# Am I cycled?



## Shiban (Sep 28, 2010)

Tank is 20g high. I have 4 Zebra Danios in that have been in for 5 weeks today.

3 days ago, ammonia was at .5ppm, nitrites at 2.0ppm, I did a 50% water change. The next day the ammonia was barely readable, nitrites were at .25-.5ppm, nitrates barely above 0. Yesterday and today, ammonia is undetectable, nitrites undetectable, nitrates just barely above 0.

Is my tank ready for fish?


----------



## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

Sounds like it. I'd wait another day and test again to be sure. Given the size of your tank, I would only add 1-2 per week at the most.

Good job on the cycling.

EDIT: Sorry, re-read your post...if it has been that way for a couple of days I'd go for it.


----------



## Amie (Sep 15, 2010)

Ditto


----------



## Shiban (Sep 28, 2010)

Thank you both for the input.

I am going to wait until tomorrow and then go to the LFS and start the stocking.
The hard part is being patient in the stocking now that I can add the fish. I'm going to go with two at a time until it's fully stocked.

it was a great day. My first tank is cycled and my brother in law's girlfriend gave me a 50g pentagonal tank, complete with everything for FW fish. I am going to start saving now to turn it into a clownfish tank. *w3


----------



## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

Man,.....I wish someone would give me a tank.

You're right, patience is the key. It's all a learning process. I learn something new everyday.


----------



## brimac40 (Jan 11, 2010)

jrman83 said:


> Man,.....I wish someone would give me a tank.
> 
> You're right, patience is the key. It's all a learning process. I learn something new everyday.



What sucks even more , is when someone gives you a monster tank , stand and all the trimmings and you have no room for it ! 

I have friend trying to give me his monster set up , and I have no where to put it ,so it is going to have to set in storage for years until I can buy a bigger house .


----------



## sivakv (Aug 6, 2010)

is cycling process an one time event or it happens every 4-6 weeks or so ?

Rgds
Siva


----------



## Shiban (Sep 28, 2010)

brimac40 said:


> What sucks even more , is when someone gives you a monster tank , stand and all the trimmings and you have no room for it !
> 
> I have friend trying to give me his monster set up , and I have no where to put it ,so it is going to have to set in storage for years until I can buy a bigger house .


I may run into that problem, but I think we'll just start making the kids shower in the back yard and I can put the tank where the bathtub used to be. *whistle*


----------



## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

sivakv said:


> is cycling process an one time event or it happens every 4-6 weeks or so ?


Luckily, once you're cycled, you're cycled. You can have episodes of mini-cycles from stocking too fast, changing all your filter media at once, etc...

Once all the bacteria is in place, what happens during the cycle, then the daily amount of ammonia that is produced in your tank is disposed of naturally.


----------



## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

brimac40 said:


> What sucks even more , is when someone gives you a monster tank , stand and all the trimmings and you have no room for it !
> 
> I have friend trying to give me his monster set up , and I have no where to put it ,so it is going to have to set in storage for years until I can buy a bigger house .


You're right, that would suck. You could always give up your couch..


----------



## Amie (Sep 15, 2010)

ANYONE WITH MONSTER TANKS WILLING TO SHIP THEM I AM WILLING TO ACCEPT THEM. Just to make your life easier . That's the kind of nice person I am. Or if you live in Newfoundland I'll pick it up. 

Susan: I know stocking slowly is frustrating but will work out better for you in the long run. It also gives you a little time to make sure you really put some thought into what you really want in your tank.


----------



## sivakv (Aug 6, 2010)

Is the cycling logic only for planted aquariums or non-planted ones too ?

Thanks

Siva


----------



## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

Applies to all tanks. Planted tanks may have an easier go of it, but essentially it is the same.


----------



## Shiban (Sep 28, 2010)

It's a good thing I didn't start stocking. I got a Nitrite spike yesterday. Checked it again this morning and still pretty high. I had to do a PWC. Patience, patience.


----------



## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

That's unusual to be stable for a couple of days and then all of a sudden...good thing you caught it.


----------



## beaslbob (May 29, 2009)

sivakv said:


> Is the cycling logic only for planted aquariums or non-planted ones too ?
> 
> Thanks
> 
> Siva


Yes it does apply to both.

But with a planted aquariun the plants consume the ammonia along with the aerobic bacteria. So during the initial cycle, you should get no (or at least very small short lived) ammonia or nitrIte parameter spikes. With a possible initial nitrates spike because the plants are consumeing ammonia not nitrate.

Then a few weeks later the nitrates will drop down as the bacteria build up consuming the ammonia. Which forces the plants to consume nitrates for their nitrogen.


my .02


----------



## brimac40 (Jan 11, 2010)

jrman83 said:


> You're right, that would suck. You could always give up your couch..


I don't think the wife would like sitting on the floor , or I would .


----------



## Shiban (Sep 28, 2010)

jrman83 said:


> That's unusual to be stable for a couple of days and then all of a sudden...good thing you caught it.


It's just my misreading of the Nitrate levels I believe. The nitrites were dropping and then went up. I thought that the Nitrate levels were high enough to take out the nitrites, but I guess not. Hopefully it'll be done by this weekend.


----------



## Amie (Sep 15, 2010)

Bob: Do you know that as of right now you have made 666 posts? Hope you post again soon.


----------



## beaslbob (May 29, 2009)

Amie said:


> Bob: Do you know that as of right now you have made 666 posts? Hope you post again soon.


sounds like a good number for a beaslbob. *old dude

Woopsies. all gone now.


----------



## Shiban (Sep 28, 2010)

The tank is progressing finally. 
Yesterday Nitrites were at 2.0ppm Nitrates only readable if you let it sit for 15-20 minutes.
Today, with no water change, Nitrites at 1.0ppm, Nitrates 5.0ppm.
Closer it creeps...


