Cycling my new tank

bloodlucky

Gambusia
MFK Member
Jul 23, 2014
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Just finished up setting my freshwater 40 gal, and I'm trying to cycle it as fast and efficiently as I can. I'll be buying Tetra SafeStart and I was recommended by a few people on here to buy some starter fish. The problem is I'm planning on buying only one blood parrot to live its entire life in the tank by himself, so if I get any minnows or danios he'll just shred them overtime. Feeder minnows I don't mind if he chomps on them, but the risk of disease transmission is too high for me to allow. Danios shouldn't really be sharing the same conditions as the required ones of the blood parrot, and I'd hate to stand and watch tropical fish become food to tropical fish. So I'm thinking about cycling fishlessly.

They say using all the external factors like the SafeStart, the tank should be ready in a week if I add an ammonia source to the tank during it. I'm unfamiliar with cycling fishlessly, though, and I don't really know how much fish food I should be adding each day. I have an ammonia testing kit though so I can just sort of do trial and error throughout the days. Just any advice or input on my plan would really help. Thanks
 

convict360

Potamotrygon
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Dec 9, 2013
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I'd just chuck the safestart and parrot in to be honest...

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sabmakj21

Jack Dempsey
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Jan 2, 2014
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Just read the directions on the bottle.

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jaws7777

Probation Member
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If your going to use safestart which I have used and it never let me down dont do any wc while dosing tetra states that you have to wait 24 after using a dechlorinator also feed ligjtly and monitor water... look at tetras website at the q&a for safestart lots of good info. I have cycled a tank in less than a week though the bb colony was not mature so remember to feed lighlty. Try not to do a wc for the first week or so

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bloodlucky

Gambusia
MFK Member
Jul 23, 2014
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New York
I read that a fish in cycle is best when you put in your initial stocking plan so. I had to bravely choose to get the parrot along too, but I dosed SafeStart before introducing and I'll be doing water changes each day. He's a bit skittish and sits near the bottom when I enter the room, but I "catch him in the act" of swimming around and exploring on his own when he thinks I'm not watching.

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jaws7777

Probation Member
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Did you do any research on safestart ?.... do not do daily water changes

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jaws7777

Probation Member
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You really should do some research on any product your going to use...your not doing a traditional fish in cycle....your using a bb in a bottle.

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convict360

Potamotrygon
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Dec 9, 2013
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You really should do some research on any product your going to use...your not doing a traditional fish in cycle....your using a bb in a bottle.

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+1. If you start messing about, you could throw off the whole thing. Speaking from experience.

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