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Quick cycling question.

2K views 15 replies 7 participants last post by  JDM 
#1 ·
I recently set up a new 55g tank, after the set up ran for a few days I knew it was time to kick the cycle off. I picked up 5 long fin danios to get the cycle going. Since I put the danios in 3 weeks have past with monitoring the water levels using API master kit. I havent had so much as a slight spike in any of the levels. I'm wondering if I should do anything or just keep being patient and wait for the ammonia to spike up on it's own? I remember with my 10g tank it took a while to cycle but 3 weeks without anything seems a little odd to me.

Thanks for any advice in advance!
 
#4 ·
Welcome to Tropical Fish Keeping forum.

It is possible that the five small fish in the 55g will cycle the tank without causing noticeable rises in ammonia or nitrite. Let's hope so, because either will harm the fish seriously.

The more water volume, the more diluted the ammonia will be, and the bacteria can establish and handle it. Even so, I wouold not risk any fish, but toss in some fast-growing plants; floating are excellent for this.

Byron.
 
#6 ·
Chances are your tank is not obviously cycling due to the small fish load, as mentioned. You may not see a spike in ammonia but the bacteria will start growing, just slower according to the ammonia available... very low levels. This will produce nitrites in correspondingly low levels and nitrates will follow suit. Good for the fish but if you start adding more you may get the missing spike and, as Byron said, harm the fish.

I'd suggest going ahead and adding your plants as they will suck up any ammonia that is produced by your fish... enough plants and you avoid having to do the whole ammonia spike in the first place, better for the fish.

I have a 37 gallon with 13 fish, 40+ plants and have not seen any ammonia yet and the tank is about two weeks old.

Jeff.
 
#9 ·
I'd suggest getting the plants in first, as many as you can manage, make sure the ammonia is staying at zero then move the fish as you planned. This just establishes your ammonia sink first, stabilizes the whole setup.

Jeff.
 
#11 ·
If you add enough plants, you don't need the cycle accelerated, save a few bucks and use them for plants and save putting more chems in the tank.

I only suggest this as it is currently working well for me. Lots of plants in a new tank, medium fish load within a week with no sign of ammonia, nitrites or nitrates.

While the bacteria will establish, they will do so much more slowly as the system is not relying on them at all for ammonia handling.

Jeff.
 
#12 ·
I agree with the plant idea, plant it well, and include floating plants. Then a few fish can go in.
 
#13 ·
I have found that with my 30g tank that with the amount of plants I have in it, I have not had an ammonia spike at all, and doubt I ever will from what I have researched.

And from the get go, I had a fairly decent fish load going on. With about 13 fish. But also had my Pleco and 7 Ghost Shrimp that helped with the clean up of the bottom, etc...

I really think that live plants, medium to heavily planted, really does help the eco system of your tank!
 
#14 ·
Update on the cycle

Over the weekend I went out and added 11 live plants to my tank. I also added in my remaining 4 fish from my original 10 gallon set up. I have still yet to see a spike in any of the levels (ammonia, nitrite, nitrate) I have pretty much decided that I will not add any more fish until this tank is cycled. Is there anything else I should do to help it along?
 
#15 ·
Over the weekend I went out and added 11 live plants to my tank. I also added in my remaining 4 fish from my original 10 gallon set up. I have still yet to see a spike in any of the levels (ammonia, nitrite, nitrate) I have pretty much decided that I will not add any more fish until this tank is cycled. Is there anything else I should do to help it along?

sounds like you're doing everything right.

At this point the main thing to do is:

Resist the urge to help things along.

When I try to do that I always screw things up.

But that's just my .02
 
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