Cycling

[blazer666_uk]

Hi,

I have the following setup

20 us gal tank, 3x mollys, 2x ghost shrimps, 7 vairous plants, fluval2 filter and 1 airstone.

Currently waiting for tank to cycle but i am not too sure what to expect. My current readings are

ammonia 1-5ppm nitrate 0 nitrites trace. My tank has been up for 2 weeks now and nothing has really changed.
Am I supposed to wait for the ammonia to rise to a peak then fall, after which the nitrate level should peak then fall, then the nitrite levels will rise at a constant. Upon these constantly rising nitrite levels I should do regular 30 percent water changes?

So until the tank cycles I should not change the water?

You're help is much appreciated

 

[bccromer]

Actually the ammonia will rise first, then nitrite, then nitrate. I did 10% water changes every week while my tank was cycling. It finally just finished this past week. It took about 6 weeks to cycle. Main thing I have read is don't vac the gravel while the tank is cycling. Be prepared to lose a few fish while it is cycling as ammonia and nitrite are deadly to fish. I got lucky and only lost 2 guppies while mine was cycling, and one of those was to ICH. Good luck.

Brad

 

[freddyk]

Definetly do water changes during the cycle, this way toxins won't rise as much, and there will be less risk to the fish.

You say your ammonia is 1-5 ppm. There is a big difference between 1 and 5, perhaps you need a more accurate test kit. Either way, since there are fish in the tank, you want as little ammonia as possible in the water, and if it's over 1 then you certainly will want to do an immediate water change.

 

[blazer666_uk]

If I change the water then how can I see when the Ammonia spikes? surely changing the water delays this process, I am really confused as some people say one thing and others say another.

 

[kev_kb]

Personally I don't believe doing small water changes will delay the cycle, but even if it does surely its best to delay it than kill your fish? The bacteria concerned is surface mounted, so changing some of the water should have very little affect. As long as you have readable amounts of Ammonia & Nitrite the tank will cycle.

I would aim to keep your levels around 0.5ppm during cycling. It will be done cycling when you have 0ppm for Ammonia & Nitrite and readable Nitrates. The Nitrate maybe 0 or close to it with plants though.

In this case the 0.5 is your spike, first the Ammonia will hit 0.5ppm with Nitrite 0ppm. Then as your filter matures the Ammonia will be broken into Nitrite, so you'll get 0ppm Ammonia & 0.5ppm Nitrite. Finally when your Nitrite spike is over you'll have 0ppm Nitrite.

 

[blazer666_uk]

Well 4 weeks later my tank has cycled. Just for info here is a brief history of my tank.

week 2 ammonia spiked at 5 ppm
week 3 ammonia 0 nitrite spiked at 5ppm stayed at this for 8 days then dropped to zero in 2 days. nitrate was 30 ppm now its 10 ppm.

Fish all fine and healthy