Help with cycling new tank

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Ken Smith - 05 Mar 2007 02:53 GMT

After finding this group and reading lots of different websites, I figured
out that keeping my three goldies (common,fantail, and redcap oranda) in a
10 gal tank wasn't going to work long term. So I got a 46 gal bowfront tank
for them. Read up on various sites about cycling the tank and decided that
"fishless cycling" was the way to go. After hitting several differnet stores
found clear ammonia (no perfume, surfacants, etc) and started the process.
Took about 2 gal out of the 10 gal tank (which has always read 0 ammonia, 0
nitrite, 40-80 nitrate), rinsed the 10 gal tank fiter in the 46 gal and
moved a driftwood/plant thing from the 10 gal to the new tank. Added the
suggested amount of ammonia, waited an hour and tested-0 ammonia. Added some
more ammonia and tried again-0 ammonia. Then thought about it and took the
carbon out of the filter, added some more ammonia and tried again. Now have
trace ammonia--.25 to.50 ppm. Tested for nitites-0 ppm Tested for
nitrates-5-10 ppm.This all took place over about 8 hours. Am I missing
something here? From what I read on the websites I would have expected-high
ammonia, then less ammonia but some nitites,high nitrites and almost no
ammonia (with some nitrates), then 0 ammonia,0 nitrites, and very high
nitrate levels (requiring a massive water change). Could it be that there
was enough "good bacteria" in the water and on the driftwoor/plant thing
from my healthy 10 gal tank to have changed the cycling process? I'm really
new at this and would very much appreciate any help you can offer.
Thanks in advance,
Ken

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Reel McKoi - 05 Mar 2007 05:42 GMT

> After finding this group and reading lots of different websites, I figured
> out that keeping my three goldies (common,fantail, and redcap oranda) in a
> 10 gal tank wasn't going to work long term.

That's much to small a tank for goldfish.

So I got a 46 gal bowfront tank

> for them. Read up on various sites about cycling the tank and decided that
> "fishless cycling" was the way to go. After hitting several differnet
[quoted text clipped - 11 lines]
> nitrites and almost no ammonia (with some nitrates), then 0 ammonia,0
> nitrites, and very high nitrate levels (requiring a massive water change).

But it doesn't happen in a few hours. Since you already had a cycled filter
all you had to do was move the goldfish into the new tank and the filter
with them! That's how I do it and it works almost every time. Don't clean
the filter... just move it to the new tank. You can't do that now until the
ammonia and nitrites are gone. Or do a massive water change to speed the
process along.

Could it be that there

> was enough "good bacteria" in the water and on the driftwoor/plant thing
> from my healthy 10 gal tank to have changed the cycling process?

You can't cycle a tank in hours.

I'm really

> new at this and would very much appreciate any help you can offer.
> Thanks in advance,
> Ken

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dr-solo@wi.rr.xx.com - 06 Mar 2007 04:52 GMT

it will take your filter something around 4 weeks or more to cycle.
FISHLESS CYCLING OF TANKS
rather than getting the RIGHT kind of ammonia and getting the RIGHT amount in the
tank, a pinch of Hikari Gold fish food for a small tank up to a tablespoon in a 75
gallon can be tossed into the tank, the heat set to 82oF and plenty of aeration. In
3 days or so watch the ammonia. If no ammonia is seen add more food. be sure you
got a large filter on that for 3 GF. Ingrid

Now have

>trace ammonia--.25 to.50 ppm. Tested for nitites-0 ppm Tested for
>nitrates-5-10 ppm.This all took place over about 8 hours. Am I missing
[quoted text clipped - 7 lines]
>Thanks in advance,
>Ken

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Glenn - 28 Mar 2007 04:55 GMT

I started cycling exactly 3 weeeks ago. Was doing 25-30% water changes daily
as ammonia was spiking. # days ago I finally had trace nitrites and today,
had 0 ammonia 0 nitites. Didnt do a fishless cycling but had 1 medium sized
comet gf. He/She did Ok until yesterday when I noticed stress signs in the
form of fin rot. Slightly white edges of the tail fin. i am hopeful this
will clear up on its own with keeping the water changes up.

Thanks to the group for your assistance.

> it will take your filter something around 4 weeks or more to cycle.
> FISHLESS CYCLING OF TANKS
[quoted text clipped - 36 lines]
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> Zone 5 next to Lake Michigan

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Pet Forum / Aquaria / Goldfish / March 2007

Help with cycling new tank