# how long should it cycle?



## CLUSTER ONE (Aug 2, 2006)

i just go t my new 125 gal and i want to know how long it shoud cycle before adding the p's?

another thing how many gold fish should i add?


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## 909Justice (Aug 27, 2006)

well it depends it could take days to weeks to even months.

i perfer you adding bactria from other filters to speed up the cycling process


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## zack-199 (Aug 10, 2006)

why do you want to add goldfish? for the ammonia?


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## CLUSTER ONE (Aug 2, 2006)

ho help it cycle help create bactereia

ive got a RENA filter (the 0nr up to 175 gal) so does that make a difference in the cycling time?


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## shredder_fury (Aug 25, 2006)

shark_boy said:


> i just go t my new 125 gal and i want to know how long it shoud cycle before adding the p's?
> 
> another thing how many gold fish should i add?


i'm really new to this sight but frm what i heard if tank is new you need a couple of weeks running your bio-filters introducing some fish perodicaly---also get some boi-sphere to quicken the prosses until your levels in your tank read somewhat steady ph--nitrate--nitrites, --temp--etc___gold fish is not the best thing for your piranahas,every once in ahwile it's ok to feed them that make sure they are not sick where ever you get the gold fish from--if u plan on feeding alot of gold fish i would recomend a feeder tank just with them in it and medicate them first!!!!but their are so many good ppl on this sight that can give you (((straight to the point answers)))on all topics,, just thought i would through some out their ((((peace out)))


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## Mr. Hannibal (Feb 21, 2003)

Cycle usually takes 3-5 weeks... if you do the fishless cycle (adding ammonia) or you add "biospira" it should cycle faster







!

Anyway if you can't wait to get your Ps you can always add Bio Spira, check your water parameters daily and practice partial water changes while vacuuming gravel when needed to keep your water OK... this method is a little risky (and not recommended for newbies) and it will make the cycle slower (it might take 5 or more weeks) so i won't recommend it unless you can't wait (for any reason) to get your Ps...







!


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## shredder_fury (Aug 25, 2006)

zack-199 said:


> why do you want to add goldfish? for the ammonia?


nice point zack-199


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## zack-199 (Aug 10, 2006)

shark_boy said:


> ho help it cycle help create bactereia
> 
> ive got a RENA filter (the 0nr up to 175 gal) so does that make a difference in the cycling time?


yeah, dont use goldfish for it, it takes much longer, use pure ammonia(nothing added), put one drop per gallon everyday for about 5 days then test the water for ammonia , nitrites, nitrates, just untill ammonia and nitrites are at 0 and Nitrates are at about 40 i think.


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## CLUSTER ONE (Aug 2, 2006)

ya they dont eat much gold fish they only get them once in a while and they are kept in a seperate 10g tank i was just saying gold fish because i have about 6 already and there cheap to get


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## a-ronn (Jun 12, 2006)

Bacteria grows at very rapid rates. I usually just take a plant from another tank and add it to the tank and it is fine in a day or so.


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## CLUSTER ONE (Aug 2, 2006)

would some java moss work (i got to much of it in my newt tank so i will probably cut it in half)


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## taylorhedrich (Mar 2, 2005)

zack-199 said:


> ho help it cycle help create bactereia
> 
> ive got a RENA filter (the 0nr up to 175 gal) so does that make a difference in the cycling time?


yeah, dont use goldfish for it, it takes much longer, use pure ammonia(nothing added), *put one drop per gallon everyday for about 5 days* then test the water for ammonia , nitrites, nitrates, just untill ammonia and nitrites are at 0 and Nitrates are at about 40 i think.
[/quote]
No, you want to use about 6 drops per 10 gallons, not 1 drop per gallon. You don't want to spike the nitrites too high, or else it would take a good 2nd month to bring them back down.

I would use filter media from an already established filter to significantly reduce the time it takes to cycle. The fishless cycle is the way to go. Click Here!
~Taylor~


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## boontje (Mar 27, 2005)

a-ronn said:


> Bacteria grows at very rapid rates. I usually just take a plant from another tank and add it to the tank and it is fine in a day or so.


they don't grow that fast


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## a-ronn (Jun 12, 2006)

boontje said:


> Bacteria grows at very rapid rates. I usually just take a plant from another tank and add it to the tank and it is fine in a day or so.


they don't grow that fast








[/quote]

Well ive dont it with every one of my tanks and havnt had any problems havnt lost a fish yet.


