Moved Tanks...back To Drawing Board?

[BlueBlenny]

I had a completely established 10 gallon tank last month, and my platies unfortunately decided to give birth. The fry were so cute that I managed to catch one and keep it safe in a breeding net, which took up the whole tank. So I upgraded to a 20 gallon to give them more room, moved over a cup of gravel, all the decorations, and the bio filter. I was hoping I wouldn't have to cycle again, but here I am a week later with .25 ammonia as well as some nitrites AND nitrates (low readings). Since nitrates are present, does it mean that I might have a shorter cycle than normal?

bb

 

[Truck]

yes most than likely the gravel will have seeded the filters, just wait till youve got a reading of 0 for ammonia and nitrites, and then a reading of 10-20ppm of nitrates

 

[waterdrop]

Did you condition the tap water going into the new tank? If you did then there shouldn't be any reason the established filter wouldn't support the same population it has been handling all along. In that case you'd probably be just seeing a mini-cycle caused by all the disturbance of the move, so keep testing and doing water changes if needed. If you do not immediately drop back to zeros tomorrow then you'll have to consider yourself to be in a "fish-in" cycling situation and perform water changes such that 0.25ppm max or less values are maintained on ammonia and nitrite.

~~waterdrop~~