Curious who STILL does this.

[packer43064]

in the times over the years that I have not been able to seed a new tank with established filter media, I have always used the fish IN cycle method..and got into some heated debates with fishless cycle advocates who swear it cannot be done properly and safely..which is pure BS.

stock very light at first
feed light.

your tank will cycle with fish and you will never get a readable ammonia/nitrite reading. its there of course but being broken down as quickly as it is being produced by your growing bacterial population. you get your nitrate reading usually after 36-38 days but every tank is different. that is the theoretical length of time it takes to get to the nitrate stage, the supposed bacteria in a bottle supplements MAY speed the nitrogen cycle up..

but you have to know what you are doing.

screw up (over stock and/or overfeed) and you have stressed fish along with ammonia/nitrite..which is a bad combo

I do this. Just throw some fish in. Obviously lightly stock. I like it this way because I don't have to do anything. The fish eat and make waste which start the cycle. Plus the whole adding ammonia is boring as can be.

 

[packer43064]

OP Yes I've done the shrimp way also once. Just threw it in until the cycle was over.

 

[12 Volt Man]

I know a few old timers who used to pee in the tank.

seriously. back in the 70's.

believe it or not, fishless cycling has been around for a long long time.

although the methods have obviously improved

 

[Oscarum monstruoso]

Sheesh I hate to sound like a kook, but why not just use a little bit of fresh pee to get the tank cycled?

 

[david503bk]

My favorite way is to use seeded media. If there is none I can buy some off of my lfs.

 

[krichardson]

I've never tried the shrimp method but I've used Damsels for salt tanks and I've even used a nice sized live lobster that I purchased from the supermarket...When the cycle was finished,I ate the lobster.

 

[Rakie]

Yeah, I don't leave the shrimp in for more than a day 'cause it smells like hell, even the one day is pretty rough, but I keep the cycle going by adding some fish food the same time as the shrimp.

Yeah, I know Ammonia is a better method, just curious whose actually used urine to start a cycle here.


And to SharonW, I love this saying and it applies to fish keeping very well; "Only bad things happen quickly". You can do a water change or two if you have too much ammonia, but cycling is a waiting game.

 

[cypherljk]

I have not done it that way in a long time. I usually get some "quick start" or ammonia to kick it off these days

 

[SharonW]

I did a 50% water change yesterday and dosed with carbonate hardness powder. Today I tested and had 0.5 ammonia (as opposed to the 4 it was last week!) PH 6.5 KH 6 Nitrates 10mg and nitrites 0. So what stage is my tank at now?? I have dosed again with CH powder as the KH is still too low. Am taking my water to the lfs tomorrow to get them to double check as I don't trust my ammonia reading. But hoping tank will sort itself out now!

 

[SkidMark]

it's been so long since i've started from scratch without being able to seed the filtration from another tank, that's the easy way if you're able