Dumb Thing To Do? Cycling

[modaz]

Ok, ive never claimed to be hot on the cycling issue as ive only ever since starting one tank added its filter media to the new ones ive set up so everything was ok, but recently started another, used the filter media again but left the tank for 1 week with no fish, no snails, just a small amount of java moss from another tankt, after reading some threads on cycling, i think i may have left it too long without any food source and the bacteria wouldve died.

after 3 days of setting it up, ammonia 0, nitrite 5, nitrates were 50, water change sorted it to 40, then it went down to 20, did a small water change and was thinking of adding some hardy fish but checked the stats again and everything was 0, except a small amount of ammonia.
I pressume the small amount of fish waste etc.... that was on the java moss has caused this, but with the nitrate and nitriets at 0 im i thinking that the bacteria is no more? ive found a small bottle of cycle that i had and added 4 caps which was the recommended amount to put in a new tank to give it some bacteria and a few pest snails to produce a bit more waste, would this sort the tank out? or am i going nuts and completely messed up the idea of cycling in my head?

 

[ArauraDiscus]

Yeah if you have zero nitrates, your tank isn't cycled and the bacteria are dead, unless you have a ridiculously well planted aquarium.

 

[modaz]

Yeah if you have zero nitrates, your tank isn't cycled and the bacteria are dead, unless you have a ridiculously well planted aquarium.

cool, as long as i wasnt going mad, blimey im actually getting there so would adding the stuff ive added and the snails do the trick, or should i just empty it and start again with filter media again.

 

[Christine1014]

The Cycle's probably not going to help, as most of those products don't really do what they claim to. Can you spare another piece of media from your old tank? If so, put that in your filter and add a fish or two right away (or at least before you bacteria dies off) and you should be fine. If not... you need a bottle of ammonia......

 

[modaz]

yep will do that, thanks for the replies