Question: Cycling a tank?

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FrshRoani

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Dec 4, 2008
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So I was on another forum earlier and read about a guy cycling his tank by peeing into it? Anyone ever? What do you think?

On another note I just set up another tank and used a few feeders to start the cycle. :( they didn't survive. I checked my water and OMG everything is super high. I've cycled tanks before but this is rediculous, I've never had such high ammonia, nitrate, and nitrite levels. Usually a few water changes will bring everything into line, but i'm having no results. Should i just let it do its thing? If need be i can run home and check it again if you guys need actuall levels.
 
You can do a fishless cycle by using straight ammonia without stressing any fish out putting them through cycling. Urine works basically the same as straight ammonia that you can buy and some people think it's 'cool' to pee in their fish tanks and brag about it. It's a mindset I don't get. I'd rather just use ammonia from the store.
 
what sort of chemicals do you use?
 
I would let it do it's thing, unless ammonia is really high like 5+ppm then it will just end up cycling longer.

A more desirable way to cycle would be fishless (IMHO and many others) that way you don't have to get rid of undesirable/unhealthy fish after the cycle is done.

Essentially you have the first part done of raising the ammonia and you have nitrite and nitrate showing up so you are almost there, now just wait till ammonia goes away and there are just nitrite and nitrate, then buy a bottle of pure, clear, no dyes or purfumes ammonia then dose a little till you have enough to just register on a test kit and wait for nitrites to dissapear and when that happens keep dosing a little ammonia till it is gone within a few hours and there is no nitrite showing up, do a 50% water change and add fish.
 
Just keep feeding it and let the bacteria colonies establish themselves.

If you know anyone at all with a healthy tank that will give you some used, still-wet filter media, that is by far the best way to seed a new tank and jump-start that cycle.
 
strange this is as i was told to piss in my tank today by a guy from a lfs i just found, well my new 4' ive just picked up lol i mean c'mon dude why would i wana piss in my tank when all i gotta do is feed the tank food without any fish in it, it does the same job right?
 
Taking a leak in your tank would provide ammonia directly, with feeding your tank you have to wait for the food to start breaking down.

I have cycled 4 tanks of my own with the method above, it is what i recommend.
 
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