Where At In The Cycle

[trynitey]

My situation is a little different than the typical "buy the tank and start cycling" method. I got a tank from my parents with 2 large gouramis in it. I assumed the tank was ok as they had the same 2 fish in the tank for years. So, we move everything, including their water, to my house. Get everything set up and because I realized my test kit (for my smaller tank) was already expired, went an ordered the API Freshwater kit. Got it 2 days later and tested the water. I couldn't believe the levels. ALL levels were off the charts. I'm not sure how the fish were even living still. We ended up taking the 2 gouramis to the LFS and drained the tank completely and put new water in it. Ofcourse, the old water was still in our substrate (sand). I also added a bit of my own already established tank water into it (not a lot b/c I only have a 10 gal - the new tank is a 55gal).
 
We started cycling all over and after about a week we checked the water parameters again.
Ammonia - 2ppm
Nitrite - 5ppm
Nirtate - 20ppm
 
A week after that, we were at:
Ammonia - 0ppm
Nitrite - .25ppm
Nitrate - 20ppm
 
At what point can I expect the Nitrites to clear out? We're doing regular water changes and are still using a bit of the water from the 10gal into it each time we do it. Just wondering what to expect from this point.

 

[techen]

You made a large mistake removing the fish and draining the water.
 
You may have just killed off the food supply for the bacteria in the filter meaning you'll have to start a fishless cycle over.
 
This cycle takes 4-6 weeks and needs a supply of pure ammonia to feed the bacteria, It's slow but causes no harm to fish.
 
I believe the stats you are seeing are fine but with no food supply for the bacteria its useless.

 

[trynitey]

I am not running a fishless cycle.. I have a few barbs in there. Forgot to mention that. I had to get rid of the gouramis, there was no fixing it, the water looked rough (it was actually kinda yellow but just thought it was their gravel that made it look that way) and the levels were really high. I would have done more water changes in a matter of a few days than I would have used just draining the tank. Trying to think of my water bill here and it was an excuse to get rid of the gouramis

By the time we got it, we needed new everything. We had to get a new filter b/c somehow theirs stopped working. So, outside of the fact that some of their old water was in our sand substrate, it was basically started out new... with fish, and water changes with new water, plus my water from my already establsihed tank. After weighing our options, this was what we felt was best.
 
Just wondering where it goes from here, and how long it typically takes for the Nitrite levels to level off now that the ammonia is gone and my nirtrates are normal.

 

[David J]

From the way you've worded the OP it sounds like you think that the water is the key but its the filter you need to cycle, not the water. Have read at the cycling resource in the beginners section. While I think some bacteria may be in the water itself, the bacteria mainly populate on the filter media and other objects in the tank. Your efforts should be focused on the filter.

 

[trynitey]

From the way you've worded the OP it sounds like you think that the water is the key but its the filter you need to cycle, not the water. Have read at the cycling resource in the beginners section. While I think some bacteria may be in the water itself, the bacteria mainly populate on the filter media and other objects in the tank. Your efforts should be focused on the filter.

 
Not sure if it helps but I put my old media filter in the new filter on the 55gal.

 

[RossC]

Ok all is not lost, you did good by putting the old media in the new filter you should have saved what bacteria there was. The bacteria that you need live in the filter media, not the water. Seen as you still have fish in the tank I'd recommend 50% water changes every 1-2 days. This should be enough to keep the ammonia and nitrites to a minimum but still allow you to cycle the tank. Just keep testing often, make sure ammonia stays below 0.25ppm, it should naturally start dropping and remaining a constant 0ppm in a few weeks, the same with nitrites but could take longer. Once they remain 0ppm you can move on to 25-40% water changes every week. Good luck 

 

[CoryLover95]

RossC has good advice.  Some people do however make larger WC's, but 50% should be just fine.  (Especially now that the ammonia is 0 and nitrite just at .25ppm).  Best of luck!!