29 Gal Tank Cycled- 2 Weeks- Seeded With Media

[blackteles]

My 29 gallon tank was set up 10/30/2010. My two young telescopes were moved in to the tank 10/31/2010.

Water changes were performed regularly when and where needed to eliminate ammonia and nitrite levels.

Used filter media from the previous tank was used. Media was removed from old filter and soaked in used tank water to preserve the BB as exposure to air will obviously kill the BB. Bacterial media was placed inside along with the media of the AC 110 filter. Used carbon media packet was inserted under the gravel on the bottom of the tank.

Nutrafin Cycle was added inside the AC filter for the first three days at recommended dosage.

Tap water levels are: Nitrate 5 ppm- pH 7.6

Week 1- Ammonia levels reading at .25. Nitrites reading at 1.0 ppm. Three 50% water changes performed to keep ammonia levels at 0.0. Nitrites dropped to .5 after water changes. Nitrates held at 10 ppm. pH levels kept at 7.6. Nutrafin Cycle added to the AC 110 for first three days at recommended dosage for new tanks. Nutrafin Cycle was then added daily to the AC 110 at the normal maintenance dosages.

Week 2- Ammonia levels reading at .25 until mid week..all ammonia levels dropped to 0.0 and held at 0.0 from that time on. Nitrites held at .5 until mid week and then dropped to a consistent 0.0. Nitrates now holding at 20 ppm. pH was kept at 7.6. Nutrafin Cycle added daily to AC 110 at recommended dosage for regular maintenance. Two 50% water changes performed to keep ammonia level at 0.0 and nitrites at 0.0.

Seeding the tank with used media definitely is the way to go. This has been the quickest cycle yet for any of my tanks. The Nutrafin Cycle has helped push it as well.

[kazaba]

Wow, that's great! I wish my tank cycled that quick!

It's a 40 gallon long with a Penguin 350 filter; I started it up on 10/11/10, added fish 10/12/10, and it's still not cycled. Today's readings were <0.25 for ammonia, 0.5 nitrites and 10 for nitrates. Nitrates were only barely visible last week, and nitrites showed up around 2 weeks ago. The tank is at 70F. I guess it's a good sign that ammonia was almost 0, it's usually around .25 or .5 two days after a water change

Thanks for the info, hopefully I'll be able to cycle my new Christmas present (*crosses fingers*) using the same techniques!!!

[blackteles]

Looking good, Kailey! Just stay up with those water changes and parameter checks daily and you'll have it cycled in no time...seeding the tank really makes a huge difference.

[AMeyers]

Interesting. Why do you think you had the ammonia and nitrite readings with seeded media?

[blackteles]

Interesting. Why do you think you had the ammonia and nitrite readings with seeded media?

Even by seeding the tank with used media the beneficial bacteria (BB) still wouldn't have a chance to multiply and establish a strong colony that would be able to handle the ammonia level in the tank. Only until a successful bacteria colony is established ammonia levels then can be kept a zero levels. So a new tank still needs time to cycle but as you can see seeding the tank does make it happen much quicker!

[koko]

Seeding Tanks with Tanks that have no disease issues is always the fastest way to cycle a tank. I have done this so many times over the years...

I just like the fact you show the facts to everyone Dennis this is great to see and show

[AMeyers]

Interesting again. Years back, I had problems cycling a QT. I finally tried seeding with media from a healthy tank. The new tank went straight to having nitrate readings. At one of my houses, I had a nitrite reading from the tap itself. I may have had some negligible ammonia once, but I have never had any sort of mini-cycle.

I have experimentally seeded probably 20 tanks this way with the same result. The last tank I set up had nitrates the 2nd day. No ammonia. No nitrites. No readings in current tap water.

Could it have to do with load?

Thanks!

[blackteles]

Interesting again. Years back, I had problems cycling a QT. I finally tried seeding with media from a healthy tank. The new tank went straight to having nitrate readings. At one of my houses, I had a nitrite reading from the tap itself. I may have had some negligible ammonia once, but I have never had any sort of mini-cycle.

I have experimentally seeded probably 20 tanks this way with the same result. The last tank I set up had nitrates the 2nd day. No ammonia. No nitrites. No readings in current tap water.

Could it have to do with load?

Thanks!

Grace, I did forget to mention last time that I have two small telescopes in the tank while it was cycling which was the cause of the ammonia spike. I wasn't concerned about it as I knew that I could handle anything the two teles could dish out by staying up with water changes to keep toxins at a safe level. Two small fish in this tank were a snap to handle with no stress added to them.

And definitely the bio load is a major factor...the more bio load the more toxic levels thus more work necessary to keep your water parameters in check to avoid stressing your fish.

[blackteles]

Seeding Tanks with Tanks that have no disease issues is always the fastest way to cycle a tank. I have done this so many times over the years...

I just like the fact you show the facts to everyone Dennis this is great to see and show

Thank you Koko...anything to help someone out here. I know that you and most others are advocates of seeding new tanks and I've seen the light. It's not difficult to do if you're careful and above all patient.

[AMeyers]

Interesting again. Years back, I had problems cycling a QT. I finally tried seeding with media from a healthy tank. The new tank went straight to having nitrate readings. At one of my houses, I had a nitrite reading from the tap itself. I may have had some negligible ammonia once, but I have never had any sort of mini-cycle.

I have experimentally seeded probably 20 tanks this way with the same result. The last tank I set up had nitrates the 2nd day. No ammonia. No nitrites. No readings in current tap water.

Could it have to do with load?

Thanks!

Grace, I did forget to mention last time that I have two small telescopes in the tank while it was cycling which was the cause of the ammonia spike. I wasn't concerned about it as I knew that I could handle anything the two teles could dish out by staying up with water changes to keep toxins at a safe level. Two small fish in this tank were a snap to handle with no stress added to them.

And definitely the bio load is a major factor...the more bio load the more toxic levels thus more work necessary to keep your water parameters in check to avoid stressing your fish.

Thanks!

[shellbell4ever]

Whoo Hooo Dennis Happy it's gone so well for you

[BenJoly]

Way to go, great reading this info...