Would Someone Please Tell Me If My Tank Has Cycled?

[janragan]

Hi,
After reading all the info I could find on fishless cycling I decided to try the "add ammonia once and wait" routine. On the 4th I added StressZyme and on the 5th I added 86 drops of ammonia to my 5 gallon tank. It must have been weak ammonia because that is what it took to raise the level to 5. I tested the nitrite and it was >0.3. I began testing the nitrite daily and on 4/9 it read 0.3. Not exactly what I would call a "nitrite spike"! I had a nasty virus thingy on Tues/wed and didn't feel well enough to check the reading but did yesterday (Thursday). BOTH the ammonia and the nitrite are 0 mg/l and <0.3, resepctively. What could be going on with this tank? Shurely it hasn't cycled Please advise.... Thanks!

 

[Amerce]

Hi,
After reading all the info I could find on fishless cycling I decided to try the "add ammonia once and wait" routine. On the 4th I added StressZyme and on the 5th I added 86 drops of ammonia to my 5 gallon tank. It must have been weak ammonia because that is what it took to raise the level to 5. I tested the nitrite and it was >.03. I began testing the nitrite daily and on 4/9 it read 0.3. Not exactly what I would call a "nitrite spike"! I had a nasty virus thingy on Tues/wed and didn't feel well enough to check the reading but did yesterday (Thursday). BOTH the ammonia and the nitrite are 0 mg/l and <0.3, resepctively. What could be going on with this tank? Shurely it hasn't cycled Please advise.... Thanks!

If you want to mature you're tank quickly put your filter medium into a mature tank for a few days and then install it into your new tank or use some of the gravel from your mature tank and mix it with your new tank, it will kick start the bacteria colonisation you need for the new tank and cut down on the length of time for the tank to mature.

 

[janragan]

Thanks but... The reason for cycling the tank is this...changed to sand from gravel and effectively wiped the tank out in the process. I also didn't know at the time not to rinse the filter in tap water (duh...). Had to start the tank over like new! Did use the filter...did add some gravel in an old stocking plus used the same plastic plants...etc. Can it possible be cycled already? 9 days?

 

[TammyLiz]

Add more ammonia to feed the filter since the ammonia is down to 0. Every time it gets down to 0 you need to add more. Once the nitrite gets down to 0 you can do a water change and add your fish.

Tammy

 

[janragan]

Tammy! THANKS!!! The reading on the nitrite is "<0.3" which is the least/first/ reading on the card... OK to put him back in??

 

[nonot8946]

If you add enough ammonia to get it to 5ppm and if you check it 24 hours later and you have no detectable ammonia or nitrite you're ready.

Otherwise add enough to get it back to 5 ppm and wait until the next day to repeat the test.