Do Bigger Tanks Cycle Faster?

[Lisa67]

I started cycling a small (16 gal) tank several weeks ago using the "add and wait method". It has been a painfully slow process... I finially have lots of nitrite but, as of this morning, still no nitrate. A few weeks after starting this small tank someone gave me a 55 gal tank... I figured, "why not", so I started that one too.
About a week into the process with the first tank, a very generous person here on fish forums sent me some media. I put some in the small tank and some in the 55 gal tank I was just setting up. I can not believe how far ahead the big tank is! My amonia was nearly gone when I tested it tonight. The nitrites were off the scale and there is even a small amount of nitrate. The big tank has nothing in it but water. The small tank has gravel, a small piece of drift wood and two little, healthy looking plants. I can't understand what would cause the difference in speed! Any ideas? Thank you!

 

[nicklos]

i can only speak for myself on this one.
In my larger tanks I always use about 10 gallons of water from my smaller tanks. Then I take all the filters and media and rinse them in the new tank. Once I do that, I use a mix of old substrate from other tanks. I then use the old filter media, rich with bacteria, in the new tanks filters. I have literally had a 75 gallon cycle overnight this way.

 

[fishlove75]

In my experience the size makes no difference. The 55 gallon that you recieved, did you also recieve the used filter? That would make a difference. Also, you mentioned driftwood in the other tank, I could be wrong, but I think driftwood can cause changes in pH. If your pH in that tank has dropped to 6 or below that will dramatically slow the cycling process.

Personally I have cycled large and small tanks, they all took around the same time. Donated media does dramatically speed up the cycling process. They only tank I had that took an unusually long time was my 5 gallon, I had a coconut cave in there and did not realize that the coconut cave can lower pH, so my pH had dropped and as I hadn't checked it in a few days the cycle stalled.

Try checking the pH in the tank with the driftwood. If the pH is low add some baking soda (or bicarbinate of sodium if in UK) that will increas the ph, just add a little at a time, you don't want your pH to be too high eithor.

 

[Lisa67]

I just tested the PH. Using and API test kit it was 8.2 (using high PH)... Using the reg ph it was 7.5. Am I correct in assuming that one test is just a continuation of the other? My high PH water is the reason I decided on cichlids for my large tank. SO, the PH does not explain the difference in rates between the two tanks. I just removed the plants...
Yes, the big tank did come with a used filter. However, it hadn't been used in a few months... and according to the cycling forum, the good bacteria starts to die off quickly once there is no amonia for it to feed off of. Is it possible that some could have survived that long? I'm thrilled that the big tank is moving along quickly. Very excited about getting fish soon. But I'm very frustrated with the small one! The amonia level takes forever to drop. The first time I added amonia it took about 3 weeks to drop. I then brought it back up to 4... now its been another week with little change... there is some nitrite, so I guess it's working but WAY too slowly.

 

[fishlove75]

I just tested the PH. Using and API test kit it was 8.2 (using high PH)... Using the reg ph it was 7.5. Am I correct in assuming that one test is just a continuation of the other? My high PH water is the reason I decided on cichlids for my large tank. SO, the PH does not explain the difference in rates between the two tanks. I just removed the plants...
Yes, the big tank did come with a used filter. However, it hadn't been used in a few months... and according to the cycling forum, the good bacteria starts to die off quickly once there is no amonia for it to feed off of. Is it possible that some could have survived that long? I'm thrilled that the big tank is moving along quickly. Very excited about getting fish soon. But I'm very frustrated with the small one! The amonia level takes forever to drop. The first time I added amonia it took about 3 weeks to drop. I then brought it back up to 4... now its been another week with little change... there is some nitrite, so I guess it's working but WAY too slowly.

You are correct on both questions. The high pH is a continuation, if you every hit the top level on the regular pH test run the high pH to get your correct pH. So you are right the low pH is not the problem. Here is a link to a good cycling post (recent just added yesterday) on this fourm, talks about pH issues and some other things you may come across:

http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/352862-your-fishless-cycle-the-do-and-do-not-list/

As for the used filter, if it was not in use it is unlikely that any bacteria survived. If the media stayed wet in the used filter, then there is a very very slight chance that some bacteria survived, but highly unlikely.

At this point the only thing I can think of is the plants, were they live? I don't have live plants myself, so I can't really advise on that, however, I vaguely remember reading something about live plants can affect the cycling, but I don't recall if it speeds it up or slows it down. Hopefully a plant expert will come along and answer that for you. You have removed them though so I guess you will see for your self if it helps the process.

I know it is frustrating looking at an empty tank, but the filter will eventually cycle, try to be patient. If it is any help to you, when I cycled my first 3 tanks (I had no mature media to add) they took upwards of 3 months to cycle. the longest one took 92 days and the shortest cycle time (with no mature media) took 78 days from beginning to end. Not the best news but at least your not alone in the extremely long cycle boat.

best of luck and keep us posted.

 

[Lisa67]

Your post was extremely helpful! As long as I know that the tank is headed in the right direction I am happy. I was beginning to worry that something was wrong and it would never happen. I'm VERY glad to hear that you also had tanks that took a long time to complete the cycle. I think that maybe I put a lot more of the media I was given into the large tank. Not sure if I should take a little out and add it to the small tank... or just let the big tank finish cycling and then do it. I'd be very happy to have fish in even one tank!

 

[fishlove75]

If it were me I would leave things as are. Let the big tank finish cycling. Then if you want you can remove the media you were given and put it into the smaller tank. But that is just what I would do.

 

[Puff daddy]

i can only speak for myself on this one.
In my larger tanks I always use about 10 gallons of water from my smaller tanks. Then I take all the filters and media and rinse them in the new tank. Once I do that, I use a mix of old substrate from other tanks. I then use the old filter media, rich with bacteria, in the new tanks filters. I have literally had a 75 gallon cycle overnight this

i can only speak for myself on this one.
In my larger tanks I always use about 10 gallons of water from my smaller tanks. Then I take all the filters and media and rinse them in the new tank. Once I do that, I use a mix of old substrate from other tanks. I then use the old filter media, rich with bacteria, in the new tanks filters. I have literally had a 75 gallon cycle overnight this way.