Can small tanks cycle faster than large ones?

FreshyFresh

FreshyFresh

Superstar Fish
#1
Jan 11, 2013
1,337
23
38
East Aurora, NY
#1
My 29gal has been in fishless cycling mode since Jan 16. I've been staring at ~4-5ppm ammo since then. Water temp is ~82F. It's got one little java fern in it and a bunch of rocks and fake stuff. It's sitting there happily percolating along.

I also setup a 10gal and got it in fishless mode on Jan 29. Much to my surprise, I just checked the water params to find 1.0ppm ammo, nitrites off the chart and 5.0ppm nitrates!!

The first thing I tested was nitrites. *POW!* it went deep purple! Be still my beating heart!!!

Is this possible in ~5days?? The only difference is this tank has more plants, FloraMax for a substrate instead of pea gravel in the 29 and the 10 has the magical "bio-wheel" filter. I am also able to get the 10gal up to ~84F, where the 29 will max out at ~82 given the house is cool this time if year.

Happy-happy, joy-joy?!?

Joel
 

O

OrangeCones

Elite Fish
#2
Feb 27, 2009
4,395
0
36
#2
Smaller tanks can complete the cycle more quickly than larger tanks.

Were any of the plants you added kept at the LFS in tanks with fish? Even if there were no fish in the tanks themselves, most LFS filter a large bank of tanks as one 'behind the scenes.' If so, they they could have had some of the bacteria you needed and have grown in your care of the smaller tank.

Congrats! You should see ammonia first then nitrites drop to zero, and nitrate to continue to climb soon.
 

CAPSLOCK

CAPSLOCK

Elite Fish
#3
Jul 19, 2004
3,682
33
48
39
Cape Cod
#3
Not sure - maybe the plants came with some bacteria from the source? I don't know if any of the other stuff (floramax, size, etc) would make any difference. Give the 10g a few more days, then you can move something from it to the 29g to help get something started over there (like a handful of floramax in a pantyhose, or swishing the 10g filter cartridge in the 29g or something).
 

FreshyFresh

FreshyFresh

Superstar Fish
#4
Jan 11, 2013
1,337
23
38
East Aurora, NY
#4
Thanks.

The 3 plants that are in the 10gal are all Petsmart and Petco plastic tube $4 specials.

I gave the tank a little dose of ammonia after I ran that test this AM. I'll test it again tomorrow.

Joel
 

FreshyFresh

FreshyFresh

Superstar Fish
#5
Jan 11, 2013
1,337
23
38
East Aurora, NY
#5
I dosed the 10gal with 3-4mL of ammo last night and just checked the water params a few minutes ago. ~0.5ppm ammo and nitrites off the charts. wooHOO! and only 6 days into it. This is shear excitement for me, being Mr.Excitement and all..

Joel
 

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