Setting up new Tank/Cycling

[Caswal]

I have just got my new tank (100L) and I am new to fish keeping. I understand that the tank needs to be cycled, and would rather do a fishless cycle. I am also going on holiday from the 10th of March -> 24th March. 

Being a tad impatient, I would like to try and get the tank setup and stable, so by the time I am back from holiday, and checking things over I can put the first fish in. 

So is this possible? I have about 2 weeks until I leave. 

I would like this to also be a planted tank. And stock wise I am aiming for 4x spotted cory's, 8x glowlight tetra's, and 2x dwarf gourami's. I was thinking of starting with 2x spotted cory's if the tank is ok after I get back from holiday.

I can have a friend drop in while I am away to check over/do anything to the tank.

Thanks in advance for any help/advice

[livingart]

A good read to give you an understanding of what happens while cycling your tank

[Caswal]

I guess my question more is, if I start the cycling process, with adding ammonia etc. Then leave the tank for 2 weeks, will the nitrifying bacteria starve and die off?

Also any recommendations where to get pure ammonia from?, Mitre 10 and Countdown only have Cloudy Ammonia (has detergent).

[Caryl]

Why not ask someone with a mature tank if you can hang your filter off their tank for the time you are away? That will start the bacteria going. Or, get some used media from someone.

Start the stocking low, to match the bacteria numbers, and you will be off to a good start.

[gligor]

The other option is, if someone can come in to check on the tank have them put some fish food every time the pop round, that should decompose and create ammonia which will keep your bacteria going. 

I never added pure ammonia, just fish food and had hardy zebra danios early on

[maxxi1]

You can put a smelly shrimp in a stocking in the tank... that will keep Tha bacteria fed for a bit.. or if u really want I'm in upper hutt and can kick start ur filter off my betta barracks or can switch ya some seeded material... 

You could always just try it and thwn be ready to maybe wait one more week after u get back to check thw water fully to make sure...

 

Also I know ya want to add fish slowly but cories are a social bunch and love having bigger groups aim for at least 6 I'd say even better is 8 but watch your stocking levels with a 100 tank. 

 

Plenty of us out there who can help if you want some help. 

 

Enjoy your holiday...

 

( another option would be to find a cheap auto feeder if u wanted) 

[Caswal]

Thanks maxxi1,

I have been using some Sulphate of Ammonia (fertilizer from Mitre10) as my ammonia source. Mixed up about a cup full of water with 20ml worth of pellets. Took about 70ml of the solution to bring my tank up to around 4ppm.
Some people have cycled their tank using it. Googling it, it looks like the Sulphate (SO4) is only an ionic bond to the NH4 ammonia, so once in water separates, the ammonium ion is freed. It is approved as a food additive, so should be mostly harmless. 

I got a few plants from the pet store/vet on Jackson St petone. They are kept in a series of baffled tanks with some gold fish. So should of had some beneficial bacteria on them, the cycle has been going for about a week, filter is turning orange. So hopefully will see some nitrites soon. It looks like the ammonia has started to drop on Sunday.

The automatic feeder is an interesting idea. Could load it from the Sulphate of Ammonia pellets, and let it drop a few in. Will test how well they dissolve.

Or just go the prawn in a stocking idea. Not the biggest fan of just dumping something like that in the tank, and bring along random bacteria/fungus's to the party.

 

 

[Caswal]

I'm a bit unsure as to what is happening with my tank/filter.

I didn't have much luck using Sulphate of Ammonia. I dosed it up to around 5ppm of Ammonia, and the tank just sort of sat there for 10 days, not dropping, not getting any Nitrites/Nitrates.

So on the 5th of March did a 50% water change getting the ammonia down to around 2.5ppm. And again for 4 days nothing really changed, slowly dropped to around 2ppm. On the night of 9th did another large water change, getting the Ammonia down to 0.35ppm.  This was the last night I had before leaving on my holiday for 2 weeks. Added a large pinch of fish flakes, and setup an automatic feeder to drop in small amount flakes once a day while I was away.

I tested the water once more before I left for the airport on the afternoon of the 10th. And I had some Nitrites, so I left on my holiday feeling happy that my tank was on the way to being cycled.

Got back home on the 24th March. The Auto feeder had filled with condensation and had gone moldy/gummed up. So no idea how long it managed to feed the tank for.

Tested the water, had about 0.5ppm ammonia, 0 nitrite, and 5ish ppm Nitrate. Did a 35L water change, removed a plant that had died (maybe I should of left the lights on). And put in some more fish flakes. Hoping to get a bit of a ammonia spike, nitrite spike, and increase in nitrates.

After 3 days (each day adding a pinch of flakes), basically saw no change, 0.5ppm ammonia, 0 nitrite, maybe slightly higher nitrate levels.  

On the 27th & 28th gave really quite large pinches of fishflakes. 29th finally saw Nitrites creep above 0. At this point, there is a lot of moldy fishflakes at the bottom of the tank, on the plants/ornaments etc. So did a 40L ish water change, vacuuming up a lot of the detritus. This was done on the thought that the tank is now pretty loaded up with a lot of rotting crap. If I remove the majority of it, I should hopefully see the water getting down to 0 ammonia pretty quickly.

Checked the levels on the 30th, 0.5ppm ammonia, 0 nitrites, 5-10ppm Nitrate. Checked the water again this morning (31st) and levels are up to 1ppm ammonia, 0 nitrites, 5-10ppm Nitrate (closer to 10). 

Even after my vacuum up of moldy fishflakes, there is still quite a few left, some probably getting dragged up the filter too with all the water getting stirred up. But there is a lot less of it then before, so I would of expected the load to be lower. But perhaps with some of it getting in the filter, it is exposed to more air so perhaps is rotting more quickly?

Should I just leave the tank at this point, and let the last of the detritus decompose? Would it be worth me getting some used filter media from someone here to make sure my filter is well seeded, and do another round of cycling?

I'm excited to put some fish in, but not until the filter/tank is ready. And a bit confused as to why it is not quite working as expected (i.e. after a clean up the crap, ammonia levels increasing a bit, rather than dropping).

Thoughts, recommendation, help?

 

 

Edited March 31, 2016 by Caswal

[Caswal]

so it looks like my theory of stirring up the tank is the culprit. Got home from work today, Ammonia is down to around 0.25ppm.

[JJWooble]

Well done for doing a fish less cycle. 

Yeah, I've generally been told not to do water changes/clean up when cycling. It doesn't look nice for ages but after the tank starts showing as cycled you're able to clean up before adding fish  having nitrates is very encouraging and means you're almost there, it just may be a little while before there's enough bacteria to keep up with how much ammonia is being put in