Cycling taking forever

[vanalisa]

Cycling a tank takes time. But the end goal is to have a tank with 0.0 ammonia 0.0 nitrite and 0.0 nitrate. Once the beneficial bacteria colony is established you will typically see a spike in all these levels then it will eventually lower to 0.0 that is how you know your tank is cycled.

Thank you.

 

[vanalisa]

@vanalisa dont worry about it too much once you get nitrate and the ammonia and nitrite drop to 0 and stay that way you will be good to go!

Edit: I'm so grateful that I live in an area with water that I dont even have to cycle my tank, but I can still help those who do!

Thank you.

 

[vanalisa]

@vanalisa is your nitrate always that high? It seems like it should not be that high in an upcycled tank. Test a glass of plain tap water to see if it's coming from there

No, never seen nitrate like that, it it is so hard to tell, that is why all the readings I posted were so wishy-washy. All I know is that it looked like the color of cherry jello!

 

[vanalisa]

@vanalisa is your nitrate always that high? It seems like it should not be that high in an upcycled tank. Test a glass of plain tap water to see if it's coming from there

Okay, I'll do it!
First thing tomorrow...
My kitties need love, too.
Mreow

 

[Martyn87]

Few points, remember this is a biological process so you can make it faster;
1. use a slightly higher temperature. 27-28 degrees
2. keep your filters on maximum circulation bacteria needs oxygen
3. use a bottled bacteria. These bacteria are not nearly as effective as natural bacteria but they do work
4. see if you LFS will give you a bit of sponge from a cycled tank, this will kick start things.

Looks to me like you are half way through as you are seeing nitrite and nitrate levels increase. Soon you will see ammonia hit zero and then you'll nearly be there. You know the cycle is ready when you add 2ppm ammonia and your nitrite and ammonia levels are zero after 24hrs.

Have you done a water change yet? Might be worth doing this and adding your ammonia source again.

 

[Jan Cavalieri]

most cycling takes about 4-6 weeks - looks like you're right where you should be after two weeks.

 

[vanalisa]

most cycling takes about 4-6 weeks - looks like you're right where you should be after two weeks.

Thanks. That's a relief.

 

[vanalisa]

Few points, remember this is a biological process so you can make it faster;
1. use a slightly higher temperature. 27-28 degrees
2. keep your filters on maximum circulation bacteria needs oxygen
3. use a bottled bacteria. These bacteria are not nearly as effective as natural bacteria but they do work
4. see if you LFS will give you a bit of sponge from a cycled tank, this will kick start things.

Looks to me like you are half way through as you are seeing nitrite and nitrate levels increase. Soon you will see ammonia hit zero and then you'll nearly be there. You know the cycle is ready when you add 2ppm ammonia and your nitrite and ammonia levels are zero after 24hrs.

Have you done a water change yet? Might be worth doing this and adding your ammonia source again.

Warning, this post is long, but it does contain The Saga of Lollypop. I hope it's clearly written and that you enjoy this post.

I added a lot of media from cycled tanks.
I used a small carbon bag from a cycled 5g.
1 piece of foam from I'm not sure where but I cleaned I'd it and decided to put it in a cycled tank inside a filter media bag because I thought I might need it some day.
I medium filter cartridge in a media bag (this one was pretty gooey ).
Three small used filter cartridges.

I used all this when I started a 5g emergency tank for a lone danio I bought because she was the only lone Danio ( who I named Lollypop) at my LFS in with a tank of Otocinlus. She was there just swimming herself crazy.

I thought it might fit in with my minnows but Lollypop was too spastic and crazy. So I set up a tank for it. I used the opportunity to replace some filters in my other established tanks, and boom, all on one day the tank was set up and ready to go! I knew she was lonely so the LFS took her back when they got more like her! I visited Lollypop a couple times at LFS, she was so happy with the other fish there. Then one day she was gone. A little girl picked her out and took her home !!! But she got JUST Lollypop! Isn't that hilarious?

The emergency tank was actually a 5g restaurant food storage tub. What I did was buy a plastic breeder box with suction cups, put a mature filter inside the box...it fit with room for the 2 small used cartridges. The other media I added I put in white media bags to keep handy. I consider that whole scenario to be a major DIY coup.

I am starting over new setting up the 5g restaurant tub because I had an extra filter, and of course some cycled media.

The water parameters are similar to the 20g, but reading just slightly under the 20g.

If you read all this post you are a real trooper, and thank you. I really went off on a tangent. The actual point was....um....oh yeah, I put a LOT of seeded material in.

 

[JuiceBox52]

Nice

 

[vanalisa]

most cycling takes about 4-6 weeks - looks like you're right where you should be after two weeks.

Thanks, I feel relieved!

 

[vanalisa]

Few points, remember this is a biological process so you can make it faster;
1. use a slightly higher temperature. 27-28 degrees
2. keep your filters on maximum circulation bacteria needs oxygen
3. use a bottled bacteria. These bacteria are not nearly as effective as natural bacteria but they do work
4. see if you LFS will give you a bit of sponge from a cycled tank, this will kick start things.

Looks to me like you are half way through as you are seeing nitrite and nitrate levels increase. Soon you will see ammonia hit zero and then you'll nearly be there. You know the cycle is ready when you add 2ppm ammonia and your nitrite and ammonia levels are zero after 24hrs.

Have you done a water change yet? Might be worth doing this and adding your ammonia source again.

I have an extra aquarium heater I'll put in.
Thank you so much for your help. I will also adjust filter to maximum bubble-age!

 

[vanalisa]

Anacharis and hornwort are both good plants to use for a silent cycle. If you can let some of them float on the surface. That way there is a better exchange Co2/oxygen and they will grow a little faster and absorb more ammonia.

Here it is.
My 20g.
Cycling.
It told me in no uncertain terms that:

"I will be ready for your fish when, and only when, I darn well please."

The tank also told me there is a rumor going around that Mr. Luna's tank needs some attention.