Cycle

[subopposite]

It seems as though my cycle should have started by now, but it does not seem to be the case as far as my tesk kit shows.
I have a 46 gallon bowed tank with 6 fish in it. I added my first 4 fish on June 1st (had my tank set up for about 4 days before that). Two weeks later, I added 2 more fish. I have 4 dwarf gouramis and 2 guppies. I do have some ammonia, on the first bar of the test kit and it has been that way for at least 2 weeks. I check my Nitrite, but it always shows nothing. I figured I should have some kind of cycling going on, but nothing yet.
I do treat my water with a de-chlorinator de-metalizer solution (Stress Coat and another brand too) when I put new water in. I do about a 10% water change per week. I have added Stess Zyme in the first 2 weeks, but not since then.
Do I just have to wait longer for it to start cycling. Am I doing something that is slowing down the process. On a side note, I have 2 bubble disks an Empereror 400 power filter bio-wheel filter system, an Ebo Jager heater and that is about it I guess besides a bunch of fake plants and stones. I don't think any of this matters, but thought I would throw it in, just in case.
I just read that some people have nitrites within 2 weeks and wondering what is happening to me, unless my test kit sucks, but I wouldn't think so. It has the tubes and you put drops in for the tests.

 

[wetwetwet]

So its been up and running for over 8 weeks? - If so then I'd say it must have cycled....

Doing water changes can prolong the cycle - but I wouldn't have thought by that much

Were you testing every couple of days or so - you might have missed the spikes?

Or as you say maybe your test kit sucks

Are the fish OK and happy?

 

[CFC]

Could be you are prolonging the cycle with the water changes,cut them out for a week and see if it makes a difference,have you taking any nitrate readings,could be the tank has already cycled.

 

[Squimps]

I added Stress-Zyme on day one when cycling my 80 gallon. I never saw ANY ammonia or nitrite. My nitrates started showing up at about day 17. I'm pretty sure that The Stress-Zyme is jusy doing it's job, especially since tha tank was pretty lightly stocked. The starter bacteria in the Stress-Zyme was merely keeping up with the ammonia being produced. I highly recommend this product or others like it such as Cycle or Bio-Spira.

 

[CFC]

If your nitrates are rising and the nitrite and ammonia levels are falling/nil then the cycle is complete,keep up the 10% water changes and add new fish slowly and everything will be ok.
The problem with these bottled bacteria products is that they dont always work,they require certain qualities in the water to activate them,Dragonslair did a article on this a while back.

 

[dolphin]

Hi subopposite

From what I can tell, I would say your cycling is done.

You should now be able to start adding more fish, But slowly does it. As you add more fish, you will have a very small mini cycle as the bacteria grow to cope with the larger population of fish.

 

[subopposite]

wetwetwet, I have had my setup with fish for a month now. I get small ammonia readings, but no nitrite readings. I don't have a nitrate tester, but figured I didn't need one until some nitrite statred showing up. I will test it the next time I am at the LFS. I guess I could have missed the spikes, but I haven't gone more than 4 days or so without testing. All of my fish are very happy so far. They have lots to do and I keep on making things for them. I am working on a big rock cave with like 6 entrances with 2 floors and it isn't just 2 dimensional either.
I think I may not add water for a week. I was doing it like every week doing 10% or 8% twice a week to get water temp down a little. It was a hot week.

 

[wetwetwet]

sry sub I missread your post - I thought it was 4 weeks before adding fish ooops )

Yep the water changes would have prolonged the cycle and possably kept the ammo readings small - keep testing daily and let us know what the readings are - if you get any large readings and the fish are looking stressed then do a partial water change...

the cave sounds interesting - what you making it out of? - maybe post some pics of the project

 

[Jamnog]

even tho the tank may be cycled it is important to add the fish gragually and not stock the tank all in one day. add a few fish each week or you could be lesft with a mini cycle.

 

[wetwetwet]

Jam it may not be cycled yet - its only been running 4 weeks with wc

but what you said still qapplies

 

[Tanked]

the water changes definatly slow down the cycling process. I had ammonia readings off the chart when I first began and was changing 10-20% daily (this went on for 6 weeks with no change, I had also severly overstocked in a newbie error). my ammonia stayed up and nitrites and nitrates stayed @ 0. I though i'd see what happend if I didn't change any water for week. on day 1 no change, day 2 ammonia back off of the chart, day 3 ammonia = 3 ppm, NITIRITES = 3 ppm, day 4 ammonia = 0, Nitrites = 4ppm (thought about changing water but didn't, nitrates still 0) day 5, ammonia=0 Nitrites = 5ppm, nitrates = 0, day 6 ammonia = 0 nitrites = 6 ppm, performed 20 % water change. day 7 ammonia = 0ppm, nitrites= 4 ppm, nitrates = 2ppm. (it stayed steady here for about 4 more days) then I camne home a walah----ammonia 0 ppm, nitrite, 0 ppm, nitrate 10 ppm. and is has been there ever since, with the exception of nitrates which climb from 0ppm to 10ppm then I perform my friday ritual of cleaning and water changes for all of my tanks. sorry to have rambled on, I'm at work, it is slow and I am bored

 

[subopposite]

Well, I guess my answer was to whine about it on a forum. I checked my water this morning and I have the lowest reading on the nitrites, or i should say the next lowest besides the 0 mark. My ammonia is still in between the first and second bar, so I guess I will not do any water changes until it gets up another bar or two to give my cycle a chance to get some momentum.
I would assume it would be wise and wait until my cycle is done before getting some more fish. I actually would only get 2 at a time as I want to gradually build up my fish and see what I like and don't like. I would love to post some pics, but no cam yet, except a Polaroid. How cheesy is that? I never have owned a camera, except for a Polaroid or disposable cameras. I am lame. If I went that route, I would want to get a camcorder with freeze frame capabilities to get pictures, if they make such a thing. Actually, my father has a computer camera, maybe I will go over and snag it for some pictures for you guys. I still haven't got everything arranged as my cave is not even in my tank. Still have to get some more silicone and do some more work to finish it. I have a piece of bogwood attached to it too, so I think it looks pretty neat.
I guess let me know if I should hold off on buying any more fish. They would be either some fan tailed guppies or maybe a couple loaches, the mini-snake looking kind. I want a snail or two and bottom feeders, but I guess I need to wait 5 more months or so for those, at least the ones I want to get. Thanks for all the posts guys and gals.

 

[wetwetwet]

Yes m8 I'd wait untill your tank is fully cycled before adding anymore fish - there's no need to put them through any undue stress jmho