Help Please, Am I Cycled?

[Watersprite]

Hi,
Just done fishless cycle for last three weeks. Ammonia drops back to zero in under 12hours, Nitrites spiked off chart and tonight have dropped to zero, Nitrates fluctuate between 80 and 100++ (not sure if they should be going up and down), not done a water change yet. Is it cycled?

 

[*Fishkies*]

Does not seem cycled to me yet. The nitrates are quite high yet.

 

[martyn21uk]

Does not seem cycled to me yet. The nitrates are quite high yet.

Nitrates surely suggest it is cycled?!?! We all get nitrates in a cycled tank and the last stage of a fishless cycle is to do a massive water change to bring the nitrates down to a 'good' level?

 

[Christine1014]

It does look like you're cycled! Do your water change, but keep adding a bit of ammonia until you're ready to put your fish in. (If you just leave the tank as-is your beneficial bacteria wont' have anything to "eat") Congrats!

 

[Watersprite]

Thanks for replies, will do large water change tomorrow after work and will add ammonia until I get the fish at the weekend. I followed fishless cycle instructions by rdd1952 and they have been brilliant, much better than the fish suffering. Can't wait to get my new buddies.

 

[Miss Wiggle]

yeah it looks like your nearly done, what i'd advise you doing is carrying on adding ammonia the next couple of days to check that the cycle is definately done (keep monitoring the levels) then on sunday morning do your big water change then while the tank is warming back up you go out and buy your fishies and acclimitise them

 

[tetraqueen]

Can I just add that you will still need to continue testing and after adding fish the figures naturally change. Do not add too many fish at once. Go patiently and you will win.

 

[martyn21uk]

after fishless cycling you should be able to load to your full stock immediately, because thats the size of bacteria colony you have just built up and a full load will keep them going. But yes test and test and test and test!!!

 

[mark.w.jones]

I would advise you fully stock your tank either all at once or at most over a period of a few days. If you stock slowly your huge colony of bacteria in your filter will all die back.

 

[tetraqueen]

I would listen to the last two as they have more experience I've always got on better slowly.

 

[Watersprite]

I would listen to the last two as they have more experience I've always got on better slowly.

Thanks, I appreciate everyones comments

 

[doresy]

lucky b****r I'm still at it after 6 weeks.....nearly there though

 

[rdd1952]

Can I just add that you will still need to continue testing and after adding fish the figures naturally change. Do not add too many fish at once. Go patiently and you will win.

I would listen to the last two as they have more experience I've always got on better slowly.

When cycling with fish, slow and a few at a time is the way to go. After a fishless cycle, you have plenty of bacteria to add your entire fish load at once.

Sounds to me as if your cycle is complete. Congratulations!!! (There should be a Congrats emoticon)

As Miss Wiggle mentioned, I'd continue to add ammonia for few days just to make sure. Don't do the big water change until the night before you go to get your fish. If you do it and then keep adding ammonia for 2 or 3 more days, the nitrates will start to build up again.

 

[Watersprite]

Great having all this expert advice!

Will be adding most of my fish in one go as advised, will keep you posted on progress. Sure that I will have a few questions once the fish have taken up residence.

lucky b****r I'm still at it after 6 weeks.....nearly there though

Hang in there, won't be long.

 

[Watersprite]

Totally confused now....
Tank cycled 2days ago, still doing checks every day Ammonia: 0, Nitrites: 0
Have added ammonia each day (as no fish yet), drops back to 0 in under 12hours

Did a 30% water change this morning to clean the tank up a bit, Will be doing a large water change tomorrow morning.

Tested for Nitrates 2hrs after water change expecting them to have gone down a bit (was around 90/100) but they have now gone up off the chart.

Any explanations WHY?

Was going to put my fish in tomorrow or Monday.