Did I cycle correctly???

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bramirez13

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Hi all first post and hoping for some answers...

I have a new acrylic 50 gallon tank with the following

Substrate
Lava rocks in mesh bags underneath Seachem flourite black and Seachem Onyx sand (all rinsed thouroughly), root tabs in select locations

Hardscape
Large Slate rocks (boiled for ~10 min)
Several other smaller rocks of varying type (boiled ~10 min)
Drift wood (boiled for ~3 hrs)

Plants
Java Fern
Java Moss
Moneywort
Anubis Barteri

I cycled the tank for just over 3 weeks with no live stock at all. I started the cycle by doing the following:
-Added dechlorinated tap water
-Added API Quick Start
-Seeded by swishing a sponge from my 20L turtle hatchling tank inside the new tank.
- I let the powerhead cycle for 3 weeks (changing filter floss once a week)
-Dosed liquid ferts once a week per bottle instructions


Best I can tell using an API master test kit, Water parameters were the following:
pH 8.0
Ammonia 0ppm
Nitrite 0ppm
Nitrate 0ppm
Temp 74F (digital thermometer)

There was some very minor algea growth in the tank after 3 weeks but water was fairly clear and no odor.

I then drained ~30% water, cleaned up some of the algea, and added:
-Cryptocoryne parva
-Blue Hygro
-Phyllanthus fluitans (red root floater)
-1 cappata leaf
All plants were rinsed thouroughly prior to adding
-More root tabs where new plants were placed
-Added back in dechlorinated water and API Quick Start
-Changed filter floss
-Dosed fertilizer

Turned powerhead back on and let it run for ~30 min everything looked fine so I then drip acclimated 50 shrimp (Neocaridina davidi) then added them in the tank


At this point it was pretty late last night so I turned my aquarium light to the blue lights (night mode).

Everything was fine this morning water was pretty clear. Switched the lights to day mode and went to work. When I got home this evening I noticed a film on the water surface, the water now has an odor, and several spots of brownish algea on the acrylic...




For reference my turtle tank has 2 hatchling turtles, a few snails, a few shrimp, 3 small fish, hornswort, and java moss... Water in that tank is clear and no odor when compared to my new tank.


Sorry for the long post (especially since it's my first post). Any insight would be great...

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Hi Bramirez13,
Welcome.
I have never done a fishless cycle but am replying because I see this post has not had a response yet.
I don't think you are cycled. This is because I can't see that you added an ammonia source . Also that changing your filter media will remove your beneficial bacteria. Lastly your mature filter media was squashed In the water but it needs to be put in the filter and left running to be effective.
Please read the guidance on how to cycle your tank in the beginners forum and persevere, your set up sounds amazing!
All the best. :)
 
Your filter is unlikely to be cycled. The good news is you may have enough plants for this not to be an issue. Monitor your ammonia and nitrite daily and if your readings are anything other than zero do a large water change of 75%. RCS are fine with large changes. Dont replace your filter floss. Rinse it out in the water you took out for the change and put it back. For the next month or so if it looks clean just leave it alone. Don't worry about the brown algae, its normal and will disappear on its own.
 
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Thanks all for the feedback. I'm out traveling for work but my wife said there is more and more algea build up on the aquarium. She hasn't seen any dead shrimp as of yet so that's a good sign.

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Just got a text from the wife... 7 dead shrimp in the tank. Won't be home for another 2 days... Hope I have some shrimp left by the time I get home.

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Your tank is definitely not cycled. You can read up on “fish in” cycling and do that now since you have the shrimp in there. I’m not sure they will produce enough ammonia though. Are you feeding them shrimp food? If so, that can be an ammonia source. Just swishing a filter is really of no benefit to seed a tank. You need to put used filter floss in the filter and leave it there. Gravel from another tank can help too. Don’t clean your filter at all for first couple of months. Let the beneficial bacteria grow for a while. I suggest reading up on Dr. Tim’s fish in cycle process. I feel he is the best. We’re here to help with any questions. Good luck!
 
Your tank is definitely not cycled. You can read up on “fish in” cycling and do that now since you have the shrimp in there. I’m not sure they will produce enough ammonia though. Are you feeding them shrimp food? If so, that can be an ammonia source. Just swishing a filter is really of no benefit to seed a tank. You need to put used filter floss in the filter and leave it there. Gravel from another tank can help too. Don’t clean your filter at all for first couple of months. Let the beneficial bacteria grow for a while. I suggest reading up on Dr. Tim’s fish in cycle process. I feel he is the best. We’re here to help with any questions. Good luck!
Is it mandatory to clean your filter once in a while or not? I do change the cartridge, but I never clean the filter since most of the beneficial bacteria stocks there
 
Is it mandatory to clean your filter once in a while or not? I do change the cartridge, but I never clean the filter since most of the beneficial bacteria stocks there
. Don’t ever change your filter media unless it’s literally falling apart. If you are referring to the charcoal then you can change that. I don’t even use the charcoal unless I’m filtering out meds. Just swish your media (floss) in a little tank water to rinse it every couple of weeks. Don’t even do that though for the first couple of months. That’s where the good bacteria grows the most. The filter housing should be cleaned out as needed. Mine gets cleaned a couple of times a year.
 
Just got a text from the wife... 7 dead shrimp in the tank. Won't be home for another 2 days... Hope I have some shrimp left by the time I get home.

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:( Hope so too.
 
. Don’t ever change your filter media unless it’s literally falling apart. If you are referring to the charcoal then you can change that. I don’t even use the charcoal unless I’m filtering out meds. Just swish your media (floss) in a little tank water to rinse it every couple of weeks. Don’t even do that though for the first couple of months. That’s where the good bacteria grows the most. The filter housing should be cleaned out as needed. Mine gets cleaned a couple of times a year.
I use this for my filter, but i gotta change it once a month. My comment was about cleaning out the actual filter
 

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So I got home... 2 more dead shrimp and most of the floating red root plants are dead also. Ton of brown algea growth. I did a 30% water change and added a some hornswort from my turtle tank. Film is present again at the air to water column interface.

I think the flow is too high for the red root plants. I read that they dont like too much flow.

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I use this for my filter, but i gotta change it once a month. My comment was about cleaning out the actual filter
You don’t Have to change those monthly. I change mine when they fall apart. They hold a lot of your beneficial bacteria. Just rinse them in tank water every 2 weeks. Manufacturers say to change them just to get your money.
 

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