Any idea what the cycle length is.....

Wind_Danzer

Wind_Danzer

Large Fish
#1
Sep 17, 2006
177
0
0
Phoenix, AZ (aka the "it's a dry heat" city)
#1
In a 5 gallon tank with one Betta? I'd also like to know the average spike of Ammonia too.

Just wondering really. I just tested my water for the 3rd time in a week and a 1/2 and the ammonia was at 1.0 while the nitrites was around .05 (I say around because it was more of a green hue (0) but not as green as the check sheet). I've had the tank about a week and a 1/2 too. I did a 50% water change (last change was a 25% back on Friday when the tested ammonia was lower then 1).

Betta is doing fine and swimming around like he owns the place. :D
 

homebunnyj

homebunnyj

Superstar Fish
#2
Jul 13, 2005
1,299
4
0
Western NC
#2
It varies and you just have to keep an eye on all your parameters in order to know when it's completed. I've had tanks take a month, six weeks, two months depending on individual circumstances. If a tank is seeded with bacteria from another established tank it takes considerably less time. Sorry to be unable to give you the definite answer you'd like, but it's just a matter of waiting it out to know how long it will take; however, I think your tank has probably at least two to three more weeks to go. Just don't change out your filter media during the cycling phase, or even for a while thereafter. Even after the tank is cycled it still takes a good long while for it to stabilize and become an 'established' tank. Sounds like you're on top of it though. :)
 

Likes: FroggyFox
nealio

nealio

Large Fish
#4
Aug 23, 2006
396
0
0
#4
You can change your filter media if you would like to but it will just prolong your cycle. I just finished cycling a new tank, and close to the end of it I had to change the filter media because it was just overflowing thru the filter. I had a mini cycle where the water was cloudy white for a couple of days, ammonia spiked to .025 and then it went back down to 0 a day or two later. None if which will hurt your fish. As long as your nitrites don't spike too much you will be ok.

Are you doing a cycle with fish?
 

homebunnyj

homebunnyj

Superstar Fish
#5
Jul 13, 2005
1,299
4
0
Western NC
#5
If the filter media thing gets gunked up, don't toss it, just swish it in dechlorinated water (for instance, the water you pull out of the tank when you do a water change) because a lot of bacteria live on that and you need those. Don't worry about the instructions on the box cuz they want to sell you more costly filter cartridges. For my biowheel filters, I just tear open the blue stuff and shake the carbon out (saving it for the rare occasion that I might want some carbon) and pop the now-empty cartridge thing into my filter. Then I don't have to worry about the carbon getting used up and needing to be changed out, and I don't need carbon anyway, and I get to just swish out my cartridge as needed. If it really gets ratty I can use a new one, after the tank is really well established, or I can actually yank off the blue stuff and put on a sheet of polyfill or something similar, holding it on with rubber bands. No need for all those pricey filter cartridge refill pack. :)
 

homebunnyj

homebunnyj

Superstar Fish
#10
Jul 13, 2005
1,299
4
0
Western NC
#10
Wind_Danzer said:
homebunnyj,

My bio-wheel is just that a wheel, the filter is the blue piece with the carbon. You've now gone and confused me. Are you saying you tear apart your bio-wheel???
Click to expand...
No, you leave the wheel alone of course, the blue thing with the carbon is what you can take apart. That's the thing I was talking about.
I was referring to the biowheel filter as the whole thing. I also have aquaclear filters, a magnum hotb, and a couple other types.
 

Wind_Danzer

Wind_Danzer

Large Fish
#15
Sep 17, 2006
177
0
0
Phoenix, AZ (aka the "it's a dry heat" city)
#15
Buy now, learn to wheel stock and still save for the mods. Trust me. Knowing how to drive it then going bigger is so much better then trying to learn how to drive it on trails that you don't have the experiance to back up with the bigger Jeep.

Then again, I don't know if you are into trail running or just looks.

Back to your regularly scheduled programming. :p
 

Mahamotorworks

Mahamotorworks

Superstar Fish
#16
Aug 26, 2006
1,722
6
0
Thule, Greenland
www.myspace.com
#16
I will be into trails and a little mud and what else I can get into . I will be applying for a job out of country soon so I dont want to buy it then have to sell it before I leave, just when I get it the way I want it. My current Manager has a jeep that is sprung over. He ripped a brake line last weekend. I guess he measured wrong for them.

Once again sorry for the off topic. Maybe we should start a jeep thread in the lounge.

MAHA
 

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