Biorb Cycle Update

pauline

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my biorb has been runnig for 2 weeks now and all my readings are at zero for the last 2 days. (i cloned the filter with a bit of filter from my mature tank) just wanted to ask is my tank now cycled or can i expect to see a nitrate increase in the next few days? also when would be a good time to risne the filter foam as its getting quite clogged(you can see it in the orb at the base as the housing is clear. im frightened of upsetting my chemistry :sad: thanks
 
when you can process the ammonia/nitrite in 12 hours you are done, but continue feeding the bacteria with the same dose of ammonia each day for about a week - the bacterial colony will be more stable that way.

What are your readings for nitrate Pauline? Its expected for them to be high at the end of a cycle - so a 70% ish water change is needed to bring the levels down then you're ready for fish.

The only time the media needs rinsing is when the flow from your filter slows down, then its just a case of swishing the sponges about in a bucket of tank water (you'll do minimal damage to your bacterial colony that way)

I usually clean my input nozzle about once a month (as leaves get sucked into it) and thats enough to return the water flow to normal.
 
Yes, agree, when you can dose 5ppm of pure household ammonia and have both ammonia and nitrite(NO2) then drop to zero ppm in 12 hours or less as tested by a liquid test kit then you can start your "qualifying week" which just means to watch it do this same thing for the better part of a week before doing the large water change and stocking fish.

~~waterdrop~~
 
Thanks gaz and W.D i should have said that ive got the fish in,4 neon tetras. my readings for nitrite and nitrate are 0 and ammonia is 0 with the A.P.I test kit. im still checking the warer twice a day but havn,t changed any water today. the fish are doing fine and are active and feeding. i read about the nitrate rising but its not. is that ok? thanks.
 
I'm quite surprised you aren't seeing any readings at all, espescially when you have fish in the tank.

It may be the case that the cycle hasn't even started yet as neons are very low waste producers so its possible they are not creating enough ammonia to kick start the cycle.

Not sure if your aware but neons shouldn't be put in tanks less than 6 months old as they are very sensitive to fluctuating water conditions which are occur in newly established tanks.

Andy
 
Hi andy the fish in the tank was a big mistake :blush: but i was given very bad advice when i bought my biorb. i did have very high ammonia at the beginning of my cycle and kept doing the water changes as adviced. the ammonia was very high but now its 0.so are you saying that this will be a slow cycle? thanks.
 
you wont need to mess about cleaning the filter sponge yet, the longer the better and certainly dont replace them ( as reef one recomend) untill they are literally falling apart, all thats needed is a quick gentle squeeze in a bucket of water that you have taken OUT of the tank, so in effect dirty water

if the filter ( bubbles at the the top of the bubble tube) starts to slow down, you may find that you need a new air stone ( located under the filter housing)

im also thinking that your filter hasnt started to cycle with those readings( or you have done too many water changes without declor and wiped it out), use an API mater testing kit and test daily,
unfortuntaly you are going thru a fish in cycle, you may well lose your fish,theres a thread at the top of the main page here that includes facts on fish in cycling
or theres the alternative.. return the fish
with no readings it pointless doing water changes, so test everyday then as soon as you get an ammonia reading do a small water change, its a no win situation you are in as although nitrItes are deadly to fish, you cant complete your cycle without them

ammonia>nitrite>nitrate

i know you say you were given bad advice when you bought the biorb, but there is a booklet with biorbs, that states that 1 new fish should be added no sooner than 28 days after eachother till max stocking is met ( yes the filters are that bad)( which is never correct for the size, surface area or general suitabilty of these tanks) neon tetras prefer stable mature setups :(
 
Agree with Shelagh that there's a good chance it hasn't even really started to cycle and will need to be closely watched with morning and evening tests. Record your results in your aquarium logbook.

Have the fish been in there 2 weeks? Its possible with only 4 neons that you are just getting very little feedback if you've been doing some water changes. The lucky thing is that its a small tank, making it much easier to respond quickly to any trace readings and perhaps keeping the water clean enough to help the neons make it through the six months.

~~waterdrop~~
 
Agree with Shelagh that there's a good chance it hasn't even really started to cycle and will need to be closely watched with morning and evening tests. Record your results in your aquarium logbook.

Have the fish been in there 2 weeks? Its possible with only 4 neons that you are just getting very little feedback if you've been doing some water changes. The lucky thing is that its a small tank, making it much easier to respond quickly to any trace readings and perhaps keeping the water clean enough to help the neons make it through the six months.

~~waterdrop~~
thanks W.D yes the fish been in 2 weeks now. tested the water this morning and got 0.25 ammonia and 5.0 nitrate the nitrite was 0. i did a 10ltr change with de-chlor. this is the firat nitrate reading ive had so it must be cycling now? going to test again this evening. should i still do the small water changes if i get readins as small as this for nitrates? thanks :good:
 
Agree with Shelagh that there's a good chance it hasn't even really started to cycle and will need to be closely watched with morning and evening tests. Record your results in your aquarium logbook.

Have the fish been in there 2 weeks? Its possible with only 4 neons that you are just getting very little feedback if you've been doing some water changes. The lucky thing is that its a small tank, making it much easier to respond quickly to any trace readings and perhaps keeping the water clean enough to help the neons make it through the six months.

~~waterdrop~~
thanks W.D yes the fish been in 2 weeks now. tested the water this morning and got 0.25 ammonia and 5.0 nitrate the nitrite was 0. i did a 10ltr change with de-chlor. this is the firat nitrate reading ive had so it must be cycling now? going to test again this evening. should i still do the small water changes if i get readins as small as this for nitrates? thanks :good:
Yes, your goal is to figure out a pattern of percentage and frequency of water changes such that by the next time you are home and can measure, the levels of ammonia and nitrite(NO2) have not risen above 0.25ppm. It can take over a month of close watching to finish a fish-in cycle. The usual test for when it has been successful is when the filter can keep both ammonia and nitrite at zero for two days running without you having to do any water changes. But with a tiny tank I'd watch closely because it might be a little easier for those to fool you, so just be cautious and keep an eye on test results for a longer time after you think its finally cycled.

~~waterdrop~~
 

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