Cycling Progress

[Bronx19]

Sup guys, I have been cycling my 30 gallon tank with five gold fish for over three weeks now, and I am yet to get an ammonia reading.

Is this odd, or do tanks just simply vary?

[Merrilyn]

Were you able to get some old filter media or some gravel from a fully cycled tank when you started. It will take a lot longer if you had to start without it, but that's okay, it will eventually cycle. Just be patient, and don't do too many water changes during this time as it takes longer for the cycle to complete. Not unusual for it to take 6 weeks even with all things going well.

[funkyfish]

i have never cycled a discus tank with gold fish to much of a chance getting a disease or parisite i lik the fishless cycle. a tank will cycle fast with fish in it that is probably why u have not seen any amonia check ur nitrates if u are getting nitrates it is cycled more than likly good luck

[flukes]

Ill have too agree with funky fish on this one, goldfish can carry a ton of parasites that athough might not bother them they can be letal too a discus. Starting out a tank has enough troubles along the way you dont need to make the experience hareder on yourself.

There is a write up on fishless cycling in the Articles section which i wrote some time ago, not only is fishless cycling alot quicker than traditional methods but it will produce enough good bacteria too support any reasonable bio load.

Id recommend this method too anyone..

[AdelaideAnt]

My new 6 ft took 4 weeks to cycle with 20 golfish and even adding bacteria cultures (from other canister and from shelf product). My 3' 6" took two weeks with 10 goldies and never had an ammonia reading. Sometimes you are just lucky. If you add enough nitrifying bacteria to your aquarium prior to cycle then you can have an instant cycled tank but this in not very common unless you use an established filter. I'd give it another week to be sure ;). If you didn't add any bacteria prior to adding fish then id give it another 2 weeks just to be sure. You should be feeding the gold fish alot of food 3 or 4 times a day to get things moving, then when you get the spike you reduce feeding.

Anthony

[pitchblack]

dont be fooled by the zero reading some time it can take up to 6 weeks before you get a reading. It would be a wise thing to have a bottle of cycle around to put into the tabk that will help the process. It's hard to say with bacteria you just have to be patient......

[ctvu]

Hi

I totally agree with Fishless Cycling. Been there and Done that thru Scott's help, and now ATM I am doing again to the new tanks, since this time I took some stuffs from the established tank for seeding so 1 tank already got the reading of Nitrie and it has been only 2 weeks.
HTH

ctvu

[Bronx19]

Thanks a lot for the replys.

I havent used any media from other tanks in this one.

I have noticed a few white spots on two of the goldies, I assume ich?

After the cycle is complete, I'll leave the tank for a week with no fish in it and add some food to keep the bacteria going.

[AdelaideAnt]

Sorry pitchblack but ive found that the product cycle has negative effects on a tank rather than posative, it seems most the bacteria in the bottles is dead. I use stress zyme and have had alot more succes than when i used cycle. Ammatrite down is also a very good product.

[Merrilyn]

Bronx where are the white spots on the goldfish. If they are on the gill plates, it just means they are males in breeding mode. Spots anywhere else on the body could mean the start of white spot, which will need to be treated before you can put any other fish in the tank. Remember the cysts burst, releasing a new generation which drops to the floor of the tank, and can wait for weeks before finding another host, and the cycle starts again.

[Bronx19]

The spots are on the fins, and where the fins protrude from the body.

[Merrilyn]

Sounds like the start of whitespot. You will need to treat the goldfish (and the tank) so begin raising the temperature to around 30 - 32 degrees and add 1 table spoon of aquarium salt or rock salt for each 20 litres (approx 5 gallons) of water. Keep it at that temperature for 1 week, then slowly reduce the temperature.

Further information here http://www.discusforums.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=218

[Bronx19]

Thanks a lot.

I have the fish in a serperate tank in the meth blue. They have been in it for almost 24 hours. How long is appropriate? Can it be damaging?