Cycling Question?

[Toxic Dover]

Hey guys -

Pretty new to the forum and also pretty new to keeping aquariums. I'm cycling two tanks at once using the fishless method in the beginner's link. The 10 gallon tank is 9 days in, and the 30 gallon is 8 days in, but the results I'm getting so far are WAAY different. It seems that the 10 gallon is just about a ready for fish, and the 30 gallon isn't showing many signs at all of making progress. Here are the two tank's stats, measured daily with an API Master Freshwater Kit:

30 Gallon tank log:

Day 1 - 01/29/2012 - Before Ammonia
pH: 7.2
Ammonia: 0.50 ppm
Nitrite: 0 ppm
Nitrate: 1.5 ppm
After Ammonia (added 5.5 mL)
pH: 7.6
Ammonia: 4-5 ppm
Nitrite: 0 ppm
Nitrate: 1.5~ ppm
Temperature: 82

Day 2 - 01/30/2012
pH: 7.2
Ammonia: 4~ ppm
Nitrite: 0 ppm
Nitrate: 2.5~ ppm
Temperature: 82.4

Day 3 - 01/31/2012
pH: 7.2
Ammonia: 4~ ppm
Nitrite: 0 ppm
Nitrate: 2.5 - 3 ppm
Temperature: 80

Day 4 - 02/01/2012
pH: 7.2
Ammonia: 3-4 ppm
Nitrite: 0 ppm
Nitrate: 2.5-3 ppm
Temperature: 80

Day 5 - 02/02/2012
pH: 7.2
Ammonia - 3~ ppm
Nitrite: 0 ppm
Nitrate: 3 ppm
Temperature: 80

Day 6 - 02/03/2012
pH: 7.2
Ammonia - 3~ ppm
Nitrite: 0 ppm
Nitrate: 5 ppm
Temperature: 79.6

Day 7 - 02/04/2012
- No readings taken today... Felt like crap...

Day 8 - 02/05/2012
pH: 7.2
Ammonia - 3~ ppm
Nitrite: 0 ppm
Nitrate: 5 ppm
Temperature: 80

Now, onto the 10 gallon:

Day 1 - 01/28/2012 - Before Ammonia
pH: 7.2
Ammonia - 0.50 ppm
Nitrite: 0 ppm
Nitrate: 2.5~ ppm
After ammonia (added 2 mL)
pH: 7.6
Ammonia - 4-5 ppm
Nitrite: 0 ppm
Nitrate: 2.5~ ppm
Temperature: 76

Day 2 - 01/29/2012
pH: 7.4
Ammonia: 4 ppm
Nitrite: 0 ppm
Nitrate: 0 ppm
Temperature: 76

Day 3 - 01/30/2012
pH: 7.4
Ammonia: 4 ppm
Nitrite: 0 ppm
Nitrate: 2.5~ ppm
Temperature: 76

Day 4 - 01/31/2012
pH: 7.4
Ammonia: 3 ppm
Nitrite: 0 ppm
Nitrate: 5 ppm
Temperature: 76

Day 5 - 02/01/2012
pH: 7.4
Ammonia: 1-2~ ppm
Nitrite: 0 - .10 ppm
Nitrate: 5-10 ppm
Temperature: 76

Day 6 - 02/02/2012
pH: 7.4
Ammonia: 0.25 ppm
Nitrite: 0 - 0.25 ppm
Nitrate: 10 ppm
Temperature: 76

Day 7 02/03/2012
pH: 7.4
Ammonia: 0 ppm
Nitrite: 0.10 ppm
Nitrate: 0 ppm (?)
Temperature: 76
Re-dosed ammonia (added 2 mL)
Ammonia: 3-4 ppm

Day 8 - 02/04/2012
No readings taken

Day 9 - 02/05/2012
pH: 7.4
Ammonia: 0.25 ppm
Nitrite: 0.25 ppm
Nitrate: 20-25 ppm
Temperature: 76

To me, it seems that the 10 gallon is just about ready. Its filter is all nice and green and full of bacteria. The 30 gallon doesn't seem to be making much progress at all, and its filter isn't showing any signs of bacteria growth yet. Am I doing something wrong, or am I just being impatient? Thanks!

 

[This Old Spouse]

I think it's odd you're getting nitrate readings right off the bat. What are the stats of your tap water?

 

[Autonerd]

If I'm reading your log correctly, you've only added ammonia once or twice, is that right?

If not, sorry, ignore the rest of my message.

If so, you have a ways to go. From what I understand, cycling is done when you can repeatedly add ammonia and 12 hours later both ammonia and nitrite drops to 0. During cycling, nitrite should rise to the point where the droplets go purple as soon as they hit the test tube.

For my 15 gallon tank, cycling took about 5-6 weeks. I tested every 24 hrs, then every 12. As you get towards the end of the cycle, the pH may drop and stop the process; a water change will give it a jump-start.

It sounds like your bacteria have started to grow, but there isn't enough to process a fish bioload quickly enough.

By the way, if you're getting funky nitrate readings, make sure you shake the daylights out of Bottle #2 and whack it on your palm a couple of times. Apparently it tends to separate and solidify.

Aaron

PS - Know how I know all this? 'Cause I did it wrong and the people here set me straight.

 

[Prime Ordeal]

Both tanks are still at the first stage of cycling where the ammonia is starting to be processed and yes the 10 gallon is just ahead of the 30. You'll now start to see nitrite rise until it's off the scale and when that drops back to zero again, in a few weeks time, the tanks will be cycled. All looking pretty normal so far.