harold

I know the ideal temperature for cycling a tank is around 82 degrees. I was wondering if a tank will cycle if it's only at 70 degrees? I ask because I have a used heater that is keeping the tank at a mere 70-72 at full blast and I don't have the $$$ right now to buy a new heater. But if I have to buy one then I guess I have no choice.

Thanks.

sp33drhno

the only reason to raise the temperature is to expedite the cycle process. at 70 degrees the tank will cycle, but it may take a bit longer.

lilsoccakid

also, i hope you know many fish need higher temps then 70 to live happily

Peterpiper

Hi harold
It sounds like the heater is a bit to small for the tank.
You will need to get a heater to suit your tank before you get your fish or you will have issues.
The bacteria that grow during the cycle process grow quicker in numbers in higher temps, so in lower temps the cycle will take longer to complete,
IMO, You will need to get a new heater

harold

I know I need a new heater. Just holding off until the tank cycles. The current heater is 100 watts so it should be fine to heat a 10 gallon but I think something is wrong with it. I'm probably going to get one of the inexpensive visi-stealth heaters. I assume the 100 watt should be fine since it's rated for a 30 gallon, correct?

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/produc...0&pcatid=12060

I realize this is only $15 but I also need to get an API master test kit. This stuff keeps adding up!!!

capekate

Hi Harold
I have the same heater in my ten gal betta tank and it works fine.
Yes, initially the cost is a lot with getting all the supplies.. test kits..etc. But once you do, after that its only a minimal cost for fish food. Of course thats if WE do not keep buying fish! lol... And pretty little things for our tanks hehe...

~ kate

Peterpiper

Hey for the price why not get tha 150w?

harold

I'd even get the 200 watt if they have it in stock. I'm doing the petsmart price match so it all depends on what they have in stock.

harold

With the price match I was able to pickup both a heater and API test kit. I have a question about the kit.

I did a test for ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate. Results for all were zero. Can I really trust this? My tank has only been cycling for a few days. I did use filter media from another tank so maybe this makes the tank cycle immediately?

Edit: By the way, I've been adding fish flakes in the tank every 12 hours.

harold

Can anyone help?

I tried the nitrate test 3 times with the same results. I read through some postings that mentioned you have to really shake the #2 nitrate bottle which I did. Is it possible that my cycle has not started yet? The temperature in the tank was only 70 for the first few days but now with the heater it's at a constant 82. How long does it take for ammonia to kick in at the beginning of a cycle?

capekate

Hello Harold
If you are not getting any ammonia readings yet, it can be for a few reasons. One is that it is still much too early for ammonia to start showing up in the tank. the other can be that you are not feeding the tank enough. I cannot say which one it is.
Same with your other readings.. its too early for anything to show up. You wont show any nitrIte or nitrAte at this point before ammonia..
So really not much reason to use those tests yet. Its mainly the ammonia that you have to watch for first.
Just keep feeding your tank.. if you have any raw fish or piece of shrimp that you can add to the tank, that can speed up the ammonia..
Other than that.. it just takes time for the ammonia to start to show.
~ kate

harold

Thanks Kate.

How much flakes should I use? Can I overdo it? I'm using a very small pinch every 12 hours right now.

If I use shrimp, how long should I keep it in the tank? Do I take it out once I get a reading for ammonia?

capekate

At this point, trying to get ammonia in your tank, you really cant over do it with the fish flakes. Since you are cycling fishless, ( the best way) you dont have to worry about any high ammonia readings. I used the fish flakes too and found that it really didnt start the cycle,it will work, but IMO was much slower and so I got a raw piece of fish and that really started things faster than flakes.
I would put a piece of shrimp into the tank, wait a few days and take a ammonia reading and see what you have. I would not take the shrimp out once ammonia starts to produce, as you want that to get the nitrIte and then the nitrAte to start. Once you get some ammonia readings, I would not bother with a nitrIte test for another few days or so, as that will take awhile to start showing up. The process takes awhile.. nothing we can do but watch and wait.. and test!

harold

According to the nitrogen cycle article on this site it shouldn't take long since I put filter media from another tank...

