# *- ZERO niTRATE on a cycled tank? -*



## bc_buddah (Dec 18, 2005)

my friend told me, because my surface area is so big and especialy since i have a WATER FALL TANK (2x AC500) the nitRATES disapear fast

and that cycled tanks COULD have 0 nitrate all the time, specialy if planted

true?

he also said, if i dont have ammonia or niTRITE then my tank is cycled . . because it's been up for about 3 weeks and my readings 3 days ago where

ammo: 0-.25
nitrite: 0
nitrate: 0

going to get test today at LFS

thx guys peace


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## odyssey (May 30, 2006)

it dosnt look like your tank is cycled, you should have some nitrate at the end of a cycle because you would get nitrite after ammonia. it looks like the cycle is only just starting as there is no nitrate or nitrite. get some biospira and some old filter media!


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## bc_buddah (Dec 18, 2005)

odyssey said:


> it dosnt look like your tank is cycled, you should have some nitrate at the end of a cycle because you would get nitrite after ammonia. it looks like the cycle is only just starting as there is no nitrate or nitrite. get some biospira and some old filter media!


i know it doesnt LOOK LIKE it's cycled . . . hmm , but my friend said he's never had to wait for the cycle his ENTIRE LIFE and he's got lots of aquariums, all he did was use "stability" a product by "seachem" and it works out everytime. (aparently the bacteria is dormant to survive store life)


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## odyssey (May 30, 2006)

thats what biospira is. if i were you i would buy some of that and get an established filter sponge off your friend. that would speed up the cycle up to couple of days. good luck, what you planning on putting in there?


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## Grosse Gurke (Jan 3, 2003)

bc_buddah said:


> my friend told me, because my surface area is so big and especialy since i have a WATER FALL TANK (2x AC500) the nitRATES disapear fast


Surface agitation doesnt have anything to do with nitrate removal.


> and that cycled tanks COULD have 0 nitrate all the time, specialy if planted
> true?


If you had a very small bioload and a tank full of plants...yes...it would be possible. Some people with planted tanks actually need to add nitrates to the tank for the health of the plants. However...these are really really planted tanks with a relatively small bio-load.


> he also said, if i dont have ammonia or niTRITE then my tank is cycled . . because it's been up for about 3 weeks and my readings 3 days ago where
> 
> ammo: 0-.25
> nitrite: 0
> nitrate: 0


How fast initial ammonia levels build depends on the bio-load of the tank. Zero nitrites doesnt tell you anything...there might not be any bacteria to convert ammonia to nitrites...so there wont be any nitrites. Your tank isnt cycled...if it were...there would be zero ammonia and a nitrate reading.


> i know it doesnt LOOK LIKE it's cycled . . . hmm , but my friend said he's never had to wait for the cycle his ENTIRE LIFE and he's got lots of aquariums, all he did was use "stability" a product by "seachem" and it works out everytime. (aparently the bacteria is dormant to survive store life)


Not only doesnt it look cycled..it isnt cycled









Just because your friend has not waited for any tank to cycle doesnt mean his tanks were cycled. If he is not using a cycled filter..his fish have lived in their own waste until the tank has come into balance....that is just a fact. Biospira is the only product that I have read about that will help the cycle...but it does not instantly cycle a tank. It will add some bacteria...however....it is doubtful it will add the amount of bacteria a specific bio-load will require in a tank. So it will help seed the tank...but it will still take some time for the tank to balance itself.


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## G23.40SW (Sep 30, 2005)

To put it bluntly, your friend is full of sh*t.

The tank isn't cycled.


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## BlackSunshine (Mar 28, 2006)

one thing i might have missed here is what are you using to produce waste or ammonia? 
Yes a planted can have low to no nitrates. this also helps stretch between water changes. 
But a tank has to cycle. and it takes time. theres no way around that except for adding biospira. there are some additives that can be added to a tank to help neutralize nitrates to some degree. But really the only way other then plants to remove nitrates is WC's. 
the chems only buy time. they are not a soloution. Its possible i guess to keep adding chems till the tank cycles. but that seems pointless compared to just getting some biospira and seeding the tank. Also i'm sure it's not healthy for the fish and you still are taking chances.


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## jestergraphics (May 29, 2007)

BlackSunshine said:


> one thing i might have missed here is what are you using to produce waste or ammonia?
> Yes a planted can have low to no nitrates. this also helps stretch between water changes.
> But a tank has to cycle. and it takes time. theres no way around that except for adding biospira. there are some additives that can be added to a tank to help neutralize nitrates to some degree. But really the only way other then plants to remove nitrates is WC's.
> the chems only buy time. they are not a soloution. Its possible i guess to keep adding chems till the tank cycles. but that seems pointless compared to just getting some biospira and seeding the tank. Also i'm sure it's not healthy for the fish and you still are taking chances.


good point, well said.


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