Cycle Treatment

[goldie]

Can anyone tell me if I need to remove my carbon before I treat my tank with 'Cycle'.......My nitrite level has risen because I have a new tank. I have gone from a 150lt to a 190lt tank. We used the old sponges, but have got new gravel. ( I mixed several handfuls of my old gravel into the new) .....Nitrite isnt very high, and we did a third water change yesterday, but I have just bought 'Cycle'.....
The instructions on the bottle arn't very clear...but the way I read it, I think it's OK to leave carbon in

 

[black angel]

yes you can leave the carbon in, but i personally only use carbon to clear the water of any meds that ive used.
i have used cycle to get my filter to cycle and i didnt even notice any readings for either ammonia or nitrite, but whether that works for everyone i dont know.

 

[goldie]

Thanks for quick answer, you are a star
Another question...how long did it take for you to see the affects of 'Cycle'

 

[black angel]

i didnt see anything happening at all. my stats were always ammonia 0, nitrite 0 and nitrate in the normal range. i have had the tank (34 ish gallons) since last september and those readings have never changed and i used one small bottle and one big bottle before i stopped using it.
what kind of filter have you got as you may be able to swap out the carbon for another sponge.

 

[goldie]

Its a juwel tank, so there are two fine sponges, plus two corser sponges, then the carbon sponge and lastly white wool....

 

[black angel]

the carbon wont last very long any way and i replaced mine with another fine mesh one but you can get a green one for nitrate if it will fit and thats in my juwel 16 gallon tank not the big tank. thatsthe big one is being run by a resun 1000 and a fluvel 3+.