What's The Diffence Between Cycled And Mature?

[Notsofab]

Whilst researching fish, I have seen a lot of stated requirements saying that certain fish need a 'mature' tank with stable water perameters. Does anyone know what they mean by 'mature'?

If you do a fishless cycle on your tank, when it completes it is obviously cycled but is it mature? If your tank is properly cycled and you stock your tank to capacity - then you perform regular water changes, surely your water parameters would remain fairly constant? Are there other chemical changes that occur within the tank over say the first six months? I assume that the bacteria growth will level off to stay constant with the tanks bio load?

Are the references to 'mature' tanks aimed at the older methods of tank cycling, where water parameters would be very unstable within the first few months of the set up?

The reason for my question is that when the cycle completes it is said that you should add at least 75% of your total bio load. It may just be that with the fish you have chosen more than 25% of them need 'mature' conditions.

I guess I'm just trying to determine if the term 'mature' relates more to a tank that has cycled with fish, or if a tanked cycled fishlessly also needs to 'mature'?

Thanks.

 

[Bloo]

To my understanding, a mature tank is around 6 months old and more. A tank where everything has "settled". Doing large water changes won't affect it and all-round just much more stable. A tank that has found a "balance". Mature tanks seem to recover and adjust faster after changes - such as adding new fish.

 

[Notsofab]

To my understanding, a mature tank is around 6 months old and more. A tank where everything has "settled". Doing large water changes won't affect it and all-round just much more stable. A tank that has found a "balance". Mature tanks seem to recover and adjust faster after changes - such as adding new fish.

So what changes are likely to take place as a tank matures?

For example, my first tank was cycled with fish. After 2 months I got an outbreak of brown algae. Is this as a result of the cycle - or is it an indication that the tank is maturing?

Using this example of my first tank again where I cycled with fish. It has been an absolute nightmare and the cycle still hasn't fully completed after 2 months. Therefore I would say it was far less stable than another tank that has been cycled using the fishless methods which completed in two weeks and has been maintained regularly for the next 6 weeks. Both tanks are 2 months old, but the second is more stable than the first - no? But this just leads me back to the original question, does a tanks maturity directly relate to its ability to deal with ammonia and the nitrogen cycle effectively?

 

[annka5]

There was a post similar to this a while back. "mature" typically means over 6 months old.
Personally, I cannot see how when the tank is fully cycled, with plants established, there can be any difference - gravel is vaccumed, any algae scraped off regularly, the filter is fully colonised with bacteria, water changes each week, so I would take some convincing that there is a difference to the tank environment.
IMO it stems from days when the cycling of a tank was poorly understood by aquarists and pre-dates fishless cycling.

 

[Notsofab]

IMO it stems from days when the cycling of a tank was poorly understood by aquarists and pre-dates fishless cycling.

Thank you. That was pretty much my take on it too. So you wouldn't be particularly worried about adding fish that requires a mature tank once the fishless cycle was complete then?

 

[annka5]

I wouldn't be concerned - but be very patient; I'd be inclined to keep feeding ammonia to the tank for a week or so after you think the tank is done cycling to be sure.

 

[andywg]

It's more than just cycling.

There are a lot of things that happen in a tank beyond the colonisation of the nitrogen cycle bacteria. There will still be some swings in parameters we tend not to, or can't, check.

All that sand, or gravel (for example), while generally inert, will still react to a small degree with water. Haven't you noticed how, even with cycled tanks, most propblems happen in the first 6months to a year of a tank being set up?

 

[Notsofab]

There are a lot of things that happen in a tank beyond the colonisation of the nitrogen cycle bacteria. There will still be some swings in parameters we tend not to, or can't, check.

Such as ?

Haven't you noticed how, even with cycled tanks, most propblems happen in the first 6months to a year of a tank being set up?

Personally no I haven't because I've only been at this fish keeping lark for just over 2 months. But I'm prepared to take your word for it.

I thought maybe most initial problems would be down to tank cycling, then other initial problems could be generated as fish or plants were introduced.

In my senario there are no live plants, and I would add all the bio load once the cycled had fully completed. So allowing for the fact that none of the new fish are ill when I buy them, I wasn't sure what else could mature?

 

[andywg]

Well, if you dump all teh fish at once then you'd better have been cycling with a fair amount of ammonia.

Possible swings? pH. not so much without live plants, but wiht them it is not unknown for the pH to swing at night to become more acidic as the plants use expel carbon dioxide. we don't usually measure that throughout the night, but take a spot check every so often.

Problems due to an immature tank are initial. Most plastic compononents are made in factories that are not as clean as an Operating Theatre. therefore there can be small and slight nastiness carried in on them. Most fish don't nitice it, but some fish are verysensitive and can (not necessarily will). The reason some ffish are for mature tanks is because experience has shown they do far better when put in a tank that is 6months to a year old at least.

 

[Tolak]

http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=107912&hl= Check out #1, biological exclusion. This explains why a mature tank will work as well as it does.

Tolak

 

[Notsofab]

http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=107912&hl= Check out #1, biological exclusion. This explains why a mature tank will work as well as it does.

Tolak

Thanks Tolak, that does explain very thouroughly.