Cycling Time

Hi guys

I just need a rough estimate on cycling time. I do know all about cycling for a new setup but here is my situation.

I had an already established tank and its been inactive for a while ie 5 months. By inactive meaning that i had no fish in and no substrate but all the rocks driftwood and filters was in the tank and filters was running. Tanks water was murky and green for maybe two of the five months as i neglected cleaning and water changes. I recently i decided to revamp the aquarium.

I emptied about 80% of the water out and added sand as a substrate. Re organisided the rockery better and added some ornements and a fake plant. Filled tank up about 70% with not new water but took water from an established tank (running for over 10 years) and topped up with clean water. Ran tank for 5 days and added 2 guppies for waste.

Now with all that background info what is the timeframe before im able to fully stock the tank?

Thanks in advance

 

You can never fully stock a tank in one go... the filter takes time to establish itself.

However you can already start adding fish little by little.

Get yourself a product called Microbelift Special Blend... it will also help seed the filters.

 

Ja, as Zoom said. Never fully stock your tank in one go. Stock over a period of 2 - 3 months. Play it safe. Products of bacteria stuff like Microbelift, seachem stability, or ADA green bacter are good products to add to your tank on a regular basis anyway, not just for while you stock your tank. Keeps the filter nice and healthy.

 

Thanks for that guys will be adding them in one or two at a time for the next couple of months.

 

Well, to me that is a bit of a tough one. I would have suggested that you test for nitrates to establish if the tank is cycled but the water you added from the established tank would have nitrates anyway. I guess it is best to test for ammonia and nitrite.

 

dude i really like your avatar! hahaha:laugh:

 

@Sean J, how often should one do that? I clean my filter once a month (in a bucket of tank water), but never knew about this. Is it possible to have too much "good" bacteria?

 

I don't think you can have too much good bacteria. There will be a limit to the amount of bacteria in your tank anyway. The colony of bacteria will only be as big as the amount of food available in the tank to sustain them. But adding more is not harmful or bad. It is a good ting to do. Just keeps your tank healthy. Just follow the directions on what ever product you decide to choose. And you will keep your tank healthy.

 

Just be aware that most of the bacterial products out there consists only of bacillus and nitrobacters.

Have a look here....

 

Will check levels later tonight. Thinking here was that the only things new in the tank was a fake plant, an ornament and substrate. Tank was running for 6 years in full splendor prior to the recent 5 months of neglect of which tank was still running (green water with no fish and all lol) thus tank should be established already. (Theoretically that is)

 

Not really @psycosid - bacterial colonies,even if well established like it was in your tank,will die back if they are not supplied with nitrogenous waste to feed them...but not a complete loss...your tank should cycle much quicker than a new,raw aquarium.... there will be SOME bacteria still going....however,as they now multiply rapidly on the fish waste,amonia and nitrite spikes WILL occur...so watch for them and do those water changes...

 

I use a product that has worked exceptionally well for me. Organic Aqua starter kits or Step1 as known today. This supplies, per volume of water, the required bacteria needed. Checks done on Ammonia level after 7 days were very low, Nitrite levels a further 10 days later also very low. This was done on a 100l tank where I put in 34, about 8cm, Malawi cichlids. Have not seen it in Gauteng though! All I use in the running of my Pet shop. One should also be replenishing your bacteria on a regular basis, Atleast monthly.

 

Sorry @scotty but thats purely bacillus bacteria. You want a product which contains more than simple Nitrobacter spp or Bacillus spp.

 

organic aqua doesnt do much imo, is this snake oil even still on the market ? @scotty i hope you dont let your customers waste money on OA... Rather sell them a big name brand snake oil that atleast have some scientific data behind it.

Best way to cycle is to just be patient and when all params is in order to start adding your stock

 

Singularity, I use it all the time and have seen exactly what it does! Personal experience and at the KOI shows held here in George. Before knocking a product I would suggest you get your scientific facts in order! They have been given an extremely high rating in the UK! The funny thing is those customers who have gone over to the regular use of the Step 2(old Maint kit) no longer experience issues with their tanks. I use it daily and weekly in my shop and have done so for 4 years.
No idea where you might have seen it as it does not seem to be marketed in the rest of the country other than the Western Cape. Remember this product carries bacterial culture that is in the host product. All those I start off a new tank with this product have no cycling problems!

 

@scotty the facts are that it is bacillus spp. and some compost which is added for the humic compounds. Bacillus is great at doing what it does, but it only does one thing. The reason why they use it is because it stays stable for a long time. It is the same bacteria which is in Sera Nitrivec, Seachem Stability etc. The liquid products might have nitrobactors and Nitrosoma added in.

Remember i work with bacteria on an industrial scale on water which is much much much dirtier than a fish tank.

 

@psychosid How is the tank cycle doing? Did you ever test the parameters?

 

tank doing fine now all tank parameters are good and tank thriving at the moment Cycling time was cut down considerably with everything i have from the tank already. Slowly starting to add fish and my aim is for about 15 in total so everyone has ample room to grow

 

Good to hear!