Cycling a tank

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
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NeonTetraFan

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Aug 19, 2005
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Virginia
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It has been about a year now since I last cycled a tank, so I need advice. How can I cycle a tank that will make it ready for stingrays?
 
I don't think 2 feeder fish will cycle a tank large enough for rays.
 
If you don't know, why do you continue to post? lol.
 
It's obvious you are trying to get your post count up. To answer your question, get yourself a school of danios-zebra or giants are fine. Just throw them in there and wait it out. It generally takes 6-8 weeks for the process to occur. Of course, there are a number of tricks to speed this up. I like to stick a culture pad in one of my existing and established filters for a week or two beforehand. Then, dump the pad into the new filter. Using water from an already established tank helps too. You could even try using Biospira. I have never used it, but have heard people having success with it. Supposedly, it provides the bacteria you're looking for in a matter of days. With stingrays, you don't want to rush things. Make sure you do it right the first time. Any other questions or concerns, please post. I'm sure a bunch of us would be more than glad to give you a hand.

On a sidenote, you may want to pick up Dr. Richard Ross's "Freshwater Stingrays". Granted the book is a little dated, but it is packed with helpful info.
 
I already bought that book and love it, definatly my favorite book.
I am trying to cycle my tank as quickly as possible cause I want a stingray Miles
has, and I don't want it to go. I wonder if he will hold it for me, it is beautiful!!!!

I don't have any setup tanks I could use, which really doesn't help at all.
How many danios? Like 20 or something? I can get them for 50 cents at my lfs.

Thanks guys for your help. If you all have more tips, I'd love to hear them!!!
 
Tainted Glory said:
It's obvious you are trying to get your post count up. To answer your question, get yourself a school of danios-zebra or giants are fine. Just throw them in there and wait it out. It generally takes 6-8 weeks for the process to occur. Of course, there are a number of tricks to speed this up. I like to stick a culture pad in one of my existing and established filters for a week or two beforehand. Then, dump the pad into the new filter. Using water from an already established tank helps too. You could even try using Biospira. I have never used it, but have heard people having success with it. Supposedly, it provides the bacteria you're looking for in a matter of days. With stingrays, you don't want to rush things. Make sure you do it right the first time. Any other questions or concerns, please post. I'm sure a bunch of us would be more than glad to give you a hand.

On a sidenote, you may want to pick up Dr. Richard Ross's "Freshwater Stingrays". Granted the book is a little dated, but it is packed with helpful info.
Click to expand...


Depends on the size of the tank. I have been using straigt ammonia and Bio-Spira in my 180 and it's been cycling for 16 days. it's still not done!! I'm still waiting for the Nitrites to drop, the ammonia did several days ago, right to zero. It takes time. Go to the piranha-fury.com website, there is a fishless cycle article pinned under water chemistry, check it out. Using fish to cycle is dumb. The ammonia and nitrites will stress them if not kill them, thus increasing risk of disease in the tank. Oh yeah, turnm the heat up to 84-85 degrees, that will help.
 
While there may be faster ways, let me honest. Do you want an empty aquarium? Hell, ANYTHING to keep it interesting. Notice I recommended danios-I use them to cycle all my tanks and have had minimum deaths. They are hardy enough to survive the ammonia and nitrite spikes.
 
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