Cycled?

[Patrick DiFlorio]

Hi, everybody. I'm here, and new to AP.

I've set up a new system:

There's been water flowing thru the system for 3 weeks.

FT 250 gal IBC

Sump 55 gal

grow beds - 14 cu ft. pea gravel

15 sm goldfish 4 lg goldfish - they appear to be doing fine.

grow beds - just now planted this week

Tested the water:

Ammonia - 0.50 ppm

Nitrite - 0.00 ppm

Nitrate - 3-4 ppm

I have the benefit of actually seeing the nitrobacter under a 40X microscope, and they are alive and very active. This is from the flood water in the grow beds.

My question is:

Why am I not seeing Nitrite? comments please!

[Jeff S]

I'm no expert but you don't want to see Nitrites if your system is cycled. It's hard to believe though that it's cycled in 3 weeks, Usually the presence of nitrates and the low ammonia #s is a good indication everything is good. Chances are your fish aren't producing a lot of ammonia. Feed them all they will eat and that will increase the poop.

[Patrick DiFlorio]

Thanks for the reply. I'll keep feeding them as much as they'll eat. I agree, with such a new
System, everything needs to mature. I know that will take months.