quick cycle

[RobHarrison]

I havnt done it for a few years as i havnt needed to set up a totally new tank and filter system but thats what i got told by quite a few local fish shops, i kinda thought goldfish would be ok cycleing a tank with lots of fresh water changes? Why do people keep them in filterless tanks? Is the whole fish trade for coldwater setups wrong?

 

[RobHarrison]

If i am missled though please dont do this! I got told a few years ago you have 3 choices pure Ammonia from a diy store, Pile in fish food every day or have 2-3 goldfish pretty much most shops said goldfish are the best by far hence why i did it to cycle a 300ltr tank a few years ago. If that isnt a option then please nobody to it, i was only a teenager though!

 

[Steve C]

If i am missled though please dont do this! I got told a few years ago you have 3 choices pure Ammonia from a diy store, Pile in fish food every day or have 2-3 goldfish pretty much most shops said goldfish are the best by far hence why i did it to cycle a 300ltr tank a few years ago. If that isnt a option then please nobody to it, i was only a teenager though!

Some fish shops will love you to cycle using fish because when they die you come back and buy more. Cycling with fish is hard work, minimum of daily waterchanges to keep ammonia and nitite levels low but this removes the food the filter bacteria need to multiply so will drag the cycle out. Fish will be subjected to high ammonia and nitrite levels and will suffer if not die. Can be done in an emergency situation but fishless cycling is the way to go. Using fish food is messy and also you have little control over level of ammonia produced. Once the cycle is finished you have to remove all the rotton food.
Using liquid ammonia is best, you can easily keep levels to around 4-5ppm and unless nitrate levels rise very high and stall the cycle, no need for water changes until cycle is complete. One big water change to bring nitrates down and you are good to add fish.

 

[Tener ds]

Hi, the guy showed up last night and put his filter media in my tank.
I've just had a look at the tank and it looks a bit cloudy now,
is this normal?

 

[Tener ds]

found this,its normal then:
http://www.firsttankguide.net/cloudywater.php

 

[Lornek8]

Hi, the guy showed up last night and put his filter media in my tank.
I've just had a look at the tank and it looks a bit cloudy now,
is this normal?

Which tank did the media go in? The new one?
Haven't got fish in there yet do you?
Remember the bacteria contained in the media are living organisms. Without a food source they'll die & then the media will be no better than brand new media.

If it was put into the old tank then the question becomes, why? The tank was showing good progress.

 

[Tener ds]

Which tank did the media go in? The new one?
Haven't got fish in there yet do you?
Remember the bacteria contained in the media are living organisms. Without a food source they'll die & then the media will be no better than brand new media.

If it was put into the old tank then the question becomes, why? The tank was showing good progress.

hi,its in the new tank.the old is doin very well now.
theres no fish in there,and i,m still waitin for my plants to show up....:wb:
i,m feedin the bacteria flake food.

 

[GrubbyGirl]

That may not rot quick enough, when you vacuum your other tank of poop, put that poop in your new tank, that will keep it going until you get fish in - don't forget to keep testing the water though

 

[Tener ds]

That may not rot quick enough, when you vacuum your other tank of poop, put that poop in your new tank, that will keep it going until you get fish in - don't forget to keep testing the water though

lol,i spend nearly 30mins a day suckin up poo out off one
tank and now u tell me to put it back in the new one..:lol::lol:
ok, well i sucked some up just now and put it in.
also did a water test on the NEW tank:
PH = 7.0
NITRATE = 10
AMMONIA = 0.6
NITRITE = 0.8
these results tell me that the NEW tank is not ready yet,am i right ?
still not got the plants tho...:wb:

 

[GrubbyGirl]

lol,i spend nearly 30mins a day suckin up poo out off one
tank and now u tell me to put it back in the new one..:lol::lol:
ok, well i sucked some up just now and put it in.
also did a water test on the NEW tank:
PH = 7.0
NITRATE = 10
AMMONIA = 0.6
NITRITE = 0.8
these results tell me that the NEW tank is not ready yet,am i right ?
still not got the plants tho...:wb:

Well as I said pure ammonia is cleaner so go and and buy some!! Nope not cycled needs to be zero ammonia and zero nitrite for at least a week before it's properly cycled but it is really important to get an ammonia source into the tank and keep itup to 4ppm, and honestly it's easier to do that with ammonia. If you have no ammonia source then the filter bacteria will just die and yes you will get a zero ammonia and nitrite reading but that will be because there is no bacteria and no food.

 

[Tener ds]

Right got some now,will start treatin today.

 

[Tener ds]

Just done a test on the new tank:
ph 7.0
nitrate 20
ammonia 0
nitrite 0.6
it's gettin there slowly.all plants are in now,also tons of
little snails!
Should I put less ammonia in now?
I'm also addin sand and poo from the edge too.

 

[GrubbyGirl]

No need to add poo if you're adding ammonia. What are you dosing the ammonia up to? I suggest 4ppm then if that goes after 24 hours and there is no nitrite either for a week you're done. All you need to do is a big (80%) water change as your nitrates will be up then add your fish

 

[Tener ds]

No need to add poo if you're adding ammonia. What are you dosing the ammonia up to? I suggest 4ppm then if that goes after 24 hours and there is no nitrite either for a week you're done. All you need to do is a big (80%) water change as your nitrates will be up then add your fish

80%...i,ll need a bigger bucket :lol:

 

[Tener ds]

Hi, just done a water test on the new tank,
nitrates are up from 20 to 50
and nitrites are down from 1.6.(from yesterday) to 0.6 today.
Would that be the "nitrite spike"?
Ammonia 0

 

[GrubbyGirl]

Yes, but you should be testing 12 hours after you add ammonia, when ammonia and nitrite are zero then you know you've cycled. Your nitrates will go up even more when you cycle so that's why you need to do a big water change at the end - and don't forget to use treated water or all your hard work will be lost

 

[Tener ds]

Yes, but you should be testing 12 hours after you add ammonia, when ammonia and nitrite are zero then you know you've cycled. Your nitrates will go up even more when you cycle so that's why you need to do a big water change at the end - and don't forget to use treated water or all your hard work will be lost

Do I add ammonia every 12 hours too?cos I've been
addin it every 24 hours.

 

[GrubbyGirl]

nope you add every 24 hours but you want to see your filter clearing the ammonia within 12

 

[Tener ds]

Arr, I see, that's wot I've been doin,cool.I'll start testin
every 12hours from now then.
I've also noticed that the tank water is nice and clear now.

 

[Tener ds]

Arr, I see, that's wot I've been doin,cool.I'll start testin
every 12hours from now then.
I've also noticed that the tank water is nice and clear now.

ok,for the last 2 days the tests on the new tank have been:
ph = 7.0
nitrate = 50
ammonia = 0
nitrite = 0
adding 4 drops off ammonia to feed BB per day
:woohoo::woohoo::woohoo:
ps have noticed a lot a algae forming tho.is that cos of the high nitrates?