Is my tank cycled ?

Engecmuhamme · 12/08/2017, 02:30 PM

I have a 200 gallon tank and when I dose 1 ppm ammonia chloride it converts Both ammonia and nitrite to 0 in one day. Is my tank cycled if not i have to to keep dosing ammonia chloride daily bc the testing says it’s almost 0 so I dose back to 1ppm ammonia. I think I read somenwere I don’t gave to doese everyday but I need to if it reaches 0. My first time I dosed was 2ppm every time after I dosed half.

mcgyvr · 12/08/2017, 02:36 PM

Yes from the information given it sounds like your tank is likely cycled and yes you should stop adding ammonia..

Engecmuhamme · 12/08/2017, 02:40 PM

Ok thanks I’ll dose one more time just to be sure then do a 30% water change

nereefpat · 12/08/2017, 02:40 PM

yes, agreed. You are cycled, and quit adding ammonia.

nereefpat · 12/08/2017, 02:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Engecmuhamme

Ok thanks I’ll dose one more time just to be sure then do a 30% water change

No reason to add more.

Unless Nitrates are high, you may not need a water change either.

Engecmuhamme · 12/08/2017, 02:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nereefpat

No reason to add more.

Unless Nitrates are high, you may not need a water change either.

Ok awesome thanks for the quick reply

Engecmuhamme · 12/08/2017, 03:22 PM

Can I ask you another quick question I’m going to be buying fish and puting it in quarantine. It won’t be till another month till I have fish in the tank is there anything I need to do in order to keep the bacteria alive

nereefpat · 12/08/2017, 04:30 PM

No need to add anything to your display. Bacteria will be fine for more than a month.

bertoni · 12/08/2017, 04:40 PM

I agree that the bacteria probably will be fine. You could add a tiny bit of fish food every few days if you are worried. If the tank has any small animals (copepods, amphipods, isopods, etc) the food will help increase their population.

ifarmer · 12/09/2017, 11:41 AM

Tank cant be cycled over night.
How lon has the tank been running.
Have you tested the water. No one can help you but youself. You need to test to know.
To know the tank is cycled. First you want to see some level of ammonia and nitrate first. And once those go down to near zero then you know that tank is cycled. You can ask the LFS to help test the.water for you.
If you dont want to test then let the tank run for 6 months and after 6 months i am sure then should be cycled .

outy · 12/09/2017, 11:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ifarmer

Tank cant be cycled over night.
.

It actually can, but I would agree caution should be used.

beneficial bacteria levels have been lowered not completely removed.

I rebuilt my sand bed in an old tank and added all new water and it was done instantly last month.

I did this once and it cycled in 3 days, as the tank was drilled and dried out and a new DSB installed.

You can use your nose on water from an older established tank, a tank not finished cycling has a fishy sort of smell. A cycled tank will have an earthy clean smell. [Chemical testing is always better then this but I have used it in the past]

nereefpat · 12/09/2017, 02:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ifarmer

Tank cant be cycled over night.
How lon has the tank been running.
Have you tested the water. No one can help you but youself. You need to test to know.
To know the tank is cycled. First you want to see some level of ammonia and nitrate first. And once those go down to near zero then you know that tank is cycled. You can ask the LFS to help test the.water for you.
If you dont want to test then let the tank run for 6 months and after 6 months i am sure then should be cycled .

What are you talking about? The OP has done the testing.

The tank processes 1ppm ammonia into zero ammonia and nitrite over 24 hrs. It has cycled.

sde1500 · 12/12/2017, 10:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ifarmer

Tank cant be cycled over night.
How lon has the tank been running.
Have you tested the water. No one can help you but youself. You need to test to know.
To know the tank is cycled. First you want to see some level of ammonia and nitrate first. And once those go down to near zero then you know that tank is cycled. You can ask the LFS to help test the.water for you.
If you dont want to test then let the tank run for 6 months and after 6 months i am sure then should be cycled .

Did you even read the post?

OP your bacteria will be fine with no fish or food for many months.

d0ughb0y · 12/12/2017, 12:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ifarmer

Tank cant be cycled over night.
How lon has the tank been running.
Have you tested the water. No one can help you but youself. You need to test to know.
To know the tank is cycled. First you want to see some level of ammonia and nitrate first. And once those go down to near zero then you know that tank is cycled. You can ask the LFS to help test the.water for you.
If you dont want to test then let the tank run for 6 months and after 6 months i am sure then should be cycled .

you are jumping to conclusion.

the op obviously did not cycle overnight (or maybe it was not obvious since it was implied).

op simply did the standard test of dosing 1ppm ammonium chloride to test how long it will take to go to 0.

12/08/2017, 02:30 PM	#1
Engecmuhamme Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2017 Posts: 5	Is my tank cycled ? I have a 200 gallon tank and when I dose 1 ppm ammonia chloride it converts Both ammonia and nitrite to 0 in one day. Is my tank cycled if not i have to to keep dosing ammonia chloride daily bc the testing says it’s almost 0 so I dose back to 1ppm ammonia. I think I read somenwere I don’t gave to doese everyday but I need to if it reaches 0. My first time I dosed was 2ppm every time after I dosed half.

12/08/2017, 02:36 PM	#2
mcgyvr Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: North Carolina Posts: 20,050	Yes from the information given it sounds like your tank is likely cycled and yes you should stop adding ammonia.. __________________ Who me?

12/08/2017, 02:40 PM	#4
nereefpat Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2016 Location: Central Nebraska Posts: 3,190	yes, agreed. You are cycled, and quit adding ammonia. __________________ Pat Current Tank Info: 125 in-wall , 40b sump. 6 bulb T5. ASM G2 skimmer. LPS and leathers

12/08/2017, 04:30 PM	#8
nereefpat Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2016 Location: Central Nebraska Posts: 3,190	No need to add anything to your display. Bacteria will be fine for more than a month. __________________ Pat Current Tank Info: 125 in-wall , 40b sump. 6 bulb T5. ASM G2 skimmer. LPS and leathers

12/08/2017, 04:40 PM	#9
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	I agree that the bacteria probably will be fine. You could add a tiny bit of fish food every few days if you are worried. If the tank has any small animals (copepods, amphipods, isopods, etc) the food will help increase their population. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

12/08/2017, 03:22 PM	#7
Engecmuhamme Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2017 Posts: 5	Can I ask you another quick question I’m going to be buying fish and puting it in quarantine. It won’t be till another month till I have fish in the tank is there anything I need to do in order to keep the bacteria alive

12/09/2017, 11:41 AM	#10
ifarmer Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: New York City Posts: 243	Tank cant be cycled over night. How lon has the tank been running. Have you tested the water. No one can help you but youself. You need to test to know. To know the tank is cycled. First you want to see some level of ammonia and nitrate first. And once those go down to near zero then you know that tank is cycled. You can ask the LFS to help test the.water for you. If you dont want to test then let the tank run for 6 months and after 6 months i am sure then should be cycled .