Mini Cycle....

[Jeff000]

How long does a mini cycle take to finish? I had it fully cycled, but some meds I needed to use put it into a mini cycle. and now its been a few days and is still like this.

I have a very light bio-load on the tank. so I dont know why its taking so long.

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

What are the nitrite/ammonia readings in the tank and what meds are you using ?

 

[karlp]

The last time I had a mini-cycle it lasted a week, but it really depends on how much bacteria you've lost.

 

[Jeff000]

What are the nitrite/ammonia readings in the tank and what meds are you using ?

Ammonia - 0.3 maybe a bit less, but my test has 0 and then .3 and its deffinatly not 0.
Nitrite - 0.5
Nitrate - 20 - 25

I used tetracylin i think it was called, but only one dose, i put charcoal back in and did a big change, and two days after went to EM tabs after taking out the charcoal.

I have done the full EM tab treatment, done the water change like it said, and put the charcoal back into the filters.
I am running a hang on and a eheim canister right now (getting rid of the hang on).

I have about 8 sword plants in the tank.



I also have bog wood that has given the tank a good musty color, could the color from that be changing my results?
its like a very weak tea color, and when I put a bit in a clear cup it kinda looks like weak tea.

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

The bogwood staining the water is natural, bogwood can release tannings which are either harmless to fish or actually beneficial, but the wood should stop staining the water/leaking tannins after a bit .

Small regular water changes will probably be better than large ones, its hard to say when the tank will stop cycling, i wouldn't expect more than a week though, but my best advice to you would to simply do a water change every day you see nitrites or ammonia as at least that way the fish wont suffer too badly from the cycle .

 

[Jeff000]

ok thanks, I'll do a like 10% change every day till its good then.

I know the bog wood staining is natural just didnt know if it would tint the results or not, good to know that it wont.