Cycle question

[patters1978]

Hi

My son has just gone from a 19L spec to the 60L version, we have set up the 60L version by using most of the water from the original tank and I floated the original filter for about a day before the tank was sold.

Worried that it wouldn't have cycled correctly (testing shows 0 nitrites/nitrates yesterday I brought API quick start and added the correct amount to the tank.

This morning I have tested the water and I have approx 80ppm nitrate 0 nitrites.

Is that cycling and would it happen that quick?

 

[Lajos_Detari]

You should reuse the old tank filter media and substrate which has most of the beneficial bacteria.

Beneficial bacteria stays mostly in the filter media and substrate.
They don't stay in the water. Old tank water has no use for you.
Use only new and fresh water. Don't use the old tank water.

API Quick start can speed up the growth of the beneficial bacteria but it will take a few weeks for a new tank to be fully cycled if you read the API Quick Start website information.

Continue to monitor your tank ammonia and nitrite level. These two will kill the fish.

Your Nitrate is high. It could be from your old tank water if you seldom change your tank water or if you don't change enough water frequently.
Nitrate should be less than 20ppm.
Some countries tap water also have high Nitrate.

Do you have any fish in the tank at the moment?

 

[patters1978]

You should reuse the old tank filter media and substrate which has most of the beneficial bacteria.

Beneficial bacteria stays mostly in the filter media and substrate.
They don't stay in the water. Old tank water has no use for you.
Use only new and fresh water. Don't use the old tank water.

API Quick start can speed up the growth of the beneficial bacteria but it will take a few weeks for a new tank to be fully cycled if you read the API Quick Start website information.

Continue to monitor your tank ammonia and nitrite level. These two will kill the fish.

Your Nitrate is high. It could be from your old tank water if you seldom change your tank water or if you don't change enough water frequently.
Nitrate should be less than 20ppm.
Some countries tap water also have high Nitrate.

Do you have any fish in the tank at the moment?

No fish at the moment.

Like I said testing before the API quick start I has 0 nitrites/nitrates so I don't think it came from the old tank old tank was fishless for around a weeks while we upgraded size (previously had a Betta in it for 3.5 years)

 

[Slaphppy7]

Welcome to TFF

For cycling, see here: https://www.fishforums.net/threads/cycle-your-tank-a-complete-guide-for-beginners.475055/

 

[Colin_T]

Check the ammonia, nitrite and nitrate of your tap water. If the nitrate is low, drain the tank and refill it with dechlorinated water.

 

[Essjay]

Using the old water will do nothing to cycle the tank as the bacteria we want to grow live attached to surfaces.
Floating the filter for 1 day will do nothing to cycle the tank as when you took it out you took out all the bacteria when you took out the old filter.
You have mentioned the nitrite and nitrate readings but not ammonia - do you have an ammonia tester? You need to be able to test for ammonia as well as nitrite and nitrite as ammonia is the first think to show up during fishless with added ammonia or fish-in cycling.
The way to prove a tank is cycled is to add ammonia, and if both ammonia and nitrite are zero after 24 hours the tank is cycled.

 

[patters1978]

Just to update on this.

My water was still showing no issues so I went and brought the first fish 4 guppies.
To be safe I have changed 10L of water per day and levels are really good so now backing off to hopefully a weekly thing (10L really don't take to long though) but will be keeping an eye on it.

Stocking wise..
4 guppies
6 neon tetras
2 dwarf gouramis

Is that to much

 

[Essjay]

This is the 60 litre tank? If it is, that should be OK but no more fish.

Are the gouramis a male/female pair or 2 males?



Going forward when you are sure ammonia and nitrite are remaining at zero, you need to do 50% weekly water changes.