# cycling



## geo20 (Dec 13, 2007)

okay so i have my 55 running now with an aquaclear 110. i added some goldfish in there yesterday and let my biomax from the filter float in my established tank downstairs so it can catch some bacteria. but now after 2 days the water is veryyy cloudy. i checked to see if there was any amount of amminia in there and there wasnt. how long until ammonia starts building? and should i do water changes?

thanks


----------



## maknwar (Jul 16, 2007)

Did you wash the bio max off first? You should see ammonia in about a a few days depending on how many you put in there. I dont know about anyone else, but I wouldnt do any water changes until it is cycled. Maybe just add water to it if it gets low.


----------



## geo20 (Dec 13, 2007)

yea i washed it out then i put one piece in my filter thats being cycled and another piece in the tank i have dowstairs so it can catch some bacteria(biomax was 2 seperate bags) then i added that bag to my new tank. now the warter has like abig cloud in it


----------



## maknwar (Jul 16, 2007)

sorry, dont know much about the cloudy tank. Search this site for some answers.


----------



## geo20 (Dec 13, 2007)

thanks anyway maknwar

anyone else have a clue?


----------



## StryfeMP (Apr 26, 2007)

It's natural for a tank that's just beginning to cycle to become cloudy, it'll pass in a few days. How many goldfish do you have in the tank right now?


----------



## geo20 (Dec 13, 2007)

StryfeMP said:


> It's natural for a tank that's just beginning to cycle to become cloudy, it'll pass in a few days. How many goldfish do you have in the tank right now?


id say about 20 or so


----------



## geo20 (Dec 13, 2007)

kk water started to clear up..but now when do i take the goldfish out? 2 weeks or so? or until cycle is over

thanks alot


----------



## maknwar (Jul 16, 2007)

take them out when the cycle is completed and your ready to put in some P's. Ammonia should be 0, nitrite should be 0, and your nitrates should be about 40.


----------



## Dr. Giggles (Oct 18, 2003)

geo20 said:


> It's natural for a tank that's just beginning to cycle to become cloudy, it'll pass in a few days. How many goldfish do you have in the tank right now?


id say about 20 or so
[/quote]
Way too many imo for a 55G. Your cycle will go on alot longer than you anticipate.


----------



## geo20 (Dec 13, 2007)

what do you mean?


----------



## geo20 (Dec 13, 2007)

actually i just read up on it and your right thats way too many goldfish in there. theres now 4.
will my cycleing procees speed up if i add water from an established tank often?

thanks


----------



## maknwar (Jul 16, 2007)

I dont think water will help you. You need gravel, rocks or something else that have some on it.


----------



## notaverage (Sep 10, 2005)

really????

A while ago, I thought i stated i had put old substrate and other media in a new tank to help and was told that did nothing!


----------



## Dr. Giggles (Oct 18, 2003)

geo20 said:


> what do you mean?


I am assuming you are going to stock this 55G normally and not overly stocked. If you plan on getting a single serra or 3 reds to start out with than imo you need no more than 6 goldfish in the tank. Feeders are very dirty and produce a ton of waste. With 20 GF you will have an extreme level of ammonia before it goes down, thus a 5-6 week cycle compared to a 4 week cycle is not unheard of. If time is not of essence and you are patient as hell than you can ignore all my advise and just wait it out.


----------



## geo20 (Dec 13, 2007)

Dr. Giggles said:


> what do you mean?


I am assuming you are going to stock this 55G normally and not overly stocked. If you plan on getting a single serra or 3 reds to start out with than imo you need no more than 6 goldfish in the tank. Feeders are very dirty and produce a ton of waste. With 20 GF you will have an extreme level of ammonia before it goes down, thus a 5-6 week cycle compared to a 4 week cycle is not unheard of. If time is not of essence and you are patient as hell than you can ignore all my advise and just wait it out.
[/quote]

no i took your advise and took them out. i jump started the water already with a biomax pad from an already established tank so the cycle should not take too long. thanks for all the help


----------



## maknwar (Jul 16, 2007)

notaverage said:


> really????
> 
> A while ago, I thought i stated i had put old substrate and other media in a new tank to help and was told that did nothing!


substrate will get you a jump start.


----------

