Could I possibly be done cycling already

[bcpatti3]

Is it possible i am done cycling after only 2 weeks? I bought a 55 gallon tank. Filled it with almost 10 gallons of my old tank's water, used the filter from my old tank plus used the same plants. My ammonia was high almost a week ago. My nitrites were high two days ago. TOnight I just checked NITRITES, NITRATES and AMMONIA and they are all ZERO!!!! My PH was perfect as well.

I just did not think a tank could cycle that quick! My wife and I are anxious to get new fish but I do want to wait until it is safe.

Also, what would be a good "second batch" of fish?

Any ideas.

Brendan

[fishbguy]

Yes...you are probably done cycling.

because you used your old filter, plants, etc. you didn't need to build up so much amonia. Using stuff from old tanks, without cleaning it first, and making sure the bacteria doesn;t die, is like an instand cycle.

What's in the tank now?

[bcpatti3]

I eventually want to get into some cool unique fish. (THE KIND NOT EVERYONE HAS) but I want to do this tank right so for now I think I want my second batch to be some type of schooling fish. Tanks for your help

CURRENTLY TANK
2 Blue Rams
3 Guppies (1 Male 3 Female)
3 Albino Danio
1 Zebra Danio

[fishbguy]

okay...then yes, your prolly done cycling, but I would still add more hardy fish before anything else.

do you have 3 or 4 guppies? you siggnature also says you have 3 guppies(1 male, 3 females) 3+1=4 last I checked.

I would start by adding 2-4 more danios. Albinos and zebras are the same species(by albino, I'm assuming the gold zebras, which really aren't true albinos). After that, wait a week or 2, then try adding more stuff. make sure you keep the filter running, feed sparingly, and keep testing your water just in case you weren't done cycling.

What kind of test kit did you use? Strips or drops?

EDIT:

are you on Oxford MI?

[bcpatti3]

I am from Oxford, PA. Thanks for catching the Guppy numbers.
I use drop tests.
I'll pick up some more Zebra Danios tomorrow.

[Buggy]

With fish in the tank you should be showing nitrates. When did you put the fish in the cycling tank?

[bcpatti3]

About a week and a half ago is when I put the fish in the tank. I did a cycle with fish. but several days after my tank was set up.

[Kribensis12]

I dont tihnk it's done cycling. No nitrates look good, but if there arent any, then it isnt done cycling. You should normally have around 20-30 nitrates. Also, it will cycle faster as you used a already cycled filter, plants, same decor, and old tank water. It might be done cycling,but i dont think so. Are you using Liquid Test Kits? As Strip ones are known to be off.

[bcpatti3]

I am using Liquid tests. I have checked it again today and it still reads ZEROS across the board. Wierd! ANyway the fish seem to be doing GREAT> Very Lively eating well. I'll be careful not to keep adding fish and doing water changes.

[emc7]

Any live plants? What substrate do you have?

[JustOneMore20]

Have you recently done a water change before testing? Or do you have alot of plants. You should have some nitrates if you are cycled, but the fact that your ammonia and nitrite has risen and fallen tells me your cycled. Either you have alot of plants (soaking up the nitrates) or maybe just enough to take care of what your fish produce......or you are testing shortly after a water chnage.

I believe you are cycled from the rise and fall, but I'm just wondering why you don't have nitrates. You should have some by now.....even if its just 5 or 10ppm.

[bcpatti3]

WATER CHANGES-I have been doing water changes just about every 5 days since I started the tank 4 weeks ago. But only 10-15%. I plan on changing that to once every week and half -- two weeks. My last water change (15%) was on Sunday

SUBSTRATE -I have about some real rock, about 8 small clumps of Java Fern (only averaging about 5-6inches tall) and I have small pebble gravel. \

I even added 4 small BLACK PHANTOM TETRAS and 4 small GIANT DANIOS last Friday! My reading this morning.......ZERO's ACROSS THE BOARD.

I guess my conclusion is that I will keep doing what I am doing. It seems to be working. EVery two weeks I will add fish unless I see a uncomfortable rise in Ammonia or Nitrates.

THANKS EVERYONE!

[JustOneMore20]

Originally Posted by bcpatti3

I guess my conclusion is that I will keep doing what I am doing. It seems to be working. EVery two weeks I will add fish unless I see a uncomfortable rise in Ammonia or Nitrates.

You should be looking for Ammonia or NitrItes. You want nitrates to rise.....it means you are cycled and the bacteria you built up is doing its job.


Its possible that your every 5 day water changes are taking out what little nitrates there are. You don't have fast growing plants (the Javas), but you did use an old filter, so I do think you are cycled.

Carry on with your plan to add fish every 2 weeks.