Cycling Question

11 posts • Page 1 of 2

Discuss all topics related to freshwater and planted tanks.


natalie265
Site Admin
 
Posts: 746
Joined: Sat Nov 01, 2008 9:48 pm

Cycling Question

by natalie265

I just got a brand new sponge filter for my now defunked 5 gallon shrimp tank. I'm hoping to get this back up and running again, and i think this filter is going to work a lot better than my home made one. I have it running in one of my established tanks. My question is: how long does it take on average to build up a colony of bacteria? I am impatient to have another go at cherry shrimp, but i want to avoid any more catastrophes.


marcusrose123
 
Posts: 45
Joined: Sun Jan 15, 2012 8:18 pm

Re: Cycling Question

by marcusrose123

im not a pro on this question however i would leave it atleast a week just to be sure :/ the longer the better i would guess :P


Okiimiru
 
Posts: 275
Joined: Thu Feb 05, 2009 10:19 pm

Re: Cycling Question

by Okiimiru

"My question is: how long does it take on average to build up a colony of bacteria?"
It takes approximately 30 to 40 days. You will know the cycle is complete and that ammonia is being instantly processed into nitrite and then nitrate when a test kit reads 0 ppm ammonia and 0 ppm nitrite after previously having nonzero values.

Slide 8 of this powerpoint presentation has a day by day plot of what the levels look like. http://www.ag.auburn.edu/~davisda/class ... Design.pdf

Check out the graph on this page: http://cms.marsfishcare.com/uploads/fin ... 0sheet.pdf


natalie265
Site Admin
 
Posts: 746
Joined: Sat Nov 01, 2008 9:48 pm

Re: Cycling Question

by natalie265

I've always heard that "quick start" type products were garbage. It would be interesting to see an independent study match their results. Have you used the product?

I'm not going to be able to test the sponge by testing my ammonia and nitrite because they already read zero in the tank. Will this affect the time it takes to get the sponge ready?


Okiimiru
 
Posts: 275
Joined: Thu Feb 05, 2009 10:19 pm

Re: Cycling Question

by Okiimiru

"Have you used the product?"
No. I too wish I could find a third party to confirm or deny their data. If you find one let me know.

"I'm not going to be able to test the sponge by testing my ammonia and nitrite because they already read zero in the tank. Will this affect the time it takes to get the sponge ready?"
Add something that's actively rotting to the tank, for example half an unbreaded cocktail shrimp or part of a piece of lunch meat. If a week later ammonia and nitrite are still zero then your tank is cycled. If a week late stuff starts going sky high then you're a week into the cycle.

By the way live, growing plants are a perfectly valid alternative to beneficial bacteria. On http://theaquariumwiki.com/Plants_and_B ... Filtration Diana Walstad said, "Aquatic plants, then, are much more than ornaments or aquascaping tools. They remove ammonia from the water. Furthermore, they remove it within hours (Fig 1, Table 2). When setting up a planted tank, there is no need to wait 8 weeks to prevent ‘new tank syndrome’. (Nitrifying bacteria require several weeks to establish themselves in new tanks and make biological filtration fully functional.) Thus, I have several times set up a new tank with plants and fish all on the same day."


natalie265
Site Admin
 
Posts: 746
Joined: Sat Nov 01, 2008 9:48 pm

Re: Cycling Question

by natalie265

I do have live plants in the shrimp tank, but i don't think it is heavily planted enough to depend on.

Thank you for your helpful information!


dream2reef
 
Posts: 521
Joined: Sun Jun 20, 2010 4:19 am

Re: Cycling Question

by dream2reef

Worst case scenario you get a cloudy tank. I know you and you don't overstock. The squeezing or leaking of an established sponge or w/e media you have is a way better faster and safer bet then chemicals. I've never had an issue.


natalie265
Site Admin
 
Posts: 746
Joined: Sat Nov 01, 2008 9:48 pm

Re: Cycling Question

by natalie265

dream2reef, are you suggesting that i squeeze one of my old sponges onto the new sponge filter? Would that really help?


Okiimiru
 
Posts: 275
Joined: Thu Feb 05, 2009 10:19 pm

Re: Cycling Question

by Okiimiru

"Dream2reef, are you suggesting that i squeeze one of my old sponges onto the new sponge filter? Would that really help?"
That would help. The bacteria living in the established sponge will be partially transferred to the new sponge. It's the same idea as is behind ordering bacteria in a bottle.


dream2reef
 
Posts: 521
Joined: Sun Jun 20, 2010 4:19 am

Re: Cycling Question

by dream2reef

yes Natalie that's exactly what I'm saying. It is way safer and a more sure way to jumpstart a tank since it's all the same water. It does work I've never got any help cycling chemicals. Just keep an eye on ammonia of course. It's a two for one you get a little more water flow on your old filter and a new tank setup. Just remember to wash your hands before you put them in your mouth or eyes ;)

Cycling Question

11 posts • Page 1 of 2

12
Display posts from previous: Sort by: