About 2yrs ago came across a catfish call a Redtail Shovel Hybrid on a website and peeked my intrest in keepin fish so i decided to begin my aquarist career with this species mostly along w/ other catfish I came across with on the site(MFK) so i thought i new enough bout fish keeping so I purchased a 55Gal grow out tanks with future plans for an 800Gal indoor Pond.. so got the tank setup purchased 6 RTC X TSN Hybrids put them in the tank went 1 weekend and lost 3 Fish was upset didnt kno what went wrong with askin ? on this site come across anwser that i had no idea exisited that was helpful to a fellow aquarist on this site so gave my brother the fish till i could get mine cycled and get my babies back.. So after readin a few Fish Less Cycling Threads in the Setup Filtration threads i started my fish-less cycle in hope to help other fellow aquarist.. The way i interpted the info is how i went about my cycling...
http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?207575-Fishless-Cycling
This is where I started from Great thread From Zen.. I found that for every 60Gal it takes 1 teaspoon of ammonia so i using 1 teaspoon of ammonia till i get a Nitrite Spike then back the ammonia off to 1/2 Teaspoon once Nitrite Is present continue with 1/2 Teaspoon until both reach 0 ppm for 24 hrs reduce heater to temp for fish then a 50% water change once nitrates are dected as well then slowly add fish once water change has been preformed then a water change 1 a week or more depends on your Nitrates
First Thing i did was...
Purchased an API Master Test Kit then tested my water from my well being a natural well water was perfect IMO...
PH 7.6
Ammonia 0 ppm
Nitrite 0 ppm
Nitrate 0 ppm
Second thing i did was...
Purchase my Ammonia/Water Treatments. When Looking for Ammonia your want pure Ammonia If you shake the Bottle and it foams or makes bubble it not going to work. or if the ingrident say sufcant its the same thing as the bubbles/foam i traveld for 56 miles before i found my ammonia in the most unusual place to me Dollar Tree I searched every hardware store and no one had it not even walmart so it was odd to me.. Then I Proceeded to purchase my water treatment chemical I Chose Seachems Prime due to Rave reviews and concretraion of product seem to be working great very happ with the product..
Third thing i did was...
( De-Chlor the water w/ Seachems Prime, Added filtration, Pumps, Heater(Needs to be set @ 80-85* Benifical Bacteria thrives @ those temps) I Let everything run for 3 day to fully process the aquarium not really ness just what i did...
Then procceded to add my ammonia 5 drops of ammoina for every 10 Gallons 55Gal tank w/ 10 wet/dry Filter which equals to 60Gal @ 60 drops equals 1 Teaspoon with my testing every other day still in progress being i just started just hoping to help people out so they dont make the same mistake i did and harm innocent fish in the proccess... Hope this helps other master Aquarist please chime in if I Left something important out Please....
Date Begin Testing will update everyother day so Follow along with me with my First Fish-Less Cycle...
Date setup and tank Processing Water/Chemicals
5/21/12
Ph 7.6
Ammonia 0 ppm
Nitrite 0 ppm
Nitrate 0 ppm
First Test
5/25/12
Ph 7.6
Ammonia 0.50 ppm
Nitrite 0 ppm
Nitrate 0 ppm
http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?207575-Fishless-Cycling
This is where I started from Great thread From Zen.. I found that for every 60Gal it takes 1 teaspoon of ammonia so i using 1 teaspoon of ammonia till i get a Nitrite Spike then back the ammonia off to 1/2 Teaspoon once Nitrite Is present continue with 1/2 Teaspoon until both reach 0 ppm for 24 hrs reduce heater to temp for fish then a 50% water change once nitrates are dected as well then slowly add fish once water change has been preformed then a water change 1 a week or more depends on your Nitrates
First Thing i did was...
Purchased an API Master Test Kit then tested my water from my well being a natural well water was perfect IMO...
PH 7.6
Ammonia 0 ppm
Nitrite 0 ppm
Nitrate 0 ppm
Second thing i did was...
Purchase my Ammonia/Water Treatments. When Looking for Ammonia your want pure Ammonia If you shake the Bottle and it foams or makes bubble it not going to work. or if the ingrident say sufcant its the same thing as the bubbles/foam i traveld for 56 miles before i found my ammonia in the most unusual place to me Dollar Tree I searched every hardware store and no one had it not even walmart so it was odd to me.. Then I Proceeded to purchase my water treatment chemical I Chose Seachems Prime due to Rave reviews and concretraion of product seem to be working great very happ with the product..
Third thing i did was...
( De-Chlor the water w/ Seachems Prime, Added filtration, Pumps, Heater(Needs to be set @ 80-85* Benifical Bacteria thrives @ those temps) I Let everything run for 3 day to fully process the aquarium not really ness just what i did...
Then procceded to add my ammonia 5 drops of ammoina for every 10 Gallons 55Gal tank w/ 10 wet/dry Filter which equals to 60Gal @ 60 drops equals 1 Teaspoon with my testing every other day still in progress being i just started just hoping to help people out so they dont make the same mistake i did and harm innocent fish in the proccess... Hope this helps other master Aquarist please chime in if I Left something important out Please....
Date Begin Testing will update everyother day so Follow along with me with my First Fish-Less Cycle...
Date setup and tank Processing Water/Chemicals
5/21/12
Ph 7.6
Ammonia 0 ppm
Nitrite 0 ppm
Nitrate 0 ppm
First Test
5/25/12
Ph 7.6
Ammonia 0.50 ppm
Nitrite 0 ppm
Nitrate 0 ppm
