycles. This is where water changes come in. Water change depending on nitrite test results however often you need to. This bacteria also requires phosphate to do its job which makes water changes doubly important.

Fishless cycles of course present no risk to fish at all and gives room for error during a cycle. However high quantities of ammonia are added that does not represent a very small constant dosing that fish produce. This means that the bacteria is not colonised enough to handle these loads especially in the nitrite stages. Because nitosomonas is so efficient, you end up with sky high nitrites and the nitrobacter have to get to work converting these but they are nowhere near ready to tackle the volumes present but you are still dosing high ammonia so it never stops going up. Then eventually when you have enough to convert to nitrate, nitrate readings rocket off the scale and you have to do severe water changes to get them down. I have seen many queries on here during fishless cycle like. 'Nitrite to high' 'cycle stalled' people getting stressed and panicking even starting from scratch cleaning all the filters and gravel killing the bacteria that has colonised.

If I was to do a fishless cycle, I would add a few fish flakes to give an organic compound and dose very small amounts if ammonia and try to replicate cycle with fish.

Fish in cycles can be effective and only a small risk if done properly.

Do another water change before adding the tetra and test all toxins again to make sure your cycle is complete.