Quick Nitrite Drop During Fishless Cycle?

[dean1120]

We started a fishless cycle on a little 10 gallon tank on 7/18. We also have a big 125 gal tank and put one of its filters in the little tank to try to get some of the bacteria from it, in hopes of speeding up the cycling process. We added ammonia every day raising it to about 5ppm. I didn't even think to check the nitrites until ammonia dropped. Yesterday, ammonia dropped to 0. So, I tested nitrites and it was around 2-5ppm. I then added half the ammonia that I had been adding daily. Today, I tested the water and both ammonia and nitrites are 0. Nitrate level is around 40ppm. I was under the impression that nitrites would take awhile to get to 0, but am wondering if since we used the filter from the other tank that maybe that helped speed up the process.

Before I do my water change and add my fish I want to make sure I've done this right.

Any thoughts? Does it sound like I'm cycled or did I mess up?

Thanks!

 

[Cheffi]

We started a fishless cycle on a little 10 gallon tank on 7/18. We also have a big 125 gal tank and put one of its filters in the little tank to try to get some of the bacteria from it, in hopes of speeding up the cycling process. We added ammonia every day raising it to about 5ppm. I didn't even think to check the nitrites until ammonia dropped. Yesterday, ammonia dropped to 0. So, I tested nitrites and it was around 2-5ppm. I then added half the ammonia that I had been adding daily. Today, I tested the water and both ammonia and nitrites are 0. Nitrate level is around 40ppm. I was under the impression that nitrites would take awhile to get to 0, but am wondering if since we used the filter from the other tank that maybe that helped speed up the process.

Before I do my water change and add my fish I want to make sure I've done this right.

Any thoughts? Does it sound like I'm cycled or did I mess up?

Thanks!

It sounds to me like it's cycled however to make sure just keep adding the ammonia for a few days more and if it goes to 0ppm in 12 hrs and the nitrite stays at zero also I would guess thats it.

 

[Tolak]

The filter helped speed it up. If you used enough filtration from the larger tank it would actually be cloning, giving you what amounts to an instantly cycled tank. Sounds like you added just a little less filtration than was needed to clone it, making it cycle so quickly.