How long did it take you to cycle?

[Luniyn]

I tried a product called Stability, but I didn't really do a good test to see if it actually was helping. However, I just finished cycling my tank in only 35 days (I was expecting 6-8 weeks not just over 4 like I got). The question is how long has it taken other people using anything to help or not to cycle your tank?

Please list:
-- Gal size of your tank (and state if you are showing in US or US Gal please).
-- If you used any "helper" to assist in cycling (i.e. Cycle, Stability, etc.)
-- If you cycled with fish or without (if without then what did you use for ammonia (fish food, pure ammonia drops, etc.)
-- And of course list how long it took you to cycle (try to be as accurate as possible please)

 

[Gina423]

I tried a product called Stability, but I didn't really do a good test to see if it actually was helping. However, I just finished cycling my tank in only 35 days (I was expecting 6-8 weeks not just over 4 like I got). The question is how long has it taken other people using anything to help or not to cycle your tank?

Please list:
-- Gal size of your tank (and state if you are showing in US or US Gal please).
-- If you used any "helper" to assist in cycling (i.e. Cycle, Stability, etc.)
-- If you cycled with fish or without (if without then what did you use for ammonia (fish food, pure ammonia drops, etc.)
-- And of course list how long it took you to cycle (try to be as accurate as possible please)

5 us gallons
no helper
without fish
2 months!

30 gallons
helper: cycle
with fish (4 serpae tetra-i kno very dangerous! but i didn't kno much about fish yet!)
2 weeks!

 

[Luniyn]

Are we the only one's that have cycled our tanks? (i.e. Shameless bump... come on it's for science people! ;D)

 

[Toddnbecka]

It's been so many years since I cycled a tank from scratch I really don't remember. I just use filter media (or a sponge filter) from an established tank, and stock lightly until the new setup ages a bit.

 

[Gwenz]

um i didn't know about cycling when i first set up my 15gall. :-\ :-[ but all the fish survived the cycle.

7.5gall tank
without fish
2 weeks
used pure ammonia

when i had my old Q-tank it took 6 weeks with no helper, and fishless.

Gwenz

 

[sgould]

20 days for 1 tank, 33 days for the other one.

 

[Eskielvr]

Please list:
-- Gal size of your tank (and state if you are showing in US or US Gal please).
-- If you used any "helper" to assist in cycling (i.e. Cycle, Stability, etc.)
-- If you cycled with fish or without (if without then what did you use for ammonia (fish food, pure ammonia drops, etc.)
-- And of course list how long it took you to cycle (try to be as accurate as possible please)

5 US Gallon
Bio Spira
Mystery Snail (ammonia levels reached 4ppm and had to remove my Betta for it to finish)
about 6 weeks

 

[Gargoyle]

I will list 2 of them for you...

10 US GALLONS
Used Cycle
2 Guppies and 1 sword (did lose fish but they were looking bad when we got them from meijers)
Kept DETAILED logs: 4 weeks to completely cycle with 0 Ammonia, 0 Nitrite , 10 Nitrate ::: verified by continued testing to date.

29 US GALLONS
Used Cycle
5 Assorted Danios
Once again detailed logs and it took 4 weeks to completely cycle.

Hope this is good for ya.. ;D

 

[Luniyn]

Good information so far... keep it coming people ;D

 

[Sparkling Diamonds]

I'm only going to post the one tank that has cycled for sure (Second one's been on meds... so i'm unsure if it's actually cycled or not)

However, I have:

A 3-US Gal.
I used BioSpira
I cycled with 1 fish, 1 snail, and 1 live plant.
I started the cycle on March 29th, and it finished cycling on April 25th - So that makes 29 days.


My other tank is anotherr 3 gallon, with one betta and a snail. But the betta has finrot..so the tank's been on meds for quite some time. (With a couple med breaks) Though, when i tested the water the other day, there was no ammonia, no nitrites, and 10 nitrate. So it seems like it's cycled.. but i'm unsure due to the meds. I did put in BioSpira, but i read (afterwards) that most meds kill the helpful bacteria that develops during the cycle... So that tank has me baffled, currently. ???

