Is my tank done cycling with these numbers?

[smackitsakic]

I've had my tank cycling for about 3 weeks using some old filter media and decor. I also used the Nutrafin Cycle product as described (about 10 days ago) I just tested it and my numbers are as follows - how close am I to being done cycling?

Nitrate: 10 mg/L
Nitrite: 0 mg/L
Alkalinity: 150-180 ppm
ph: 7.8
Chlorine: 0

 

[FishGuest5123]

What’s your ammonia? If it’s 0 you should be good.

 

[smackitsakic]

What’s your ammonia? If it’s 0 you should be good.

I don’t know...the test kit doesn’t have it. ‍

 

[FishGuest5123]

Then you need to get it tested at your lfs. Only way to know for sure it is cycled. I would believe it is cycled though if your nitrites are 0 and you are showing nitrates but just to be safe, you need an ammonia test kit.

 

[Essjay]

What is the nitrate level in your tap water? The nitrate could have come from there and not made in the tank.

You do need an ammonia tester as you cannot know if the tank is cycled without knowing the ammonia level.


Have you added ammonia to the tank? That is the way to test to see if the tank is cycled. Add enough ammonia to get a reading of 3 ppm then test 24 hours later. If ammonia and nitrite are both zero, the tank is cycled. If either or both are above zero, the tank is not cycled.

 

[smackitsakic]

Went and bought a proper water/droplet based test kit from my LPS and just tested my tank water. The ammonia is a tiny tinge of colour above 0. I could probably call it 0, but it’s perhaps .25ppm.

What can I determine from that? Am I in the clear? If it matters my last water change was a 30% change 4 days ago. Nitrate is still 10 and Nitrite is still 0. Ph is right on at 7.8.

 

[Essjay]

If nitrate is still 10 after a water change, it suggests you have 10 ppm nitrate in your tap water. Can you test your tap water for nitrate to confirm - or not - that the nitrate in your tank is all coming from your tap water.

Unless you have added some ammonia, there should not be any nitrate made in the tank as there is nothing to make it from.

 

[smackitsakic]

If nitrate is still 10 after a water change, it suggests you have 10 ppm nitrate in your tap water. Can you test your tap water for nitrate to confirm - or not - that the nitrate in your tank is all coming from your tap water.

Unless you have added some ammonia, there should not be any nitrate made in the tank as there is nothing to make it from.

My parrot is in there, so that would explain any ammonia levels.

 

[Essjay]

Ah, that explains it. I had assumed it was a fishless cycle