Cycling of my tank

Ok. So I could use a little help here. I have been doing a fishless cycle on my 29gal tank for about 6 weeks. I had my ammonia spike and then my nitrite spike. I tested my water tonight and had 0 ammonia and 0 nitrites. I did a water change and cleaned the gravel with a vacuum. I scrubbed some of the decor with a toothbrush to help get rid of the algae but now my nitrites are back up to .50ppm. What happened? Did I get rid of some of the bacteria?

 

Ok. So I could use a little help here. I have been doing a fishless cycle on my 29gal tank for about 6 weeks. I had my ammonia spike and then my nitrite spike. I tested my water tonight and had 0 ammonia and 0 nitrites. I did a water change and cleaned the gravel with a vacuum. I scrubbed some of the decor with a toothbrush to help get rid of the algae but now my nitrites are back up to .50ppm. What happened? Did I get rid of some of the bacteria?

Sounds like it. Maybe go easy with the gravel vac for a while, only sucking the mulm from the surface without actually going into the gravel. A few days ago this one guy was telling me how if you have an internal filter or any other filter that is kind of small and weak, the top layer of the gravel becomes quite inportant for the nitrogen cycle.
Also, did you do anything with your filter? Maybe washed it too? If it's internal, maybe it was out of the water during your cleaning for a long time?

 

Ok. So I could use a little help here. I have been doing a fishless cycle on my 29gal tank for about 6 weeks. I had my ammonia spike and then my nitrite spike. I tested my water tonight and had 0 ammonia and 0 nitrites. I did a water change and cleaned the gravel with a vacuum. I scrubbed some of the decor with a toothbrush to help get rid of the algae but now my nitrites are back up to .50ppm. What happened? Did I get rid of some of the bacteria?

Welcome to Fishlore

Yes, unfortunately you did remove some bacteria. The strongest colony of bacteria is going to be on our filter media but it is also growing on everything in our tank. By cleaning the gravel and scrubbing the decor you removed a significant amount of it. Fortunately you didn't damage the cycle too badly. It is just going to take time for the bacteria to catch back up.

Continue feeding the cycle however you have been feeding it and you should be back to where you were before to long. Even after a tank shows to be cycled it still takes time for the cycle to get firmly established. I recommend giving it several months before taking out and cleaning any of the decor and/or filter media. And even then don't do all of it at the same time.

When a cycle is new it is best not to do any kind of deep cleaning. Our fish tanks are the one thing in our homes we don't want to keep spotlessly clean. We can keep them looking clean without disturbing the bacteria in them.

 

Sounds like it. Maybe go easy with the gravel vac for a while, only sucking the mulm from the surface without actually going into the gravel. A few days ago this one guy was telling me how if you have an internal filter or any other filter that is kind of small and weak, the top layer of the gravel becomes quite inportant for the nitrogen cycle.
Also, did you do anything with your filter? Maybe washed it too? If it's internal, maybe it was out of the water during your cleaning for a long time?

Thank you so much for responding! I actually have a HOB filter but I haven’t touched it at all. I should have realized messing with the gravel would mess with the cycle.

Welcome to Fishlore

Yes, unfortunately you did remove some bacteria. The strongest colony of bacteria is going to be on our filter media but it is also growing on everything in our tank. By cleaning the gravel and scrubbing the decor you removed a significant amount of it. Fortunately you didn't damage the cycle too badly. It is just going to take time for the bacteria to catch back up.

Continue feeding the cycle however you have been feeding it and you should be back to where you were before to long. Even after a tank shows to be cycled it still takes time for the cycle to get firmly established. I recommend giving it several months before taking out and cleaning any of the decor and/or filter media. And even then don't do all of it at the same time.

When a cycle is new it is best not to do any kind of deep cleaning. Our fish tanks are the one thing in our homes we don't want to keep spotlessly clean. We can keep them looking clean without disturbing the bacteria in them.

Thank you for the welcome! I have actually seen a few of the posts you have been helping people on. You seem very knowledgeable .
When I started cycling this tank I really didn’t know to much about what I was doing so I honestly haven’t fed it anything which is probably why it’s taking so long to cycle lol. I did a test tonight when I got home. My ammonia is 0ppm my nitrites are .25ppm and my nitrates are about 5ppm. So it seems that i didn’t mess it up too bad.
But here is my next question. I have a neon tetra in a 10gal right now. When is it ok to move him to the 29gal? I know I need to have 0ppm ammonia and nitrites but is there a certain level I need the nitrates to be before putting him in there?

 

Thank you so much for responding! I actually have a HOB filter but I haven’t touched it at all. I should have realized messing with the gravel would mess with the cycle.

Perfect. It is good that you've not messed with the filter. That is where your strongest colony of bacteria is going to be since that is where most of the food is going to be.

Thank you for the welcome! I have actually seen a few of the posts you have been helping people on. You seem very knowledgeable .
When I started cycling this tank I really didn’t know to much about what I was doing so I honestly haven’t fed it anything which is probably why it’s taking so long to cycle lol. I did a test tonight when I got home. My ammonia is 0ppm my nitrites are .25ppm and my nitrates are about 5ppm. So it seems that i didn’t mess it up too bad.
But here is my next question. I have a neon tetra in a 10gal right now. When is it ok to move him to the 29gal? I know I need to have 0ppm ammonia and nitrites but is there a certain level I need the nitrates to be before putting him in there?

You are so very welcome

To cycle a tank we have to have an ammonia source. You say you weren't adding anything so I have to wonder how you had an ammonia spike. Ammonia is food for the bacteria we are trying to grow. I am curious as to how you are seeing nitrites and nitrates if you've not had an ammonia source. Do you have any fish in this tank?

It would really help me help you if you could fill out the Nitrogen Cycle Template for me. Nitrogen Cycle Template | Aquarium Nitrogen Cycle Forum | 494741

With it I can know just about everything I need to know about your tank and can hopefully help you get this cycle done.