Fully Cycled 38g in 19 days! =)

**LP2008** · 08-27-2008, 07:52 PM

Hello everyone, I am fairly new to this site but have been researching info here like a madman for the last 2 1/2 weeks or so. I purchased a 38g aquarium,stand,and hood/light about 2 1/2 weeks ago as well as a Stealth 150 watt heater,Penguin 200 HOB filter,Substrate, Fake plants, 2 rocks,1 pc driftwood,and one live plant(don't know the correct names of the plant or driftwood!). This may be a little long winded so I apologize. I am not totally a newbie as when I was a teenager I had an aquarium and was pretty successful as a young fishkeeper, I even owned an Oscar at the end. I'm kinda learning all over again and it's a blast, and I've picked up so much (new to me) info here, however, I did cycle this tank with fish ( I know, I know!).
Anyway, I set everything up the first night, let it run a couple of days and yes, used Prime. I started with 4 Long Finned Zebra Danios for the first 7 days. I monitored my levels everyday and did 20% wc's as needed. Then I got 2 more Zebra Danios, 6 Peppered Cory's, and 2 Otto's ( I'm well aware that I was pushing it but levels were fine as I was keeping a very close eye!) I waited another 7 days and bought 6 Red Minor Tetras and Seachem's Stability and the very first day of using Stability, my Nitrites spiked from 0-.25,Nitrates from 5-10. The next day my ammonia went from .50-0, nitrites from .25-1, nitrates 10. The third day, ammonia and trites the same, trates up to 20. Yesterday 0 ammonia, trites down to .25, trates 20. Today, 0 ammonia, 0 nitrites, 20 Nitrates! =).
I did forget a couple of details, After the first 7 days I upgraded my filter to a Penguin 350 and have been running both since then and the last few days I have been running 2 airstones to help with nitrites as I did not expect them to go down so quickly. I have some questions but will do another post, just though I would share some info!

**NickFish** · 08-27-2008, 08:03 PM

Sounds like your on the right track!

Just keep a close eye on that ammonia and in the furture don't add so many fish so fast, of course.

Good luck and have fun!

EDIT: And welcome to AC!

**LP2008** · 08-27-2008, 08:19 PM

Thanks Nick! Yeah, I know I was pushing it with the numbers but I did not lose one yet, they are all happy, healthy and playful!

**Red** · 08-27-2008, 09:00 PM

welcome :)

**LP2008** · 08-27-2008, 09:10 PM

Thanks! I love this forum, a lot of great info and helpful people here!

**LP2008** · 08-27-2008, 09:29 PM

I do however have a question, I was planning on a water change tonight,about 20 - 25% to see if I can get my nitrates down a tad since it just finished cycling and they are at 20,now my question is should I vac the substrate (in small sections of course) or leave it alone for awhile and just stick to w/c's for a couple of weeks so as not to disturb the bacteria so soon,the cory's are keeping it pretty darn clean!

**NickFish** · 08-28-2008, 01:04 AM

Originally Posted by LP2008

I do however have a question, I was planning on a water change tonight,about 20 - 25% to see if I can get my nitrates down a tad since it just finished cycling and they are at 20,now my question is should I vac the substrate (in small sections of course) or leave it alone for awhile and just stick to w/c's for a couple of weeks so as not to disturb the bacteria so soon,the cory's are keeping it pretty darn clean!

I would leave it for another week or so like you said to let it settle.

And when you do eventually do gravel vacs, only vac the surface and do small parts of the tank at a time, never the whole thing at once. Just so you know.

**Lady Hobbs** · 08-28-2008, 03:55 AM

I agree. No need to vac that gravel at all. Doing so will remove some of that bacteria that is making that cycle. I wouldn't bother with it for some time yet. Don't over fed and it will stay clean for quite some time.

**dphoenix** · 08-28-2008, 04:22 AM

Well...congrats for your success story of cycling the tank!
Now I have a question, during cycling period, should I take out my activated carbon filter and just leave the bio wheel?

I m not too sure with this because I have been waiting 9 days and increase my temp tank to 77F still no nitrite spikes.

Does activated carbon kill the beneficial bacteria?

**sushicat** · 08-28-2008, 05:44 AM

i think carbon is fine but you might wanna bump your temp to 80-81F and an airstone would help as well, next time try not to hijack someones thread make your own ;)