Yep, that's about how long it took to cycle my 10 gal aquarium. On the other hand, the smaller 2.5 gallon tank is also fully cycled and it took a little more than four weeks. What I did in the 2.5 gallon was a fishless cycle, sort of. Let me back up a little.
When I had the bug a boo attacking one of my female platy, I picked up the 2.5 gallon tank and put her in it while medicating her. After she was well enough to go back into the 10 gallon tank, I started putting a few drops of pure ammonia into the tank keeping it at the 1.0 to 2.0 ammonia level. After about two weeks, I thought that another platy was about to give birth. So I cleaned the tank, rinsed the filter bag, removing and adding new carbon and then waiting a day before putting the pregnant platy into the tank. Within a day or two, the nitrites started showing up. I was surprised that the cycle was going so much quicker.
The Meds I had used would have delayed the cycle process. In using the ammonia, I felt that I was essentially starting over. In little more than three weeks, the 2.5 gallon tank is now fully cycled. This was the tank that I was having problems with such high nitrites. I believe the high nitrites were due to the fact that I had used the pure ammonia for two weeks. After I added a bubbler, the nitrite levels dropped and within days, the cycle was completed.
When I had the bug a boo attacking one of my female platy, I picked up the 2.5 gallon tank and put her in it while medicating her. After she was well enough to go back into the 10 gallon tank, I started putting a few drops of pure ammonia into the tank keeping it at the 1.0 to 2.0 ammonia level. After about two weeks, I thought that another platy was about to give birth. So I cleaned the tank, rinsed the filter bag, removing and adding new carbon and then waiting a day before putting the pregnant platy into the tank. Within a day or two, the nitrites started showing up. I was surprised that the cycle was going so much quicker.
The Meds I had used would have delayed the cycle process. In using the ammonia, I felt that I was essentially starting over. In little more than three weeks, the 2.5 gallon tank is now fully cycled. This was the tank that I was having problems with such high nitrites. I believe the high nitrites were due to the fact that I had used the pure ammonia for two weeks. After I added a bubbler, the nitrite levels dropped and within days, the cycle was completed.
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