fishless cycle on a 10 gallon

[TKC7]

Well, they do keep tabs on this forum. I got a message that I haven't posted for a few weeks.

So I had a question about cycling. I accidentally added ammonia to 10ppm in a ten gallon tank rather than the 5ppm suggested for a fishless cycle. I did catch the mistake albeit a little late, did a 50% Water Change... Question is, was it too late, did I kill off all the bacteria? It's been close to 25 days, no sign of nitrites. I caught the mistake day 2.

Second question. I asked a fellow hobbyist for some gravel from an established tank, how long will it take to see nitrites?

Thanks

 

[mchambers]

Cycling

If you haven't seen nitrites, then the tank probably is not cycled.

Most folks think that very little of the beneficial bacteria lives in the gravel. Instead, it's in the biomedia in your filter. Your best bet to establish the beneficial bacteria would be to get some filter material from your friend or another aquarium owner. What you would get and use would depend on the filters in question. Best case scenario, your filter and the other person's filter both have biomedia, like Seachem matrix or biomax, and you could take some of that and put it in your filter.

 

[Avatar]

Lots of bacteria in substrate...

...and largely the same ones you want in your media - they're just not very dynamic or useful for denitrifying because there's very little circulation in substrate unless your using an under-gravel filter.

Virtually anything taken from an established tank will vector in what you want/need - media just has it in greater quantity, but as for 'seeding', substrate is a good bet. I generally use a couple of gallons of water from an established tank and a handful of plants to 'inoculate' my tanks, but still nothing like soaking your filter and/or media in water taken from an established filter (that gloriously fetid and opaque dark brown stuff that your houseplants adore) for a few hours.

Why the NH4 treatment in the first place? haven't heard of that one - were you pathogen hunting?

 

[Avatar]

Lots of bacteria in substrate...

...and largely the same ones you want in your media - they're just not very dynamic or useful for denitrifying because there's very little circulation in substrate unless your using an under-gravel filter.

Virtually anything taken from an established tank will vector in what you want/need - media just has it in greater quantity, but as for 'seeding', substrate is a good bet. I generally use a couple of gallons of water from an established tank and a handful of plants to 'inoculate' my tanks, but still nothing like soaking your filter and/or media in water taken from an established filter (that gloriously fetid and opaque dark brown stuff that your houseplants adore) for a few hours.

Why the NH4 treatment in the first place? haven't heard of that one - were you pathogen hunting?

 

[mchambers]

Why the NH4 treatment in the first place? haven't heard of that one - were you pathogen hunting?

It's a standard fishless cycling method.

 

[Hawkman2000]

SEACHEM STABILITY

I have used this product in many tanks with great success. They have a pack at Petsmart the has Stability, Prime, and Clarity all in one package for a good price. Problem is, you will need an eyedropper with .5 and 1 ML markings for the Prime. Stability and Tetras Easy Balance are the only bio additives that contain not only nitrifying bacteria, but they contain denitrifying bacteria as well. Stability is far better, due to the fact that is also works in salt water as well.

 

[Avatar]

So the idea is to provide food for the bacteria one wants to grow?

If that's the case it sounds very 'scientific', slow and ultimately effective if a bit belabored/needlessly complicated. I set up five tanks last weekend using my method and had blue rams spawn in one of them five days later.

If folks want to spend money on bacteria that you already have in profusion within other tanks, have at it - I prefer Prosecco.

 

[TKC7]

I was doing a fishless cycle, didn't mean to kill pathogens, just a miscalc. I don't drive and don't know many fishkeepers close enough to my house.

 

[TKC7]

If that's the case it sounds very 'scientific', slow and ultimately effective if a bit belabored/needlessly complicated. I set up five tanks last weekend using my method and had blue rams spawn in one of them five days later.

If folks want to spend money on bacteria that you already have in profusion within other tanks, have at it - I prefer Prosecco.

I had to sell my 55, 30 and 20L so I am starting all over and don't have any tanks running.

Thanks all for the replies

 

[dogofwar]

I'm cycling a bunch of tanks using the "put some gravel from Jon Clark's established tank" into the box filters method...

Matt

 

[Avatar]

I'm cycling a bunch of tanks using the "put some gravel from Jon Clark's established tank" into the box filters method...

Matt

I like that - I don't use box filters at the moment but that's perfect

 

[Tony]

Yeah, the gravel in the box filter... or in a mesh bag in your power filter, will take the best advantage of bacteria living on the gravel.

Sorry you had to get rid of your tanks, Tom. Good luck getting back up and running again.

 

[TKC7]

Thanks Tony, a 10 gallon is pretty easy to tear down compared to a 55 with stand and all that sand. I was getting ready to move when I heard from the kidney transplant center that I am finally high on the list (WOOT WOOT! ) to have a transplant by the end of the year. After that, I will be trying somethings I wanted to do with fish.

Thanks again guys for helping out someone doing small things

 

[Tony]

Thanks Tony, a 10 gallon is pretty easy to tear down compared to a 55 with stand and all that sand. I was getting ready to move when I heard from the kidney transplant center that I am finally high on the list (WOOT WOOT! ) to have a transplant by the end of the year. After that, I will be trying somethings I wanted to do with fish.

Thanks again guys for helping out someone doing small things

Good news Tom. Good luck and god bless you, sir. If you need anything, feel free to holler. We're here for you.

 

[TKC7]

I'm cycling a bunch of tanks using the "put some gravel from Jon Clark's established tank" into the box filters method...

Matt

Glad to see you up and running, Matt, best of luck to you and your new fishroom!

And Thanks Tony for the offer of help. I have some local friends giving me stuff and loaning me stuff...couldn't keep away from the fish habit LOL

 

[jonclark96]

I'm cycling a bunch of tanks using the "put some gravel from Jon Clark's established tank" into the box filters method...

Matt

I've got plenty more if you want it, as I am switching my 180G from gravel to sand. Anyone else who is interested is free to it as well.