How Long Does It Take To Cycle A Tank ?

[Rooster]

HOW long DOES it take to cycle a tank ? (fishless...)

I setup an old Fluval 3 with a new sponge, in a small 4 gallon tank... more of an experiment than anything !
when I were a lad, there was none of this "fishless" malarky !

Tank was cleaned and filled with filtered water from a domestic plumbed in water filter (cartridge type)
Heater set to 78F

Started on Boxing day (26 Dec) with a couple of drops of ammonia
27 Dec Amm 1ppm Nitrate 0ppm + another 2 drops of ammonia

etc

3 Jan Amm 6ppm - Nitrate 0 ppm

So, no bacteria after over a week, is this typical ?

(please dont be lazy, and send me links to "fishless cycle" threads ! - I'd like to hear why MY experiment isnt working !!!! - or maybe it is !!!)

 

[rdd1952]

Hi Rooster and welcome to the forum.

Please see the link in my signature.

Just kidding. First question is did you use dechlorinator (and if so, which one) and are you using any other chemicals? Some of the products, Prime for instance, remove chlorine but also removes ammonia so the tank never cycles. Others neutralize ammonia and I'm not certain what effect that has on a fishless cycle but I suspect it isn't good. If you aren't using dechlorinator, then the chlorine, or more likely chloramine, is killing the bacteria before they can form.

Also, you need to turn the temp up. Higher temperatures inhibit bacteria growth. I usually do a fishless cycle with the temp between 86 and 90. With the higher temperature, you will also need an airstone to replenish the oxygen that the high temp drives out.

Lastly, small tanks are a bit more difficult to predict. I have cycled a couple 2.5 gallon and a 5 gallon each in about 3 weeks (1 week for the ammonia spike to end and 2 more weeks for the nitrite spike to drop).

And do read the link in my signature. I think it will help clear up any questions you may have about how to do a fishless cycle and what to expect.

 

[Rooster]

Did not use any other chemicals - even dechlorinator... I would expect the water filter to remove most , if not all of it - besides it would have dissipated into the air by now.

Arrr, the good old airstone/pump fallacy ! This does not add any air or oxygen to the water... just adds movement, enabling the gasses to exchange at the waters surface... I have arranged the filter outlet to "break" the surface, so there is loads of movement there,

"Also, you need to turn the temp up. Higher temperatures inhibit bacteria growth."
these two statements are contradictory ! I have read that 80F is ideal, but the highest i seem to get out of the heater im using is 78... near enough ?

$64000 question from me is, WHERE does this colony of baterium come from if you dont add a "seed" is it airbourne ?

PS - I HAVE read your article, great read - thanks, thats what prompted the experiment - please read MY tagline ! lol

 

[rdd1952]

Did not use any other chemicals - even dechlorinator... I would expect the water filter to remove most , if not all of it - besides it would have dissipated into the air by now.

Most water supplies have both chlorine AND chloramines. Chlorine, as you said, will dissipate after about 24 hours, sooner if there is aeration. Chloramines WILL NOT dissipate and must be removed or broken down. If you aren't using dechlorinator, I'd almost bet that is one of your problems.

Arrr, the good old airstone/pump fallacy ! This does not add any air or oxygen to the water... just adds movement, enabling the gasses to exchange at the waters surface... I have arranged the filter outlet to "break" the surface, so there is loads of movement there,

I realize the the oxygen isn't actually added to the water until the bubbles burst at the top. Surface agitation is indeed where oxygenization comes from. But unless you can lower the water level enough to create a large amount of agitation, you can't replenish all the oxygen driven out by higher temperatures.

"Also, you need to turn the temp up. Higher temperatures inhibit bacteria growth."
these two statements are contradictory ! I have read that 80F is ideal, but the highest i seem to get out of the heater im using is 78... near enough ?

You're right about the "inhibiting" thing. I must have had my head on crooked. The better words would be invites, stimulates or encourages. In any case, higher temps will speed bacteria growth. I will definitely stand by that. I'll bet that if you can raise the temp to 85 or 90 you will see the cycle take off. If your heater won't get the tank any warmer than 78, then you need a stronger heater (a minimum of 5 watts per gallon). I am taking a 50 watt back tomorrow to get a 100 watt because I can't get my 10 gallon experimental tank above 82.

$64000 question from me is, WHERE does this colony of baterium come from if you dont add a "seed" is it airbourne ?

I have never heard that question asked so I honestly don't know the answer. There has to be some present to start the colonization for sure. Maybe they just form from the warm, wet conditions. That would be an interesting question to pose in the Chit Chat section as I would like to see some peoples opinions on it.

 

[Rooster]

Update....

Got the temp up with a bit of fiddling

88F

Nothing to report until todays test where:

NitrIte 2ppm NitrAte 10ppm

So... YIPPEEE its taken off at last ! So 14 days done it.... chemistry works ! lol

Now lets see how long to complete.....

 

[rdd1952]

Glad to hear that. I think the temperatuer is really the trigger. I am in the process of doing my first straight fishless cycle in my group of experiments. It's only been 3 days since I added ammonia though so it's too early. I haven't checked the ammonia yet today but I really don't expect to find any change yet. I did check for nitrite this morning and as expected, it was 0.

 

[Rooster]

ITS DONE !!!! Chemistry works !!

Kept adding 2 drops of ammonia per day, and nothing really happened until:

10 Jan, first sign of nitrite.... 2ppm

Things then stabalised again until:

23 Jan, Ammonia 0 , Nitrite 0 nitrate 10 ppm

So, there we have it, a month to mature the filter, now what !
I will be setting up the real tank in the next week or so, after er indoors decides on a new carpet...
at that point I will be using the new external filter with the addition of the Fluvals sponge, this should bring the cycle down to days.... we'll see !