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hey i got a new 30 gal for xmas i always do a fishless cycle but this time i used some media from one of my other tanks so how fast should this tank cycle my parimeters are that of a cycled tank o nitrites .20 nitrates its only been 5 days is this right as far as time frame or do i just need to kick back and wait thanks in advance:%)

If you added the media and did not have fish or add ammonia to the tank then it is not cycled. You have the bacteria established but nothing for it to live off of (ammonia). The nitrates are most likely coming from the media. I would suggest adding some gravel from your other tank and even plants (if you want). Plants also help the cycling process. Add fish that you want but make sure they are pretty hardy.
If you are gooing to do fishless again...then add pure ammonia instead of fish.
Just putting in the media isnt going to cycle the tank. You need to feed the bacteria.
Another option is fish food. That will make a good mess though, but is something besides fish. Good luck!

*Kristin*

deschazkody,

I guess you don’t mean 0.20ppm of Nitrate, or did you?

Overall, GirlieGirl is absolutely right, seeding a tank and then doing nothing will kill the beneficial bacteria as there is nothing left for them to eat. It might be that there is still some source left, but it would be tiny as your Nitrites are 0. You also don’t say what your Ammonia readings are.

Did you measure multiple times during the last 5 days? Was there a detectable trend during that period? Also, what kind of media did you use from an established tank and how much?

Ingo

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

hey thinks for the replies alright the tank it self was new bud at lfs gave me a ac200 he was doing some renovation and broke down and old 30 gal and gave me all his old gravel i put all the gravel in a big plastic bag bout 30 lbs kept it wet toke a 30-60 wisper off my 55 gal put the gravel in filled the tank up put both hob,s on added a couple caps of ammonia let it run for bout 5 days get some samples and my readings were .0 ppm nitrites .20 ppm nitrates .0 ppm ammonia hte readings were that of a cycled tank but again it was only five days so that thru me off thought i,d better ask some more knowledgeable people before i add fish

This an LFS tank or just a tank owned by a LFS employee?
I'd be wary of an actual LFS tank as they are likely to be riddled with disease.

I'd wait a bit longer to be sure ammonia remains zero. Like was mentioned adding some fish food for the tank to feed off of would be a good idea.

Congrats on the tank .

^_^
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When adding pure ammonia, you have to put enough in there to get a reading. I am not sure exactly how much to start off with, but you have to get a reading. Then you add that amount or maybe less over the next week or so, until nitrite spikes, ammonia goes down, nitrite goes down, and nitrate goes up. I don't know if a couple capfuls one time would supply the bacteria with enough food. I don't know exactly how to do fishless cycling with ammonia because I've never done it myself. I did research it before, but could never find pure ammonia.
Little Fish, Babel? Can either of you explain this...or maybe I'm wrong...not sure.

*Kristin*

hey i know it sounds far fetched but tank was completely cycled in 5 days no spikes no dips i got a few apple snails today will start adding a few barbs this week end since tiger barbs are schoolers should i go ahead and buy 6 these guys are less than 1 inch so i would,nt think it would over load

If you are right and the tank is cycled then adding 6 fish of less than 1 inch each should not cause a problem.

In case you made a mistake on identifying the tank as cycled, keep an eye open for any ammonia and/or nitrite readings (daily at least once) and make sure to feed rather little. If any reading comes up then do an immediate water change of at least 30%.

Ingo

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club