Cycle Complete...?

[snworf]

After 4 weeks, ammonia levels have finally stayed at 0 for a few days now,
without doing water changes. Nitrites were at 0, until now -- they're hovering
around .25. Is that normal? Should I expect nitrites also to be at 0, and
continuing to change the water until that happens? I have found it takes half
as much new water to get them to 0 as it did to get the ammonia down.

Thanks!

[David Paquette]

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I think how the cycle works is first
your Amonia will peek, then drop down. When the Amonia drops to zero, the
Nitrite levels will go begin to rise. Finally, Nitrites will drop and your
Nitrates will rise.

Sounds like you're well on your way to finishing the cycle. Nitrites are
the dangerous, so monitor the levels closely and continue to do partial
water changes to keep it low. When your Nitrite levels drop down to zero,
your cycle will be complete.

-David


"snworf" > wrote in message
...
> After 4 weeks, ammonia levels have finally stayed at 0 for a few days now,
> without doing water changes. Nitrites were at 0, until now -- they're
hovering
> around .25. Is that normal? Should I expect nitrites also to be at 0,
and
> continuing to change the water until that happens? I have found it takes
half
> as much new water to get them to 0 as it did to get the ammonia down.
>
> Thanks!
>

[Jim85CJ]

my LFS told me NOT to change water during the cycle... said it defeats
the purpose

David Paquette wrote:

> Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I think how the cycle works is first
> your Amonia will peek, then drop down. When the Amonia drops to zero, the
> Nitrite levels will go begin to rise. Finally, Nitrites will drop and your
> Nitrates will rise.
>
> Sounds like you're well on your way to finishing the cycle. Nitrites are
> the dangerous, so monitor the levels closely and continue to do partial
> water changes to keep it low. When your Nitrite levels drop down to zero,
> your cycle will be complete.
>
> -David
>
>
> "snworf" > wrote in message
> ...
>
>>After 4 weeks, ammonia levels have finally stayed at 0 for a few days now,
>>without doing water changes. Nitrites were at 0, until now -- they're
>
> hovering
>
>>around .25. Is that normal? Should I expect nitrites also to be at 0,
>
> and
>
>>continuing to change the water until that happens? I have found it takes
>
> half
>
>>as much new water to get them to 0 as it did to get the ammonia down.
>>
>>Thanks!
>>
>
>
>

[Justin Boucher]

Changing the water during a the cycling process extends the time required to
complete the cycle. It also reduces the concentrations of toxic components
during cycling to ease the stress on your fish.

Those toxic components (ammonia and nitrite) are actually the foods for the
bacteria needed to cycle the tank. Doing a water change reduces the
concentration of food and therefore influences the rate at which the
bacteria can populate the tank. More water changes = less food = slow
growth = longer cycling time.

So performing water changes during the cycling process is an option so long
as you understand the impact those changes make to your goals.

Justin

"Jim85CJ" > wrote in message
.net...
> my LFS told me NOT to change water during the cycle... said it defeats
> the purpose
>
> David Paquette wrote:
>
> > Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I think how the cycle works is
first
> > your Amonia will peek, then drop down. When the Amonia drops to zero,
the
> > Nitrite levels will go begin to rise. Finally, Nitrites will drop and
your
> > Nitrates will rise.
> >
> > Sounds like you're well on your way to finishing the cycle. Nitrites
are
> > the dangerous, so monitor the levels closely and continue to do partial
> > water changes to keep it low. When your Nitrite levels drop down to
zero,
> > your cycle will be complete.
> >
> > -David
> >
> >
> > "snworf" > wrote in message
> > ...
> >
> >>After 4 weeks, ammonia levels have finally stayed at 0 for a few days
now,
> >>without doing water changes. Nitrites were at 0, until now -- they're
> >
> > hovering
> >
> >>around .25. Is that normal? Should I expect nitrites also to be at 0,
> >
> > and
> >
> >>continuing to change the water until that happens? I have found it
takes
> >
> > half
> >
> >>as much new water to get them to 0 as it did to get the ammonia down.
> >>
> >>Thanks!
> >>
> >
> >
> >
>

[Jim85CJ]

That makes sense... THANKS!

Justin Boucher wrote:

> Changing the water during a the cycling process extends the time required to
> complete the cycle. It also reduces the concentrations of toxic components
> during cycling to ease the stress on your fish.
>
> Those toxic components (ammonia and nitrite) are actually the foods for the
> bacteria needed to cycle the tank. Doing a water change reduces the
> concentration of food and therefore influences the rate at which the
> bacteria can populate the tank. More water changes = less food = slow
> growth = longer cycling time.
>
> So performing water changes during the cycling process is an option so long
> as you understand the impact those changes make to your goals.
>
> Justin
>
> "Jim85CJ" > wrote in message
> .net...
>
>>my LFS told me NOT to change water during the cycle... said it defeats
>>the purpose
>>
>>David Paquette wrote:
>>
>>
>>>Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I think how the cycle works is
>
> first
>
>>>your Amonia will peek, then drop down. When the Amonia drops to zero,
>
> the
>
>>>Nitrite levels will go begin to rise. Finally, Nitrites will drop and
>
> your
>
>>>Nitrates will rise.
>>>
>>>Sounds like you're well on your way to finishing the cycle. Nitrites
>
> are
>
>>>the dangerous, so monitor the levels closely and continue to do partial
>>>water changes to keep it low. When your Nitrite levels drop down to
>
> zero,
>
>>>your cycle will be complete.
>>>
>>>-David
>>>
>>>
>>>"snworf" > wrote in message
...
>>>
>>>
>>>>After 4 weeks, ammonia levels have finally stayed at 0 for a few days
>
> now,
>
>>>>without doing water changes. Nitrites were at 0, until now -- they're
>>>
>>>hovering
>>>
>>>
>>>>around .25. Is that normal? Should I expect nitrites also to be at 0,
>>>
>>>and
>>>
>>>
>>>>continuing to change the water until that happens? I have found it
>
> takes
>
>>>half
>>>
>>>
>>>>as much new water to get them to 0 as it did to get the ammonia down.
>>>>
>>>>Thanks!
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>
>