Best way to keep my new 90gal aquarium cycled?

[ZRoTheHero]

Hello!
My apologies if this has been asked before but I have not been successful in finding my situation.
This is my first post but I have been impressed with the knowledge that this community boasts.
I am newly back into the hobby after a 10 year hiatus and have purchased a 90gal aquarium for our home. I am currently performing a fishless cycle and the tank will ultimately house a lone flowerhorn. I will be ordering the flowerhorn online after the tank has finished cycling and when a specimen I am interested in becomes available from my chosen seller. My concern is that I am unsure how to keep the aquarium cycled while I wait for flowerhorn to become available? I am leaning towards temporarily housing some other fish (probably gourami due to similar parameter requirements) and then returning them to the fish store or giving them to my local fishkeeper community. Any ideas as to how many fish will be needed to sustain the beneficial bacteria in a fully cycled 90gal aquarium?
Thank you for any help!

 

[TwoHedWlf]

I am currently performing a fishless cycle

So...What's the problem? You're currently doing a fishless cycle.

You're adding ammonia to the tank to cycle it?

Keep doing it.

 

[ZRoTheHero]

So...What's the problem? You're currently doing a fishless cycle.

You're adding ammonia to the tank to cycle it?

Keep doing it.

Thanks for replying,
The problem is that after the tank has been cycled it could potentially be several months before I get the flowerhorn in (due to availability and my wife and I being picky). I would prefer to not have to continuously add ammonia and testing for that amount of time. Also, I live in Newfoundland, Canada and seem to only be able to get ammonia by ordering tiny bottles of Dr. tim’s on amazon.

 

[Jexnell]

Get a school of tall bodied tetras like bleeding hearts or black skirts.
From the sounds of it they will be done with a QT time by time you get your FH. Then they can serve as dithers, or just taken back to the store. Most stores will take small fish back, its foot long cichlids that are a pain to rehome.

 

[ZRoTheHero]

Get a school of tall bodied tetras like bleeding hearts or black skirts.

Thank you Jexnell, I am afraid that my ph level will be too high for the tetras but I will look into it further.

 

[Jexnell]

Thank you Jexnell, I am afraid that my ph level will be too high for the tetras but I will look into it further.

In that case use Swordtails, they come from the same waters as Central American cichlids, what FH's are made from.

 

[ZRoTheHero]

In that case use Swordtails, they come from the same waters as Central American cichlids, what FH's are made from.

Any reason why I would not want to use gourami?

 

[celebrist]

Gourami are more likely to be mauled I would think.

 

[Jexnell]

Any reason why I would not want to use gourami?

If they need the same water peramaters should be fine. But like celebrist said would probably be toast when the FH comes home

 

[ZRoTheHero]

Gourami are more likely to be mauled I would think.

Hi Celebrist,
I will have the tank divided until I can re-home whichever fish I end up with. I made a egg crate divider and plan to use it to limit the flowerhorn’s space while he is small. I have read that this may encourage the flowerhorn’s personality. The divider is partly why I am leaning towards gouarmi. I don’t think it will fit through the egg crate whereas swordtails and tetras might.
How many gourami would keep the tank’s beneficial bacteria alive in a 90gal do you think?