My tank Cycle

nightstalk

nightstalk

Member
i started to cycle my tank i added live sand but no lr because it will eventually just be my qt tank but i wanted this one set up while i was working on getting my 135 set up. its a 15 gallon tanks with 20lbs of live sand and a bio-wheel 100 for filtration. i added a dead shrimp to boost the cycle. So far this is whats happened.
Day 1
Sal-1.024
Ph-7.8
Trites-0
Trates-0
Ammonia-1
Day 2
Sal-1.024
Ph-7.9
Trites-2
Trates-.25
Amonia-.5
Day 3
Sal-1.025
Ph-7.8
Trites-3
Trates-0
Ammonia-8
Today
Sal-1.024
Ph-7.8
Trites-.25
Trates-5
Ammonia-8
Does this look like what a cycle is supposed to look like. I hope so i asked alot of questions and i think im doing everything right. Oh yeah also the water stays constantly between 78-79 degrees.
Hope its going good
 
1journeyman

1journeyman

Active Member
Well, sorry. Your numbers were kind of confusing to me so I can't comment specifically.
Ammonia should be the first thing you see. (do water changes to keep it below 1) As ammonia goes down nitrite will go up. As Nitrite goes down Nitrate will go up.
For a QT tank you do not want sand. A QT tank needs to be as bare as possible so that you can treat diseases. That way you can scrub it out good after you've medicated it. Use some different PVC fittings for cover for your inhabitants.
 
maelv

maelv

Active Member
Originally Posted by 1journeyman
For a QT tank you do not want sand. A QT tank needs to be as bare as possible so that you can treat diseases. That way you can scrub it out good after you've medicated it. Use some different PVC fittings for cover for your inhabitants.

Didn't know that...I guess I should remove that sand then huh? But right now it is holding tank for my fish until I have the 135 cycled. So does a QT tank need to be up and running with filters, etc 24/7???
 
1journeyman

1journeyman

Active Member
Originally Posted by maelv
Didn't know that...I guess I should remove that sand then huh? But right now it is holding tank for my fish until I have the 135 cycled. So does a QT tank need to be up and running with filters, etc 24/7???
Ideally yes, so that you have a cycled tank ready.
Sand is just not needed in a QT. Plus, once you medicate sand you shouldn't add it to your display so you're basically just wasting sand.
 
1journeyman

1journeyman

Active Member
Originally Posted by nightstalk
im not medicating it with the sand, i just have it in there while im setting up my 135 gallon. Is this ok??
So, in essence, it is a dislpay tank right now and not a QT? If that's the case sure. Be aware, though, any disease that shows up in this tank could be moved to new tank when you move the sand.
 
nightstalk

nightstalk

Member
thats exactly right, its a display tank for now, but will be qt later. I understand the risks of this. My lfs quarantines when there livestock arrives, and they guarantee anything that dies by diseases proven to be their fault, well they do that for me anyways (im friends with the owner) so diseases aren't too big a
problem but i understand the risk. Other than that do the other numbers look good?
 
1journeyman

1journeyman

Active Member
If your ammonia is "8" you need to be doing massive water changes. Anything above a 1 begins to become lethal to even bacteria.
 
1journeyman

1journeyman

Active Member
Did you use an entire shrimp? Take it out. In a week or so ad a pinch of fish food and start doing that every couple of days.
 
nightstalk

nightstalk

Member
yeah i used the whole shrimp. I thought thats how i was supposed to cycle it. After i take it out and the ammonia goes down is the cycle over?
 
1journeyman

1journeyman

Active Member
When ammonia and nitrite are both reading 0, and you can add food to the tank and not have any ammonia register, then your cycle is over.
For now, do water changes. That ammonia is killing everything.
 
1journeyman

1journeyman

Active Member
Originally Posted by nightstalk
there is nothing in there yet should i still do a water change?
Yes, definitely. ammonia that high is toxic to even the bacteria you are trying to grow.
 
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