I'm just wondering how long it takes for your ammonia to spike durring the inital cycle of a new tank? I have been testing my water twice a day and I have 0 ammonia, 0 nitrites and 0 nitrates. My tank is about 5 days old. I did a 10% water change two days ago, just to be safe. I'm using test strips for everything except the ammonia which I purchased an API drop test kit for to be more accurate. I'm glad my tank is doing so well, but I am concerned that it's going to spike when I least expect it.

I have a 56gallon tank, with 3 orandas that are about 2 to 2 and a half inches long. I have 2 apple snails, 3 sword plants and 2 java ferns. I'm using a top fin power filter 60 and I have a bubbler going through one of my ornaments. Are my plants taking care of everything?

I'm not trying to borrow trouble or anything I just want to see if this has happened to anybody else before. I was under the impression I was going to have a very busy few weeks of water changes and so far I've only needed 2 lol. Is it possible to have an easy cycle?

Thanks for the help!
Rainia

Per the great cycle write up here on Koko's it says that the ammonia will rise for about the first 10 days after that the nitrItes will start to kick in. If it's possible, I'd recommend buying a drop tester kit for you especially with setting up a new tank and having to know very accurate numbers. With the strips they are not as accurate and can lead to false readings. It seems odd to have gone 5 days and not have any ammonia showing.

Hopefully things are going smoothly, I'm sure some of the more experienced members will be here to help answer your questions very soon! Good luck on the cycling. I'm doing my first real cycle currently but doing a fishless.

I have looked at that page as well, which is why I posted because I'm halfway through those 10 days and no ammonia at all. I am using a drop test kit for that, so it is accurate. I also have a thermometer inside my tank that has a gradient chart that shows the pH and the ammonia levels and the ammonia on that says zero as does the strips I also have. So, I'm doing good I think, but I was just wondering if that was typical. I'm guessing that with the amount of water in the tank and the plants it's balancing out how much waste my 3 fish are putting off. Hopefully my cycle will go fast! =)

Good luck with your fishless cycle. Is that easier than doing it with fish?

Rainia

Did you 'seed' the tank with anything with anything from an older cycled tank? Filter? Filter media? Rocks? Gravel?

If so, you may have brought over some of the good bacteria and greatly shortened your cycle or have been 'pre-cycled'. If this isn't the case then, just keep a close eye.

But could it be cycled without showing nitrate? Maybe the nitrate strips aren't reading properly, unless you have something in your filter that removes ammonia? Zeolite chips, I think they're called. It seems strange for her tank not to show readings for anything after 5 days.

No I didn't seed with anything. Everything was brand new. I don't think my filter has anything special in it to get rid of the ammonia. I thought it was strange too. I think I will have to get a drop test kit for my nitrates and nitrites. My fish are doing great though, and I'm very careful about over-feeding. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that everything will go smoothly!

Your tank has 1 fancy per 18 gallons. That's lightly stocked (which is great for the fish ). Its *possible* that your ammonia is just therefore building up very slowly.

Add to that the fact that you have plants - and its possible, although I wouldn't say likely - that you *may* have cycled before the ammonia/nitrite ever built up noticibly. And your plants are now keeping the nitrate down. Again, I wouldn't think this is likely, but who knows.

What you should do is continue to keep a very close eye on your parameters - testing twice daily as best as possible. And getting drop tests is a great idea too. Chances are, you will eventually see at ammonia, nitrite, and/or nitrate, and then you will know where you stand.