First time cichlid tank cycling help?

[skjl47]

I imagine the full API kit is only around 20 dollars

Hello; I bought a master test kit about two years ago for around $35

seachem prime is a water conditioner. it neutralizes chlorine and chloramine, as well as binding ammonia and nitrites for roughly a 24hr period.

Hello; The Seachem Prime is the liquid version. I bought a bottle of Prime (100ml / 3.4 fl oz) for$4.99 a few weeks ago that will treat 1,000 gallons. From posts on this forum I have learned that there is a powder version of the same stuff called seachem Safe. I bought a bottle of this dry powder ( 1 kg / 2.2 pounds) for $31.99 which will treat up to 200,000 gallons. In addition to being more cost effective per gallon of water treated, it is supposed to have a stable shelf life of many years if kept sealed and dry. The liquid version is reported to become less effective over time and not to last much longer than a year. I needed something a few weeks ago and could only find the Prime. I had a local shop order the Safe and will use it after I use up the Prime.

safestart is bottled bacteria. once it hits the water the bacteria will begin looking for a food source (ammonia and nitrite), if you don't have something in the tank creating ammonia,

Hello; If you are cash strapped a tank can be cycled on the cheap. Do you have a friend with an established tank or maybe a local fish shop from whom some media that is loaded with the beneficial bacteria (bb). This can seed a new tank.

Please continue to address your questions to Preadatorkeeper87, who is doing a wonderful job.

 

[predatorkeeper87]

Hello; I bought a master test kit about two years ago for around $35



Hello; The Seachem Prime is the liquid version. I bought a bottle of Prime (100ml / 3.4 fl oz) for$4.99 a few weeks ago that will treat 1,000 gallons. From posts on this forum I have learned that there is a powder version of the same stuff called seachem Safe. I bought a bottle of this dry powder ( 1 kg / 2.2 pounds) for $31.99 which will treat up to 200,000 gallons. In addition to being more cost effective per gallon of water treated, it is supposed to have a stable shelf life of many years if kept sealed and dry. The liquid version is reported to become less effective over time and not to last much longer than a year. I needed something a few weeks ago and could only find the Prime. I had a local shop order the Safe and will use it after I use up the Prime.




Hello; If you are cash strapped a tank can be cycled on the cheap. Do you have a friend with an established tank or maybe a local fish shop from whom some media that is loaded with the beneficial bacteria (bb). This can seed a new tank.

Please continue to address your questions to Preadatorkeeper87, who is doing a wonderful job.

+1 I completely forgot about Safe, skjl47 is 100% correct its the same product, cheaper and a much better shelf life!

He is also correct in his statement about borrowing media. You can sometimes get local LFS to give you either a bag of tank substrate or some will even go as far as to cut off pieces of sponge filter they may have in their sump systems. Its essentially the same as cycling with the bottled bacteria, you just put the material in the tank and the BB will spread to your substrate or media. Of course keep in mind you still need to add your fish at the same time.

 

[MineralMagic]

lol no problem. You may get contradicting statements on here about quick cycles, but believe me I've cycled tanks for 40B's all the way to my 310DD this exact same way. Its pricey so keep that in mind. a bottle of safestart is like 15 bucks or something, stability is like 10, so just be mindful because you HAVE to stay on top of the cycle as it progresses because you will have nitrite spikes during this, and Prime is like 10 bucks a bottle or something too. But as long as you stay on top of it you'll have a well-established tank in no time flat.

The master test kit is $40 bucks, i don't have that kind of money- could you reccomend a cheaper one?

 

[MineralMagic]

+1 I completely forgot about Safe, skjl47 is 100% correct its the same product, cheaper and a much better shelf life!

He is also correct in his statement about borrowing media. You can sometimes get local LFS to give you either a bag of tank substrate or some will even go as far as to cut off pieces of sponge filter they may have in their sump systems. Its essentially the same as cycling with the bottled bacteria, you just put the material in the tank and the BB will spread to your substrate or media. Of course keep in mind you still need to add your fish at the same time.

Ok, so if i was to get some borrowed media for my LFS, i just put it in, and the fish, and thats it? or do i still have to use saechem prime? Could i get a step-by-step on how to cycle the tank with borrowed media?

 

[skjl47]

Aquarium cycling link
http://www.americanaquariumproducts.com/nitrogen_cycle.html

 

[pops]

I prefer to cycle a tank with raw shelled jumbo shrimp tails. but that's just me. literally.

 

[MineralMagic]

now...if you want to do it your way:
1. No need for ammo alert, and don't add safestart without an ammonia source to feed the bacteria, you'll be dumping 25-30 bucks into the tank for nothing. If you are going the bottled bacteria route, you need to add the fish with it.
2. you won't see nitrates for at least 3-4 days while the bacteria establishes, in that time frame you'll see a NITRITE spike, while the bacteria coverts the ammonia to it, and this is where you need Prime for the quick cycle method. Your nitrates should never be zero, you should always register some dissolved solid content in your water.
3. I would dose with Prime every other day if not every day while this tank establishes, you're fish will thank you for it.
4. Water changes should be kept to a minimum while your tank sets up, taking to much ammo or nitrite out of the system at this stage can cause a bacteria die off, best to rely on the prime to nullify it in the water instead.
There will be about 10000 replies to this saying I'm wrong and fishless cycling is the best blah blah blah

how much prime do you dose the tank with daily and at the start? The tanks now going to be a four foot tank, around 47 gallons

 

[MineralMagic]

lol no problem. You may get contradicting statements on here about quick cycles, but believe me I've cycled tanks for 40B's all the way to my 310DD this exact same way. Its pricey so keep that in mind. a bottle of safestart is like 15 bucks or something, stability is like 10, so just be mindful because you HAVE to stay on top of the cycle as it progresses because you will have nitrite spikes during this, and Prime is like 10 bucks a bottle or something too. But as long as you stay on top of it you'll have a well-established tank in no time flat.

Wait, do you use stability and prime?

 

[predatorkeeper87]

Wait, do you use stability and prime?

yes I use both. They work fine together. I have well water so I only use prime to bind ammonia and nitrites in the water to spare the fish of having to deal with ammonia and nitrite poisoning.

 

[predatorkeeper87]

Ok, so if i was to get some borrowed media for my LFS, i just put it in, and the fish, and thats it? or do i still have to use saechem prime? Could i get a step-by-step on how to cycle the tank with borrowed media?

same as bottled bacteria, put the fish in, put the media in, and dose the tank with prime. I don't know if you are on city water or a well but either way you'll need prime to avoid ammo or nitrite poisoning on your fish. Just follow the dosing instructions on the bottle of prime for your tank size, a little extra won't hurt.