Whitecloud09 Posted January 18 Share Posted January 18 Cycle is almost fineshed right?ammonia has gone down from 4 to 1 ppm and nitrates are 20 ppm and nitrite 2 from 5 ppm. Today is day 15 and I hope it is finished!!!! Is it almost done? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xXInkedPhoenixX Posted January 18 Share Posted January 18 (edited) The answer is: Maybe? This is the part where patience is key @Colten OSteen, it's only cycled when you only read Nitrate and not the other 2. There is not an exact time when this occurs as every tank is its own micro world. Nobody can say, "yes it happens on day 17". It's just something to keep an eye on until it does. I've seen people take only a few days to cycle (this is usually with some help from a running tank) or a few months! Most of us are in between. And new cycles sometimes have wobbles, especially if you try and stock it with too much too fast! Edited January 18 by xXInkedPhoenixX 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pepere Posted January 18 Share Posted January 18 There are many definitions as to what constitutes fully cycled… Some dose a single shpt of Ammonia and consider it cycled whenthey read nitrates, but zero ammonia and zero Nitrites.,, Some people want to be able to see the tank metabolize a 4 ppm dose of ammonia to zero ammonia, zero nitrites in 24 hours… The standard you want to aim for, is of course your choice. If you have not had help from a seasoned tank, you are highly unlikely to achieve that second standard in 17 days even with bacteria in a bottle products.. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitecloud09 Posted January 18 Author Share Posted January 18 It is possible I believe and when I see that they are gone do I add one more dose of ammonia @Pepere? It is my opinion that it is done but possible not but I never saw nitrates till yesterday so maybe! On 1/18/2024 at 2:40 PM, xXInkedPhoenixX said: The answer is: Maybe? This is the part where patience is key @Colten OSteen, it's only cycled when you only read Nitrate and not the other 2. There is not an exact time when this occurs as every tank is its own micro world. Nobody can say, "yes it happens on day 17". It's just something to keep an eye on until it does. I've seen people take only a few days to cycle (this is usually with some help from a running tank) or a few months! Most of us are in between. And new cycles sometimes have wobbles, especially if you try and stock it with too much too fast! I agree. I used ammonia and bacteria and they say it will end between day 5-7 but that isNOT TRUE I know but maybe! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pepere Posted January 18 Share Posted January 18 It took me nearly two months with repeated ammonia dosings and multiple doses of bacteria in a bottle from multiple brands,which I dont think gave me any benefit at all personally, to get the tank to the point that dosing the tank to 2 ppm ammonia would convert to nitrates with zero ammonia and zero nitrites in 24 hours… I probably dosed the tank with ammonia about 6-7 times in that two months, but I forget the exact count… By using the standard of metabolizing 2 ppm ammonia, that means the tank can handle 2 ppm ammonia being dosed by fish and feeding a day. This is probably more than your fish and feeding will produce, but it gives you a safety buffer… Many people choose not to cycle their tank to this standard and that can work as well. It involves betting just a few fish initially and giving the tank time to mature with a few fish, and testing frequently for ammonia and nitrites and being prepared to do a water change as needed to lower those levels.. Adding fish also has the benefit of adding live nitrifying bacteria to seed the tank further cause fish poo has the bacteria you need in it… There is not necessarily a right or wrong as to what standard you choose to cycle to, just different means of dealing with stocking and caring for fish initially… 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitecloud09 Posted January 18 Author Share Posted January 18 I see. Every tank is different so mine might take a longer or shorter time than yours. The ammonia and nitrite are going down and when it does go to 0 I add ammonia and next day will be 0 On 1/18/2024 at 3:36 PM, Pepere said: It took me nearly two months with repeated ammonia dosings and multiple doses of bacteria in a bottle from multiple brands,which I dont think gave me any benefit at all personally, to get the tank to the point that dosing the tank to 2 ppm ammonia would convert to nitrates with zero ammonia and zero nitrites in 24 hours… I probably dosed the tank with ammonia about 6-7 times in that two months, but