Cycling Aquarium with or without activated Carbon?

[Keith024]

Hi fellow Discus Aquarists,

I am new to the forum and I am currently on the 3rd day of a fish less cycle of my 93 gallon tank. I have a sump filter were I have a coarse sponge, a fine sponge, Bio ceramics, JBL Micromec which are bio sintered glass balls that should be another form of Bio media and JBL clearmec which should reduce nitrites and nitrates.

I have purchased some ammonia and will be dosing it when it gets through the post (hopefully soon) ! :)

My question is should I use activated carbon during the cycling of the aquarium? As I think I had read somewhere that it removes ammonia amongst other things. Ammonia is something I need at the moment for the aerobic bacteria to thrive on right?

Water parameters (100% RO Water with Preis Discus Minerals added)

PH - 7.6
Ammonia- 0 PPM
Nitrites - 0 PPM
Nitrates - 5-10 PPM


Many thanks for your input :)

[jim LI]

I only use carbon to remove meds in the tank. you shouldn't need it to cycle.

[100fuegos]

If there is cero ammonia in the tank how are you supposed to cycle the filter? You need to keep a concentration between 2 and 4 ppm.

[Ardan]

I just use sponge filters, no carbon. Ever.
I change a lot of water......

hth
Ardan

[Filip]

I dont think that carbon will impair your cycling proces in any way .
With that said i dont think you need carbon whatsoever.

[bluelagoon]

The numbers look wrong for being on the 3rd day cycling.Does your new water have that much nitrate?

[Keith024]

The numbers look wrong for being on the 3rd day cycling.Does your new water have that much nitrate?

Bluelagoon,

I have introduced some filter sponge from a local established Discus breeder tank (from whom I will get the fish).

My RO water has less nitrates then that it was close to Zero, having no source of ammonia at the moment (waiting for it to come through the post from ebay as I cant find it locally) I put a couple of frozen shrimps inside the aquarium and sump filter. The day before yesterday Ammonia was 0.25 PPM and nitrates were 5 ppm. Now yesterday Ammonia was Zero and nitrates increased to 5 to 10PPM. Could it be that the bacteria present in the sponge I got from the breeder transformed the Ammonia into nitrates already?

[Keith024]

By the way just checked Nitrites and they are zero too!

[Kingdom Come Discus]

If you are using a established sponge filter and the bacteria were kept alive while transporting it then your tank should be cycled. This is one of the great things about sponge filters. Just keep a eye on the nitrogen cycle as you add fish.

I hope this helps and good luck,

Kraig

[Keith024]

If you are using a established sponge filter and the bacteria were kept alive while transporting it then your tank should be cycled. This is one of the great things about sponge filters. Just keep a eye on the nitrogen cycle as you add fish.

I hope this helps and good luck,

Kraig

Many thanks for your help Kraig and everyone it is greatly appreciated. I kept the sponge wet on the way and introduced it in the tank immediately so it should be still alive I guess...

May I ask one last question please?

I am going away all next week and thus wont be able to add any ammonia or anything to keep the bacteria thriving. Should I introduce a couple of cory fish (Which I plan to introduce anyway at some stage) this will keep the cycle going and I can buy an automatic feeder for them to have something to eat while I am away.

What do you think?

[Filip]

Many thanks for your help Kraig and everyone it is greatly appreciated. I kept the sponge wet on the way and introduced it in the tank immediately so it should be still alive I guess...

May I ask one last question please?

I am going away all next week and thus wont be able to add any ammonia or anything to keep the bacteria thriving. Should I introduce a couple of cory fish (Which I plan to introduce anyway at some stage) this will keep the cycle going and I can buy an automatic feeder for them to have something to eat while I am away.

What do you think?

Only if they come from the same tank with discus .Otherwise you are risking cross contamination issues.
Just toss some food before you go and BB will have their food source while you are away .

[brewmaster15]

As a general note, using Carbon won't affect the Ammonia cycling directly however, indirectly it can have a huge effect. Carbon is very porous and in a filter, its well supplied with oxygen so it perfect for aerobic bacteria to colonize. Which is great until you change the carbon removing your newly cycled Biofilter when you do!:)

[Keith024]

Wow I did not know that thank you for noting that down it makes a lot of sense , I have left carbon out for now....

[ozone]

You can cycle tank within 8 days by adding a bacteria product like seachem stability.That's a smasher of a filter you have!

[Keith024]

I might try adding that in as I am in the 14th Day and still ammonia is high and o Nitrites...

[Keith024]

bought these i heard they are really good, lets hope they are as good as they sound .. they also sen you bacteria balls to start with ....


http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/500g-1-1lbs-BIOHOME-ULTRA-MINI-FILTER-MEDIA-PLUS-FREE-FILTER-START-BALLS-/321183208861?hash=item4ac802d59d:g:4bYAAMXQmUpR7FD 9

[Filip]

bought these i heard they are really good, lets hope they are as good as they sound .. they also sen you bacteria balls to start with ....


http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/500g-1-1lbs-BIOHOME-ULTRA-MINI-FILTER-MEDIA-PLUS-FREE-FILTER-START-BALLS-/321183208861?hash=item4ac802d59d:g:4bYAAMXQmUpR7FD 9

Just another Bio filtration media on the market Keith.
You can compare its efficiency in housing beneficial bacteria with other biofilter medias by browsing the net for surface area per square inch / meter for it .

[atlantadiscus]

bought these i heard they are really good, lets hope they are as good as they sound .. they also sen you bacteria balls to start with ....


http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/500g-1-1lbs-BIOHOME-ULTRA-MINI-FILTER-MEDIA-PLUS-FREE-FILTER-START-BALLS-/321183208861?hash=item4ac802d59d:g:4bYAAMXQmUpR7FD 9

Great media,tons of surface area per cubic foot of material.I went back and forth deciding between these and Marinepure spheres,and ultimately went with just over 2 gallons of the Marinepure spheres stuffed into my sump, but either would be among the best of the best based on surface area.

[Keith024]

Yes I have read they are really good so I am just waiting for them through the post now :)