Question about cycling

[Varroa]

Good morning! I recently started a new tank and I am having a hard time believing what I am seeing. I setup a heavly planted tank (32.5 gallon Fluval Flex with some extra biomedia stuck in the bottom of the filter compartment) with a thick soil/sand/substrate and started the cycling process using just some of the basic BigAl's tank bacteria stuff. After 1 week I was not noticing any ammonia spikes (or nitrate/nitrites) plus I had a very large mistery snail that kept escaping his smaller tank so I put him in the cycling tank and monitored things for a week and again no ammonia spikes. So next I added a few cherry shrimp and continued monitoring and no ammonia spikes again (now coming up on week 3) so I added 3 guppies and after a week still no ammonia/nitrite/nitrate spikes (all the while feeding everything). During these couple of weeks I also switched to adding Seachem Stability instead of the BigAl's stuff because I was doubting myself. So just this last Friday I added 4 panda cory's and an albino bristlenose (and also switched to FritzZyme 7 after doing some research and doubting myself again) and after a few days I am still not seeing an ammonia spike (or nitrite/nitrate either). How is this possible? All the fish seem health and happy and they are eating lots plus the plants are growing like mad. It seems like the tank is cycled after only a single week.

[Jody]

Hi,

   So the cycling process itself typically takes 4-6 weeks from the time that the first life/waste producer is added. Now using products like the Bio-Support, Stability and especially Fritz 7 give a good boost and dramatically cut the time. Any water changes and filter cleanings can slow the process.
   In a 32 gallon, I would say the snail, shrimp and guppies are really negligible waste producers, with most of that being taken in by the plants, and even with the cories and a small bushynose it is pretty lightly stocked. Which is good, take your time building.
   I would expect that the reason you aren't seeing any ammonia, nitrite or nitrate spikes is a combination of the bacteria additives, light stock and the plants using the nutrients themselves.
   Depending on the type of test you are using, strip vs liquid, some are more accurate than the other. I prefer the liquid type, and have noticed slight differences in the testing between the two types. I did an ammonia test on a tank today, and the strip read 0 but the liquid 0.25. So not a major difference, but a difference nonetheless.
   Ideally, you will never see a spike in your ammonia or nitrite, but will notice some nitrate rising, though this may take several more weeks, depending on your stocking levels and feeding regimen. Keep slowly stocking, take your time, keep testing and keep an eye on the fish, they are the best indicators of what is going on in your tank.

Jody

   
 

[Varroa]

Thanks for the reply, I am using your standard API Freshwater Master liquid kit. I also just add a set of those seachem colour wheel tags on the inside of the tank as a backup and it also shows no ammonia either.