# Is my tank cycled??



## PuddlePirate (Nov 12, 2008)

I've had my tank set up for about 3 months now and I'd been monitoring my ammonia/nitrite/nitrate levels very closely. I have 6 small fish in it (it's a 46 gallon) so I figured maybe it would take a while to cycle. 

Anyhow for the first few weeks I wasn't reading anything. Then, as expected, I began to see some ammonia. I feed my fish every other day so that the ammonia doesn't rise too much but it had been pretty stable, never going over 1ppm. I never got any reading on nitrites/nitrates.

Well I got kinda lazy lately and didn't test my water for a few weeks, maybe 3 I'd say. But I tested it yesterday and my ammonia levels are now...0. The nitrites/nitrates are also still reading 0. Does this mean my tank is cycled? My fish all seem to be doing great despite my lack of water changes. I'm confused because I expected to see a rise in nitrites, and then nitrates before the ammonia completely dropped off like that. Maybe my bioload is too small to see large spikes like that?


----------



## Fishychic (Dec 7, 2008)

When your tank has cycled, there will be a reading of Nitrates. This reading will generally be high since it's converted all the nitrites. 

What kind of testing kit do you have? The strips or liquid kind? Strips give inaccurate readings. 

Also, what kind of fish do you have in it? Either way, you should've seen an ammonia spike and a Nitrite spike. It only takes about six weeks to cycle a tank.


----------



## mousey (Jan 18, 2005)

I have had 2 tanks cycle and never show any nitrates. one was planted and one was not.
I cannot tell you why unfortunately.
Are you using any products like biospira or Stability?
You get no nitrates with staility- don't know about the Biospira.


----------



## paavn (Jan 15, 2009)

If you have any plants in there they'll use the nitrates, and also nitrate tests seem to be some what tricky to use (i have the API one and one day they're 5ppm the next day 20 then back to 5, and i have no plants)

you might have not seen a spike because it could have happened in the 3 weeks you didnt test, and you might have not had a spike because the fish might be small
just as a point of curiosity what kind of fish are they?


----------



## PuddlePirate (Nov 12, 2008)

Thanks for the replies! I am hoping that I just missed the cycling and the nitrite spike, but it seemed like that woulda been quick after 2 months of nothing but ammonia readings. I have the liquid test sets (the brand is API). I DID use SafeStart...which is supposed to be just like Bio Spira. That was before Christmas. 

Oh and I have 3 Cherry Barbs and 3 Giant Danios. Those little Barbs are the cutest! All male though so I'm (im)patiently waiting till I can add some females, prolly 6-7.


----------



## paavn (Jan 15, 2009)

if you used SafeStart i can see why it happened so quick, i didnt add SafeStart for at least two weeks (kinda messed up on ammonia dosing thanks to the test strips lol)
i however didnt do the fish in cycling. i plan on fully stocking or at least half stocking my tank by next week


----------



## COM (Mar 15, 2008)

The SafeStart does not explain a reading for no nitrates. Unless you have plants, or unless they have added something to SafeStart that BioSpira lacked, you should have some nitrates showing up. That's odd, but kinda cool too.


----------



## jones57742 (Sep 8, 2007)

PuddlePirate said:


> I've had my tank set up for about 3 months now and I'd been monitoring my ammonia/nitrite/nitrate levels very closely. I have 6 small fish in it (it's a 46 gallon) so I figured maybe it would take a while to cycle.


PP:

Although you did not publish your "6 small fish" (which I would appreciate) if they are indeed small and you have been feeding sparingly in your 46G you will not have observed any detectable ammonia or nitrites' concentrations.

The "detectable" word in the above paragraph is important as ammonia and nitrites will have or still exist (and always will) in your tank but their concentration is below the "detectable" limits of our rudimentary test kits.

Also the absence of your detection of nitrates is similar.

TR


----------



## Obsidian (May 20, 2007)

Translation of above:

With only 6 fish in a 46 gallon it is possible that you are not seeing numbers due to the light bioload of the tank. Just because the numbers are not reading doesn't mean the substances are not there. 

End of translation. 

If it has indeed been 3 months then by all means you can add fish. Just go slow, add a few at a time to avoid spikes, and you will be fine. Cherry barbs and giant danios are both fish I really enjoy!


----------



## jones57742 (Sep 8, 2007)

Obsidian said:


> Translation of above:


:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

but a very good translation Obs!

TR


----------