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## boontje (Mar 27, 2005)

a-ronn said:


> Bacteria grows at very rapid rates. I usually just take a plant from another tank and add it to the tank and it is fine in a day or so.


they don't grow that fast








[/quote]

Well ive dont it with every one of my tanks and havnt had any problems havnt lost a fish yet.
[/quote]
not losing a fish doesn't mean that the tank was properly cycled


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## timmy (Mar 29, 2004)

boontje said:


> Bacteria grows at very rapid rates. I usually just take a plant from another tank and add it to the tank and it is fine in a day or so.


they don't grow that fast








[/quote]

Well ive dont it with every one of my tanks and havnt had any problems havnt lost a fish yet.
[/quote]
not losing a fish doesn't mean that the tank was properly cycled
[/quote]

I second that!

If you add bio spira \, make sure you have an ammonia reading b4 adding otherwise the biop spira will die.


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## CLUSTER ONE (Aug 2, 2006)

i just added some stress coat (for clorine nitrates ...) will it speed up the cycling time?


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## taylorhedrich (Mar 2, 2005)

shark_boy said:


> i just added some stress coat (for clorine nitrates ...) will it speed up the cycling time?


No, it will not.


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## the_skdster (Aug 15, 2006)

a-ronn said:


> Bacteria grows at very rapid rates. I usually just take a plant from another tank and add it to the tank and it is fine in a day or so.


wow. That Fast?!?!?!!!


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## Darth Vader (Jul 3, 2006)

boontje said:


> Bacteria grows at very rapid rates. I usually just take a plant from another tank and add it to the tank and it is fine in a day or so.


wow. That Fast?!?!?!!!








[/quote]

One month! give or take a week One month. At least that 's what I learned when I was a newbe. One month was lik a golden rule. Get an ammonia test kit and a Nitrite test kit and that should take the guesswork out of it.Oh yeah, and by the way ,I'm goin'through the same thing as you with 2 tanks right now and one of 'em is 125 gallons. I have 12 feeders in the 125gallon for two weeks now and I tested the water last tuesday and the ammonia is at about .50ppm. Your tank isnt even half cycled until the ammonia has gone above 4.0 ppm and then drops to 0.0ppm then you start testing for nitrite. after another week or so the nitrite peaks and drops to 0.0 and your ready! 
Patience and some good test kits are your best tools.


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## Dr. Giggles (Oct 18, 2003)

shark_boy said:


> i just go t my new 125 gal and i want to know how long it shoud cycle before adding the p's?
> 
> another thing how many gold fish should i add?


Using pure ammonia I did my 125G in 12 days without bio spira or any bacteria additive. how many goldfish you need. Depends what you plan on stocking it with.

As far as ammonia dosage goes I use 1 drop per gallon of water. I have had best results with this method. Only important if you are stocking pygos or a bunch of cichlids or whatever. If you plan on a large solitary fish than as taylor mentioned 6 drops per 10 gallons should be sufficient. I figure why make it complicated and simplify it with 1 drop per gallon of water.


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## the_skdster (Aug 15, 2006)

jerry_plakyda said:


> i just go t my new 125 gal and i want to know how long it shoud cycle before adding the p's?
> 
> another thing how many gold fish should i add?


Using pure ammonia I did my 125G in 12 days without bio spira or any bacteria additive. how many goldfish you need. Depends what you plan on stocking it with.

As far as ammonia dosage goes I use 1 drop per gallon of water. I have had best results with this method. Only important if you are stocking pygos or a bunch of cichlids or whatever. If you plan on a large solitary fish than as taylor mentioned 6 drops per 10 gallons should be sufficient. I figure why make it complicated and simplify it with 1 drop per gallon of water.
[/quote]
I am so using ammonia the next time around.
stupid me. I could have saved loads of time...
*ponders if self should empty tank, flush the goldfish and retry using ammonia...
*hmmm...


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## CLUSTER ONE (Aug 2, 2006)

well i put some declorinator thtat removes chlorine nitrates ammonia... so your saying it gonna take another week+ befoe i can add the p's?


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## timmy (Mar 29, 2004)

shark_boy said:


> well i put some declorinator thtat removes chlorine nitrates ammonia... so your saying it gonna take another week+ befoe i can add the p's?


Chances are, the dechlorinator you have put in it removes nitrites... Well it could take upto 4 more weeks ket alone a week... During this period you will see spikes in ammonia , nitrite and nitrate. All three can be deadly when at spiking levels!


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