Cycling a tank
- Thread starter fishy12
- Start date
you thinking of trying to cycle it? that should be the first thing you do with a new tank
i used to get a dozen goldfish and put them in and wait a month or so to let the tank cycle. But you can do a fishless cycle with pure ammonia
http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/fishless_cycling.php
here is a good article on it
i used to get a dozen goldfish and put them in and wait a month or so to let the tank cycle. But you can do a fishless cycle with pure ammonia
http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/fishless_cycling.php
here is a good article on it
The best and most humane way is a fishless cycle.
In a fishless cycle you set up the tank and add liquid ammonia from your grocery store to it every day. So that you give the bio-logical filter something to feed on. You have to have a liquid test kit for ammonia and for nitrite to use to monitor the cycle.
Do general internet search on fishless cycle and read up. Its really easy and takes alot less time than traditional cycling.
Traditional cycling can take up to 8 weeks to fully cycle.
Fishless can be done in 2-3 weeks or less with a bio booster like aquasafe safe start.
I would reccomend doing a fishless cycle and on the third day of adding the ammonia I would add a full bottle of SAFE START. This safe start contains a full amount of the bacteria needed to complete the first part of the cycle. Which is turning ammonia into nitrite. And it has a good amount of the final bacteria in it to complete the second and final part of the cycle. Which is turning nitrite into nitrate.
And good for you
for wanting to do it the right way the first time.
In a fishless cycle you set up the tank and add liquid ammonia from your grocery store to it every day. So that you give the bio-logical filter something to feed on. You have to have a liquid test kit for ammonia and for nitrite to use to monitor the cycle.
Do general internet search on fishless cycle and read up. Its really easy and takes alot less time than traditional cycling.
Traditional cycling can take up to 8 weeks to fully cycle.
Fishless can be done in 2-3 weeks or less with a bio booster like aquasafe safe start.
I would reccomend doing a fishless cycle and on the third day of adding the ammonia I would add a full bottle of SAFE START. This safe start contains a full amount of the bacteria needed to complete the first part of the cycle. Which is turning ammonia into nitrite. And it has a good amount of the final bacteria in it to complete the second and final part of the cycle. Which is turning nitrite into nitrate.
And good for you
for wanting to do it the right way the first time.
I was a firm believer in fishless cycling, till I found SeaChem's excellent product named "STABILITY"
All you have to do is follow the no-brainer instructions on the label.
It calls for setting up the new tank with all the filters and decor in place. Fill the tank with dechlorinated water, and set your temperature...When the tank reaches the desired temperature, add the Stability as per instructions.
I do believe it is like 20mls per 10 gallons of tank water on the first day.
Add your fish...
on Day 2 it calls for 1/2 of the 1st days dose like 10mls per 10 gallons.
Day 3,4,5,6 and 7 the same thing... after this 7 day regimine your tank is cycled and you need not add anymore STABILITY...
As I understand it, the product is a suspension of Benificial Bacteria spores that seed the new filter(s) and in 7 days can bare enough BB to support fish without all the symptoms of New Tank Syndrone...
Trust me, it works just as it says, ZERO deaths to date for every tank I ever started with STABILITY...
All you have to do is follow the no-brainer instructions on the label.
It calls for setting up the new tank with all the filters and decor in place. Fill the tank with dechlorinated water, and set your temperature...When the tank reaches the desired temperature, add the Stability as per instructions.
I do believe it is like 20mls per 10 gallons of tank water on the first day.
Add your fish...
on Day 2 it calls for 1/2 of the 1st days dose like 10mls per 10 gallons.
Day 3,4,5,6 and 7 the same thing... after this 7 day regimine your tank is cycled and you need not add anymore STABILITY...
As I understand it, the product is a suspension of Benificial Bacteria spores that seed the new filter(s) and in 7 days can bare enough BB to support fish without all the symptoms of New Tank Syndrone...
Trust me, it works just as it says, ZERO deaths to date for every tank I ever started with STABILITY...
I must have gotten a old bottle of stability or something. Cause when i tried it I would still get a high ammonia reading everyday and my fish contracted fungus from the stress.
I have since switched to safe start by aqua safe and i have had stellar results with it. I added it to my tank that had a 2ppm reading of ammonia and no nitrite reading and after 12 hours I had zero ammonia and 1ppm of nitrite. After 24 hours i had .5ppm of nitrite and 10ppm more nitrate than my tap. The nitrite went from .5ppm to zero after about 3 days. And the cycle was complete.
I guess i need to try that stability again. Because there are alot of people that like it and say it worked good.
I have since switched to safe start by aqua safe and i have had stellar results with it. I added it to my tank that had a 2ppm reading of ammonia and no nitrite reading and after 12 hours I had zero ammonia and 1ppm of nitrite. After 24 hours i had .5ppm of nitrite and 10ppm more nitrate than my tap. The nitrite went from .5ppm to zero after about 3 days. And the cycle was complete.
I guess i need to try that stability again. Because there are alot of people that like it and say it worked good.
I buy my 500ml bottles frombermuda;3243306; said:
PetSolutions.com
http://www.petsolutions.com/Stability+I10101260+C100058.aspx
I do believe PetSmart also has it on the shelf...
Just follow the instructions to the tee... and you'll never go back to the "old" way ever...
I feel the same way, Why don't they go with the total hype advertising and exposure to make sure everybody, new to the hobby, can make the confusing start a successful one...
Just remember to do what is casually stated on the bottle:
Shake very well before using...
Stands to reason, because it is a suspension and you need to distribute the spores throughout the liquid...
So I SHAKE!!! SHAKE!!! and then SHAKE !! again...it should look murky when you pour out the correct mls per 10 gallons...It's worth mentioning because they don't really say it with the Importance it deserves, IMO...
Shake very well before using...
Stands to reason, because it is a suspension and you need to distribute the spores throughout the liquid...
So I SHAKE!!! SHAKE!!! and then SHAKE !! again...it should look murky when you pour out the correct mls per 10 gallons...It's worth mentioning because they don't really say it with the Importance it deserves, IMO...
Do you have current established tanks? If so, simply transfer some filter media into your new tank's filtration system. You won't have to wait for the nitrogen cycle to start in the process. Either that or do fishless cycling.fishy12;3243097; said: