Quick Cycling

[evanh]

Hello all,
i have a 50 gallon tank and i have been cycling using fish for about two weeks. I have seen my ammonia go up and down and my nitrate go up and down. I have added some biological filter media. So my question is should I still wait longer even though it seems like it is cycled?
Thanks in advance

 

[Vethian]

The tank isnt cycled until you see 0 ammonia and 0 nitrites.  No ups and downs.  I would recommend tetra Safe Start Plus.  A daily dosage is listed and will help move things along so the fish wont suffer too long.

 

[evanh]

Both are currently at zero and have gone from 0 to 4 and then back down to zero. Sorry I didn't make that clear.

 

[Ch4rlie]

2 weeks to cycle a tank using Fish In Cycle method, sorry but unless you added mature media either by squeezing the bacteria into the tank water or adding the mature filter media to your filter then its unlikely or perhaps even using bottled bacteria such as Tetra Safe Start as Vethian mentions, or Dr Tim's One and Only Nitrifying Bacteria would help cycle a tank fast.
 
Is the tank brand new or used with a used fiter included?
 
If you have not used either of the methods above then chances are, your tank and filter will not be cycled
 
I'd have a read of these articles so that you have more of an idea what a cycled tank is all about.
 
Part I
 
Part II
 
Its certainly possible I have got this wrong, but from the little information you provided that is what i have guessed.

 

[evanh]

i have added a bottle of live nitrifying bacteria. the tank is brand new. Nothing in it is used. That is why I found it odd that it cycled so fast. I have also turned up the heat and do 25% water changes every so often (maybe 3-5 days). While doing water changes I do not touch the gravel so that the biological filter stays in tact. I have seen the tank cycle properly, but it still amazes me that it cycle so fast. I plan on waiting another few days to a week and testing it to see if anything spikes up again. Does anyone think I should still wait longer?

 

[Ch4rlie]

Ah, that does make a bit more sense now that you mention adding the bottled bacteria.
 
Any chance you know what brand it was? does sound like Dr Tims....
 
Also what test kit are you using, the liquid based kits tend to be more accurate than the dip strip kits.
 
Just interesting readint his that a tank can be cycled quickly using bottled bacteria and fish in as well. I have heard of this working but nice to hear first hand.

 

[evanh]

It was Dr. Tims and I used API Freshwater Master Test Kit

 

[Ch4rlie]

Sounds good

 
If the test results shows 0 ammonia and 0 nitrite and some nitrate every 24 hours, then sounds like you're good to go

 
 
Out of curiosity, what fish have you got in that 55gal tank?
 
Oh, and do you have lots of plants in the tank as well?

 

[evanh]

There are only four fish in the tank and 3 freshwater plants

 

[TwoTankAmin]

Had it been Dr. Tim's, I doubt the ammonia reading would have gone as high as 4 ppm, especially if it was added before the fish went in.

 

[evanh]

It was about five days after