How Long Until I Should See Ammonia?

[RossW]

I started a new 25g tank on the weekend w/ 1 feeder goldfish.  I did a 30% water change on Monday.  I am still registering 0 Ammonia and 0 Nitrite.  I think the Nitrate is increasing but I find it so hard to read the results accurately enough to distinguish a day to day difference. <= Another thread is coming about Nitrate kits 

BTW, I did start w/ some water from my 10g, plus a very small piece of drift wood from my 10g, plus one piece of filter media from my 10g.  Thus, I "think" it is possible that I skipped the cycle but that could be more wishful thinking than reality.

How many consecutive days of 0 Ammonia and 0 Nitrite do I need before I can declare my tank cycled.  I am thinking w/ a single goldfish it could take a while for the Nitrate levels to climb high enough for me to see a significant difference, no?

[babblefish1960]

You are correct in your assumption that you have not seen the cycle develop as yet, good for you for the steps you have taken, however, with one lowly feeder goldfish, this is going to take a while, so patience once again, and spend the next few weeks ascertaining the truth of the situation. You have not skipped the cycle, and try to avoid changing water for a bit to give the fish a chance to get some ammonia into the tank.

[RossW]

Is it possible my single goldfish is not producing enough waste to keep the good bacteria that I brought over to the tank/filter alive?

[KLKelly]

Even though its 'just' a feeder goldfish I hope you read up on the affects of cycling using fish.  Ammonia will get toxic - I hope you keep it below toxic levels for the little guy and Nitrite can poison him.  When nitrites show up Adding 1 tsp of salt per gallon will protect him.  Prime is a good thing too.

[babblefish1960]

Your goldfish is not producing tons of waste, but it will be producing enough to feed the bacteria to keep the material you brought over viable, no worries on the fish, it will just be a slow cycle, which is not a bad thing at all, every time you add a fish to a tank over the entire life of the tank, you go through this process, every single time.

[Glouglou]

Good infos here :http://malawicichlids.com/mw01017.htm