After 11 Weeks, The Cycle Is Finally Over

[ZoddyZod]

Is there no hint of purple even when the drops first go in?

Are you following instructions properly or the nitrate test? shaking bottle 2 for 30 secs then test tube for 1 min? if not nitrate reading wont be accurate.

Andy

Nope, no hint of purple at all, just turns bright pale blue.

Yep, doing that exact same routine. Feel like a bit of a berk standing in my lounge window, shaking my fist at any passers by whilst counting in my head . In fact, I normally read the instruction booklet before each test just to be doubly sure I'm not getting it wrong.

 

[OldMan47]

How many fast growing plants do you have in the tank ZoddyZod?

 

[ZoddyZod]

How many fast growing plants do you have in the tan ZoddyZod?

Just a Java Fern and a moss ball. Thought it unlikely that they'd keep the nitrates down substantially?

 

[ZoddyZod]

update bump

 

[OldMan47]

The moss ball and java fern can really do you a lot of good if your stocking levels are fairly low. You may be close to experiencing what is called a silent cycle. The plants manage to use the available nitrogen in the ammonia and you never see anything else. Unfortunately, if you do go that way, you don't really know what to expect when you add a few more fish.

 

[ZoddyZod]

The moss ball and java fern can really do you a lot of good if your stocking levels are fairly low. You may be close to experiencing what is called a silent cycle. The plants manage to use the available nitrogen in the ammonia and you never see anything else. Unfortunately, if you do go that way, you don't really know what to expect when you add a few more fish.

Never heard of the 'silent cycle' before.

Would this mean that ammonia would slowly drop without me ever seeing a nitrite/nitrate raise due to the plants?

 

[OldMan47]

It means exactly that ZoddyZod. The trouble that you can get into is that you have a few fish and some plants in a good balance, then you add some fish. The plants are no longer enough to handle the load so the surplus needs to be used to either grow the plants much faster, which can happen, or to develop a biological filter that really did not exist before, which can also happen. If you have achieved a balance like that right now, I would not change stocking levels for at least a month. The constant presence of traces of ammonia in the water, too low for us to detect, will slowly build a bit of a biofilter in the tank and adding fish after several weeks will be much safer than trying to add right away. The "silent cycle" is something that you often read about in plant forums but not very often in a beginners thread like in this part of the forum. Trying to achieve a silent cycle on purpose can be very risky, especially to a new person who does not have the expertise in growing plants yet.

 

[ZoddyZod]

It means exactly that ZoddyZod. The trouble that you can get into is that you have a few fish and some plants in a good balance, then you add some fish. The plants are no longer enough to handle the load so the surplus needs to be used to either grow the plants much faster, which can happen, or to develop a biological filter that really did not exist before, which can also happen. If you have achieved a balance like that right now, I would not change stocking levels for at least a month. The constant presence of traces of ammonia in the water, too low for us to detect, will slowly build a bit of a biofilter in the tank and adding fish after several weeks will be much safer than trying to add right away. The "silent cycle" is something that you often read about in plant forums but not very often in a beginners thread like in this part of the forum. Trying to achieve a silent cycle on purpose can be very risky, especially to a new person who does not have the expertise in growing plants yet.

Thank you for this info, much appreciated and very interesting. I'm certainly not thinking of adding any new fish to the tank until I see stable stats for over a month.

Thanks again!

 

[ZoddyZod]

Right, here are my latest stats. As you can see no nitrIte reading and no increases in nitrAte (except when tap water levels increased at one point) and the usual gradual rasing of ammonia levels.

Am I just unlucky that the cycle simply hasn't started yet?

 

[OldMan47]

It looks like you have gained control of the ammonia levels in your tank but nothing much is happening to start the fish-in cycle. With levels as high as 0.25 ppm, you have enough ammonia and then some to get it going but so far no signs of much progress. I would be looking around for a filter media donor to get a kick start on your cycle. You are about a month into it with no obvious bacteria present yet. Your water parameters are fine for the cycle to have started so that does not seem to be the problem.

 

[ZoddyZod]

It looks like you have gained control of the ammonia levels in your tank but nothing much is happening to start the fish-in cycle. With levels as high as 0.25 ppm, you have enough ammonia and then some to get it going but so far no signs of much progress. I would be looking around for a filter media donor to get a kick start on your cycle. You are about a month into it with no obvious bacteria present yet. Your water parameters are fine for the cycle to have started so that does not seem to be the problem.

I was thinking maybe that I'm not mixing the dechlorinator correctly, but I'm sure that I'm dosing enough (possibly too much) and I'm adding it to the bucket before filling with water and adding to the tank.

Going to give it another 1/2 weeks. If nothing happens then I'll be on the hunt for mature media.

 

[Marve99]

I'm no expert, but from the fishless cycle guides I read and quote

raise the water temperature to the mid to upper 80s. I have even had success with temperatures in the low 90s. The warmer water promotes bacteria growth and will speed the cycle

whereas you temp seems to be in the low to mid 70's.

Could this have anything to do with it??

 

[ZoddyZod]

I'm no expert, but from the fishless cycle guides I read and quote

raise the water temperature to the mid to upper 80s. I have even had success with temperatures in the low 90s. The warmer water promotes bacteria growth and will speed the cycle

whereas you temp seems to be in the low to mid 70's.

Could this have anything to do with it??

I've read that as well. However, I've got Zebra Danios in the tank and they are a temperate fish and apparently wont be very happy in anything higher than 24c.

 

[Marve99]

I'm no expert, but from the fishless cycle guides I read and quote

raise the water temperature to the mid to upper 80s. I have even had success with temperatures in the low 90s. The warmer water promotes bacteria growth and will speed the cycle

whereas you temp seems to be in the low to mid 70's.

Could this have anything to do with it??

I've read that as well. However, I've got Zebra Danios in the tank and they are a temperate fish and apparently wont be very happy in anything higher than 24c.

Agree, best not to boil the fish

 

[iwantmorecash]

I'm no expert, but from the fishless cycle guides I read and quote

raise the water temperature to the mid to upper 80s. I have even had success with temperatures in the low 90s. The warmer water promotes bacteria growth and will speed the cycle

whereas you temp seems to be in the low to mid 70's.

Could this have anything to do with it??

I've read that as well. However, I've got Zebra Danios in the tank and they are a temperate fish and apparently wont be very happy in anything higher than 24c.

Agree, best not to boil the fish

I have 5 zebra danios in my tank and my tank runs around 25-26.... they seem fine, they are mor energetic when the temp peeks (my heater is set on 23/24 but digi termometor reads higher)