 

[Hazcop]

75 gallon with 5 zebra danios and bio-spira...5 days. After more fish were introduced got ich, treated the whole tank, killed bacteria, second cycle with LOTS of water changes...2 months to re-cycle

 

[Stitcher]

Cycled 75gal 28 days. Gravel was from mature tank but it was below freezing when I brought the tank home. The filter was kept warm and wet for the move and I think that helped. Used no helpers like cycle or bio spira. Had fish in tank and was changing water 50% every other day. Had fish lost.
I'm cycling 10 gal right now, Fishless. I filed tank with water from 75 gal tank and tested water.
Day 2  ; ammonia 0.5 ; nitrite 0.3 ; nitrate 10
Question is will it help by using the water from the other tank or are the bacteria going to die off before they can get established?
I'm using brine shrimp food to feed the tank water.

 

[Luniyn]

Time frame on that new tank will be nice to see. Please do keep us informed at the status . Also just a note about the other filter you used for the 75 Gal. You might have been better off letting it freeze. Just like they do with the Bio-Spira, when the bacteria get cold they go dormant. They don't need to feed and will take longer to die off. They don't breed either, but that's not needed as we just want them alive. Keeping them warm and wet is fine but if you didn't give them a constant source of ammonia, then they died from starvation after a few days. So depending on how long the filter was kept without food I'm not sure what to classify that tank under. I.e. cycled with help from old stock or cycled like new.

 

[Stitcher]

75 gal
The tank was drained in the morning and set back up by late afternoon.

 

[Luniyn]

Thanks for the reply, so definitely seeded from the old filter. Good info... thanks!

 

[PrayforMojo]

I just finished a cycle it took approximately 5 weeks
45 us gal hex tank
10 feeder fish (jumbos)
no helper
weekly 15% water change starting week 3
At 5 weeks the water tested low for amonia and nitrites
I did however lose 4 of the fish not sure what from the others did fine and i ended up giving them back to the fish store i had bought them from.

 

[Sarcastic]

29 US Gallon Tank
4 Zebra Danios
No used filter media, BioSpira, etc.

5-6 weeks.

I lost my logs during this time period - so I'm guesstimating.

 

[vin]

15 gallon with feeder goldfish as a booster - 6 weeks.

 

[Stitcher]

I'm cycling 10 gal right now, Fishless. I filed tank with water from 75 gal tank and tested water.
Day 2  ; ammonia 0.5 ; nitrite 0.3 ; nitrate 10
Question is will it help by using the water from the other tank or are the bacteria going to die off before they can get established?
I'm using brine shrimp food to feed the tank water.
Finshed cycling 14 days. Used filter media from cycled tank, no water changes. used "Cycle" in water once a week.
Water readings on 14th day were ; Ammonia 0 ; Nitrite 0 : Nitrate 110++
Did 3 - 75% water changes to get Nitrates down to 5
Water is good for two days now, added 4 Mystery Snails to start cleaning the alge bloom for cycling with fish food

 

[capekate]

g'morning!

1) I Have a 29 gallon tank

2) Used Prime with all water changes since setting up tank on march 28.

3) Started the cycle with fish on day 2. Started with 3 platy and 2 dwarf gourami (added & lost fish since).

4) Test log shows the same readings of: Ammonia:2.0; Nitrate: 5.0;Nitrite: 0 pretty consistant from 4/29-5/9.(Started using the API Master tester on 4/29). 
    5/09 Nitrates spiked between 5.0 ->10.0 Nitrite still zero, Ammonia still at 2.0.
    5/11 Nitrate 5.0, Nitrites 0, Ammonia 2.0. (back to pre 5/9 readings).
    5/13 Nitrate 10.0 Nitrite 0, Ammonia 1.0 ( 7th week into cycle)
    5/13 Been doing 20% water change done daily around 4pm since 5/6.  API Testing done daily around 7am.
           (rinsed off alot of diatoms today, been collecting for a few weeks or so.)       
    5/14 Nitrate 5.0, Nitrite 0, Ammonia 1.0.   

I believe this tank just cycled at 7 weeks or so. Continual Ammo readings could have resulted in too many fish for a cycling tank. Thank goodness for a low PH level.
Hope this helps in your research! ~ kate