Option 4:
Use gravel and/or filter media from an established and cycled tank
This is the best and fastest way to go. This will seed the tank with all of the necessary bacteria for the nitrogen cycle. "Feed" the tank daily with flake food until you are getting nitrate readings. Depending on how fast you were able to get the gravel and filter media into your tank, you may be getting nitrate readings in only a day or two. There are some drawbacks to this method. Ask your source if they have recently used any copper medications in the tank. If they have and you are planning to have invertebrates in the tank you should probably not use this method. Invertebrates will not tolerate copper. Get a copper test kit to determine if it's safe to use.

Gargoyle

a 200watt visi therm is WAY TO MUCH for a 10 gallon... I have a 150 heating a 55 and it's not even trying...

harold

I ended up getting a 100 watt heater. They did not have the 150 in stock and the 200 was way to big.

As for the cycling, I put in the raw shrimp tonight. When can I expect to get some ammonia readings?

Gargoyle

Do a test once a week.. It'll probably take about 3 to 5 weeks to fully cycle.

harold

I just checked the tank and here are my readings...

Ammonia: .50
Nitrite: .50
Nitrate: Did not bother testing

I assume I don't need to test Nitrates until after I see ammonia go down to zero, correct? Also, when can I remove the shrimp?

capekate

Hi Harold
I kept my raw fish in the tank for about a week and a half. It really did kick start the cycle, and I see that your raw shrimp is working too. I would keep it in so that it continues to produce ammonia for your cycle process. If it gets really yucky, you can take it out and add another one til you start seeing some good readings of ammonia, nitrIte. At .50 you will want that ammonia to go higher still.

lilsoccakid

remember, you need to always hav a source of ammonia. right now, the shrimp is used to replace /simulate waste produced by fish. the benificial bacteria will die if their is no ammonia in the tank for 24 hours

good luck!

Peterpiper

If you are going to replace the prawn, I would put in the new one then wait 2 days before removing the old one..

harold

Good tip Peterpiper, thanks!

By the way, I'm thinking of adding some soil to the substrate and cap it off with gravel similar to what was done here,



This will allow for more choices with background plants and I figured it's better do it now than later. Since I'm in the middle of cycling the tank would I disturb the cycling process if I were to drain most of the water now? Another thought I had was to finish the cycle then do a 90%-100% water change and add the soil at that time. Would this work or would I have to recycle?

Peterpiper

Draining the water off now would remove the Ammonia and Nitrites... so I would wait until the cycle is complete.
Most of the bacteria will be in the filter, so fill a tub or bucket with some tank water and place the filter in. Drain the tank, add the sand and gravel, add new water, some plants and fish.
Remember that you should add fish within 24hr of the cycle finishing, this is so there is some Ammonia for the bacteria.

Gargoyle

Be careful with the "soil" as well... You may need to recycle after adding it to you tank as the "soil" has a chemical composition all it's own. It could leach excess nutrients into your water column requiring the biological filter or mass to increase it's numbers to keep up with the extra load.

Personally I would just do it now, Add all the plants right away, and go from there. In my opinion there is no point to cycling a tank and then changing it's composition so much to have to do it again. Also if you add enough plants (large amount) to your tank it will never cycle like a "fish only" tank would because the plants will eat up the ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates before the fish even notice them.

Just a little food for thought there.

Barbrella

Too bad you didn't mention that before you started adding shrimp, etc. If you put used floss or sponge from an established tank into the new tank filter, you pretty much have an instant cycle and just need to add fish to maintain it.

You didn't need to bother with all the rest of it.

Peterpiper

I think that the filter was seeded with some media from another filter' and he has readings for Ammonia and Nitrites, so IMO the cycling is incomplete

Peterpiper

?? which type of plant removes Ammonia and Nitrites from the water??

harold

I can only guess that the bacteria in the filter media died off since I did not have any ammonia in the water for at least 48 hours. I somehow missed these points in my prior research. Live and learn.

I was thinking of using Schultz Aquatic Soil which I thought did not affect water chemistry. I may forgo the soil and just stick with some kind of attachable plant. I definitely don't want to start the cycle over. Still lots to learn!

Gargoyle

Primarily any aquatic stem plant will do it.. Some are better than others but it you have alot of them and take proper care of them then they all will.

In my current 55 gallon set up I have no "bio media" at all.. I simply do not need it with all of the plants.

Peterpiper

This is the first I have heard of plants used to remove Ammonia and nitrites.
IMO It is the Nitrifying bacteria (Nitrosomonas and Nitrobacter respectively) that do the work.