----------



## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

Cool. Almost there.


----------



## Shiban (Sep 28, 2010)

Tested today. Ammonia 0, Nitrites 0, Nitrates 5-10ppm.
Now, the PH is REALLY high. 8.7.
My tap water (rural well water), is 8.0-8.2 out of the tap after 24 hours.
Any suggestions, that won't harm the fish?

EDIT: What is the ideal Nitrate level to maintain? Should it be 0?


----------



## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

Not much you can do for high ph. Driftwood, peat in your filter or under your gravel is about all you got. I would be concerned that it rose and probably would do a 25-30% water change and watch it.

Plants in the tank?


----------



## Shiban (Sep 28, 2010)

No plants. 
I've been watching the PH the entire time and it's been around 8.3. I figured it was a by-product of the cycle. It's only risen in the past week. It's been very gradual, so not an overnight thing, which eases my mind a little. Fish seem very happy, but they can't read a PH test either. Ignorance is bliss for them. 

I'll find some peat first and see if that helps a little. I may start mixing distilled with my tap water and bringing the PH down gradually. I just don't want to be fighting this the entire time I have the tank.


----------



## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

Don't use distilled. Given it is such a small tank it would be easy to get purified water in small quantities and mix with your tap to slowly bring it down. Most purified water is ph 7.0, but I would test it to be sure. Fluval and some other companies make peat especially for use in your filter but you'll need to get a filter bag to put it in.


----------



## beaslbob (May 29, 2009)

Shiban said:


> No plants.
> I've been watching the *PH the entire time and it's been around 8.3. I figured it was a by-product of the cycle*. It's only risen in the past week. It's been very gradual, so not an overnight thing, which eases my mind a little. Fish seem very happy, but they can't read a PH test either. Ignorance is bliss for them.
> 
> I'll find some peat first and see if that helps a little. I may start mixing distilled with my tap water and bringing the PH down gradually. I just don't want to be fighting this the entire time I have the tank.


Actually during cycle the pH drops. Rishing pH and lowering nitrates is the final phase of a planted cycle. Without plants nitrates will rise and you get more algae problems. And pH can stay lower because of carbon dioxide not being consumed by the plants.


I use peat moss to prevent kh and gh rises not to lower pH. In fact in my planted tanks pH is still 8.4-8.8 even with peat moss. even fish reported to "need" pH values at 7 or lower thrive and live for years.

my.02


----------



## probe1957 (Jul 2, 2010)

I have an aquarium book at home where the author says, with few exceptions, to pay no attention to ph.


----------



## Shiban (Sep 28, 2010)

What is an acceptable Nitrate level?
I had 10ppm before a 25% PWC.


----------



## probe1957 (Jul 2, 2010)

Shiban said:


> What is an acceptable Nitrate level?
> I had 10ppm before a 25% PWC.


That's pretty damned good, assuming ammonia and nitrites were 0.


----------



## Shiban (Sep 28, 2010)

probe1957 said:


> That's pretty damned good, assuming ammonia and nitrites were 0.


Ammonia and Nitrites are both 0.
I'm just trying to figure out at what level a PWC needs to be done.
I plan on 25-30%/week.


----------



## probe1957 (Jul 2, 2010)

Shiban said:


> Ammonia and Nitrites are both 0.
> I'm just trying to figure out at what level a PWC needs to be done.
> I plan on 25-30%/week.


Opinions will vary here but mine is when your nitrates read 20.


----------



## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

I think 40 or below is the target for nitrates. 25% weekly water changes will usually accomplish that pretty easy on all my tank.


----------



## probe1957 (Jul 2, 2010)

See, I told ya opinions would vary.


----------



## Shiban (Sep 28, 2010)

I've had a good bit of luck with this tank. I added 3 Peppered Corys, and 1 Skunk Cory, 2 days ago. Neither the Ammonia, or nitrites have budged from 0. The Nitrates have stayed at 10ppm. I look to add more next weekend. yay.


----------



## carpus (Oct 16, 2010)

OTOH, don't be in a hurry to overstock. 20 gallons isn't a pond, you can quickly overdo it.
FWIW, watch for spikes from the recent stocking activity. Your bio-filter may not be so established or robust that it could cope effectively with lots of new poops.


----------



## Shiban (Sep 28, 2010)

carpus said:


> OTOH, don't be in a hurry to overstock. 20 gallons isn't a pond, you can quickly overdo it.
> FWIW, watch for spikes from the recent stocking activity. Your bio-filter may not be so established or robust that it could cope effectively with lots of new poops.


Been testing everyday. 4 days and Neither have gone over 0, Nitrates still at 10ppm. I won't add anything for another 4 days if the levels stay the same.


----------



## automatic-hydromatic (Oct 18, 2010)

reading my test strips would be a little easier if I weren't color blind *#3

I'm about 2 1/2 weeks into cycling my 10 gallon with, currently just has a pair of Mollies in it and a Cory, as well as two Apongeton bulbs that have suddenly EXPLODED to life, right on cue with the rise of the nitrite level growing... crazy things have sprouted 2 inches in the last two days, after being dormant for the past week...


----------



## beaslbob (May 29, 2009)

Did you notice a pH drop after adding the fish?

I also do not feed the initial fish for a week to prevent nitrIte spikes.

FWIW I maintain 0 nitrates and kill the lights if the tank clouds up or cyano appears. Some recommend maintaining 5-10ppm to help prevent cyano. Cyano and some algaes can get their nitrogen from the dissolved nitrogen gas in the water vrs ammonia/nitrates from the bioload. keeping some nitrates helps encourage plants not cyano.


At least that is what I hear.

my .02


----------

