Did my tank cycle without a filter?

[Lavender]

So, I’ve got a cycling betta tank. No betta in it as of yet, but I’m hoping to order one soon. Anyways, it took me about a month to order the filter as the first one I got was busted and then we went on vacation for a week. Then it took another week to come. Anyways, so now I’ve only had it set up and cycling for about a week. I’ve been testing the water every day, and there’s not been a ammonia spike. There has also not been any nitrate or nitrite showing up. I’ve been adding flake food, so it should logically be making ammonia, and today I had a minor algae bloom. Is my tank cycled? There aren’t any plants in it besides the algae, and there won’t be for another day or so.

[Lennie]

I don't think it is cycled.

Beneficial bacteria need oxygen. Without filter and plants, I personally don't think a tank will cycle itself with a water sitting in a glass box with some fish food in it. Also how much fish food and how many times?

You gotta add a small pinch for some time and expect it to decay and ammonia to appear later on.

For my fishroom, I am currently cycling 8 sponge filters in a tub., I've added a small pinch of fish food everyday. I poured in filter gunk of 2 very established tank of mine (legit black water with lots of gunk) and used stability for 7 days. 8 sponges constantly running. It took 1.5weeks to stop reading ammonia even this way. And I'm now reading nitrites. Nitrite to nitrate usually take even longer than ammonia to nitrite

 

[nabokovfan87]

On 6/16/2023 at 5:51 PM, OrangeBlossom said:

I’ve been testing the water every day, and there’s not been a ammonia spike. There has also not been any nitrate or nitrite showing up

you would need to see either nitrite or nitrate to consider the tank as starting to or being cycled.  As you're seeing 0's across the board it's likely nothing has happened yet.  Keep an eye on things, keep doing what you're doing.  Let us know when results change.

Welcome to the forums @OrangeBlossom! 🙂

[Lavender]

I’m just using a API freshwater test kit.  I’ve been adding a small pinch of flake food every other day or two days. My other betta tank did cycle like this, but that was a combo of a precycled filter, blackwater, and plants.

I’ll let it keep on doing this for another two weeks. If it’s still not climbing, I guess I’m buying a new test kit. 

Edited June 17, 2023 by OrangeBlossom

[nabokovfan87]

On 6/17/2023 at 9:33 AM, OrangeBlossom said:

I’ll let it keep on doing this for another two weeks. If it’s still not climbing, I guess I’m buying a new test kit. 

You're safe to add a bigger pinch of food too. Not going to hurt anything by doing so.

Edited June 17, 2023 by nabokovfan87
Android keyboard

[Lavender]

Welp, the tank is finally past the ammonia stage. Think it should be about two weeks to the full cycle from here.

[Lennie]

On 6/19/2023 at 11:06 PM, OrangeBlossom said:

Welp, the tank is finally past the ammonia stage. Think it should be about two weeks to the full cycle from here.

In 2 days?? That does not sound possible

[Lavender]

I tested…no ammonia, but Nitrites are above 1.0. When I started testing, I think I was testing wrong or something. 

Edited June 19, 2023 by OrangeBlossom