cycling the tank is taking forever!!!

[1puff]

I recently upgraded from a 10g tank to a 30g and it's still not cycled. In the 10g i raised the sg to 1.008 in one shot so might have killed the bacteria. I lowered it to 1.002 2 days later but ever since,i always get ammo and nitrite reading. I upgraded to the 30g on monday and added an extra filter so now i have an ac 20 and 30.
The sg is at 1.002 and i'm keeping it there till the tank cycles. Question is, should i drop it to 1.000 till the tank cycles or 1.002 should be fine?

[Pufferpunk]

How are you cycling the tank?

[1puff]

The 10g was cycled but prob killed of most or all the bacteria due to sudden SG increase. Now in my 30 I have the same filter plus I added another one. I set it up on Monday night and yesterday when I checked the params I got very little ammo and nitrite! Less than the first reading on the chart.
Should I just drop the SG to 0 and let it cycle like that? Or is an SG of 1.002 fine to cycle a tank?

[RTR]

Repeat PP's question - how are you cycling the tank?

[1puff]

2 f8s are in there while it's going through the "mini" cycle!!
I cannot remove them from that tank... I have no other place to put them!!

[Pufferpunk]

Yes you do--put them in the 30g. Add Tetra's Safestart to the filter. Keep at FW or 1.002.

[Flutter]

I'm pretty sure they're in the 30gal right now. I'm not sure how 1.002 will affect the cycle.

Do you have any other established tanks? Do you know someone who does? If so get some used filter media or media squeezings and put them in your filter. If not you'll have to keep doing water changes to keep the ammonia and nitrite as low as possible. Adding extra Prime will help the fish if you have some.

[1puff]

They're in the 30g now!! Gonna take some bio media from one of my eheim canister and put them in the aquaclears.

[Pufferpunk]

Good idea. Try the Tetra Safestart, too. What SG are they at now?

[1puff]

SG is at 1.002, so the bacteria that I'm going to add wont die off I hope!

[Flutter]

It should be fine

[1puff]

I just added tetra safe start with bio spira. Should I do a water change tomorrow?

[Pufferpunk]

Bio-Spira is for SW.

[Nuclear_Glitter]

Do a water change if your parameters are bad.

[1puff]

I checked the params last night and both ammo and nitrite are at 0!
Should I increase the SG to 1.004 and leave it there for life? Or should I wait another week to increase it?