I forget the exact count… By using the standard of metabolizing 2 ppm ammonia, that means the tank can handle 2 ppm ammonia being dosed by fish and feeding a day. This is probably more than your fish and feeding will produce, but it gives you a safety buffer… Many people choose not to cycle their tank to this standard and that can work as well. It involves betting just a few fish initially and giving the tank time to mature with a few fish, and testing frequently for ammonia and nitrites and being prepared to do a water change as needed to lower those levels.. Adding fish also has the benefit of adding live nitrifying bacteria to seed the tank further cause fish poo has the bacteria you need in it… There is not necessarily a right or wrong as to what standard you choose to cycle to, just different means of dealing with stocking and caring for fish initially… 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pepere Posted January 19 Share Posted January 19 On 1/18/2024 at 6:29 PM, Colten OSteen said: The ammonia and nitrite are going down and when it does go to 0 I add ammonia and next day will be 0 When you measure 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, check your nitrates. If they are high, do a waterchange to lower them and then dose 2 ppm ammonia. It would be very unlikely for you to see it 0 ammonia 0 nitrite the next day.it will likely take several days, but, each time you redose ammonia, you will see it happens faster. say for instance it takes 4 days to get to zero ammonia, zero nitrite… that means your beneficial bacteria can process half a ppm of ammonia bioload per day…. If it takes 8 days instead of 4, your bacteria can only process 1/4 ofa ppm per day… Iirc when I was cycling my tank, in fairly short order I could get 2 ppm of ammonia to go to zero in 24 hours, but then it would take days for the nitrite to drop to zero… it took much longer for the nitrite reducing bacteria to establish itself in sufficient numbers. There are things you can do to help the bacteria grow faster. The bacteria likes more alkaline water up to ph of around 8 iirc, and it likes warmer temps like around 78-80. And it likes well oxygenated water, so an extra airstone bubbling away… Other than that it takes the precious commodity so hard to come by… patience and time… 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitecloud09 Posted January 19 Author Share Posted January 19 Yes so if it takes four days add how much ammonia and if 8 add 1/4 of it? On 1/18/2024 at 3:36 PM, Pepere said: It took me nearly two months with repeated ammonia dosings and multiple doses of bacteria in a bottle from multiple brands,which I dont think gave me any benefit at all personally, to get the tank to the point that dosing the tank to 2 ppm ammonia would convert to nitrates with zero ammonia and zero nitrites in 24 hours… I probably dosed the tank with ammonia about 6-7 times in that two months, but I forget the exact count… By using the standard of metabolizing 2 ppm ammonia, that means the tank can handle 2 ppm ammonia being dosed by fish and feeding a day. This is probably more than your fish and feeding will produce, but it gives you a safety buffer… Many people choose not to cycle their tank to this standard and that can work as well. It involves betting just a few fish initially and giving the tank time to mature with a few fish, and testing frequently for ammonia and nitrites and being prepared to do a water change as needed to lower those levels.. Adding fish also has the benefit of adding live nitrifying bacteria to seed the tank further cause fish poo has the bacteria you need in it… There is not necessarily a right or wrong as to what standard you choose to cycle to, just different means of dealing with stocking and caring for fish initially… Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pepere Posted January 19 Share Posted January 19 On 1/18/2024 at 8:56 PM, Colten OSteen said: Yes so if it takes four days add how much ammonia and if 8 add 1/4 of it? On 1/18/2024 at 3:36 PM, Pepere said: After you reach zero ammonia, zero nitrite check your nitrate levels if over 40 ppm do a 50% water change to lower nitrates. redose tank with Ammonia to get to 2ppm. see how long it takes to get to zero Ammonia and Zero nitrite. When it gets to zero ammonia, zero nitrites in a time frame you are happy with, you can consider it cycled. if it didnt get there fastenough repeat exactly as first line above states. I like to see it get there in 24 hours. Other might be content with it there in 48 hours. The quicker it gets there the more bioload it can handle. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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