New pond cycling help!

[hokki]

Hi~ My new pond is now a month old and I don't know if the pond cycling is even happening.

I have 4 small goldfish and they look very healthy and happy, but I don't see any ammonia conversion in my measurements. Please check my measurement chart and give me advice. Thank you!

Here is the background of my new pond.
https://www.gardenpondforum.com/topic/7519-a-tiny-pond-in-my-backyard/page__fromsearch__1

160 gallon pond.
Laguna MaxFlow 600gph submersible pump
Pondmaster CPF-250U pressurized filter with UV built-in
Waterfall box with bio balls ( 1 gallon size? )
Two pond spitters

I did water measurements every other day and here are the results.

The numbers are pH / NH3 / NO2 / NO3. '*..*' means I skipped this test.

My tap water before water softener: 8.0 / 0.50 / 0.0 / 0.0
My tap water after water softener: 8.0 / 0.25 / 0.0 / 0.0
My tap water after water softener & dechlorinator: 8.0 / 0.25 / 0.0 / 0.0

Initially I used the water before softener to fill this 160 gallon pond and added dechlorinator. I am adding 5 gallon every other day due to evaporation loss and for this I started using the water after softener with dechlorinator.

7/25/11 New pond filled with water and 4 capsules of beneficial bacteria added.
7/25/11 8.2 / 0.50 / 0.0 / 0.0
7/27/11 8.2 / 0.50 / 0.0 / *..*
7/29/11 8.2 / 0.25 / 0.0 / *..*
7/31/11 8.2 / 0.25 / 0.0 / *..*
8/03/11 8.2 / 0.50 / 0.0 / *..*
8/05/11 8.2 / 0.25 / *..* / *..*
8/06/11 *..* / 0.25 / *..* / *..*
8/07/11 2 small gold fish added. (1.5 inches long not including tail)
8/07/11 8.2 / 0.25 / 0.0 / 0.0
8/08/11 *..* / 0.25 / *..* / *..*
8/10/11 8.2 / 0.25 / 0.0 / *..*
8/11/11 *..* / 0.25 / *..* / *..*
8/12/11 2 small gold fish added. (1.5 inches long not including tail)
8/13/11 8.4 / 0.25 / 0.0 / *..*
8/15/11 8.4 / 0.25 / *..* / *..*
8/19/11 8.0 / 0.25 / 0.0 / 0.0
8/21/11 8.2 / 0.25 / *..* / *..*
8/22/11 2 capsules of beneficial bacteria added.
8/23/11 *..* / 0.25 / 0.0 / *..*
8/26/11 8.4 / 0.25 / 0.0 / *..*

My question is, why is there no surge of NH3 -> NO2 -> NO3 then back to 0.0 as it should be??
Do I not have enough good bacteria in my pond yet? But then, should I at least have the increase in NH3?
I do have some green string algae in my pond, but no green water since I kept the UV light on from the beginning.

Thank you!

 

[koiguy1969]

if youve got string alge then theres nitrates feeding it...this means you must have some bacteria established...and theres enough plants, alge included to keep its numbers down....sounds to me like your doing ok at least....

 

[sissy]

Is that a gutter and are you putting water in your pond from it or is there a pipe leading it away .I know you posted before but I cannot remember and have you addressed that dryer vent as heat comes out of it when it is on besides lint.Also could the water washing down the side of the house be causing it not to cycle and also rain splashing off the roof .But really you are not doing to bad .Algae to some point is normal from heat and rain and temp changes .

 

[hokki]

Thank you for your replies. I feel better now.

 

[jneg]

To really create bacteria for the biofiltration I would not use the UV at first. Bacteria in the very begining will be free swimming and then it will colonize the bio media. But since you are more than 1 month into the cycle it seems that the bacteria that you have added was enough to beging the cycle along. Now you should see nitrites start to go up but since ammonia has not been that high it won't shot up to the moon. You are doing things the correct way taking it slow.