Ways of cycling a new tank.

[jojo727]

I know of the traditional ways of cycling a FW tank: using feeder fish, pure liquid ammonia or fish food. But I was wondering if people have you used any other ways to start a cycle in there tanks, like when starting SW tanks folks tend to use raw deli shrimps or fish fillets...some even urinate in the water to start the cycle. I was thinking of trying the deli shrimp in my FW to see if it worked as well as the SW. What are your opinions on this and ideas on new ways to cycle?

 

[packer43064]

I've done four ways and they all worked perfectly.

1. Just feed the tank with flakes until the cycled was finished,
2. Throw in some raw shrimp(the ones we feed to our monsters), they will deteriorate and produce ammoniawhich will start trhe cycle.
3. Throw in some dumb fish which the soon to be put in monsters will just eat when the nitrates start showing.
4. I've tried this one recently and worked just fine as the others have. I just put the fish in the 125 and dosed with Stability(read exactly what the directions say) for over a week and everything was good.
Hope I've helped.

 

[Toxic Fish 9999]

I take gravel from my old tank throw it in same tith big rocks drifte wood that what
i do

 

[packer43064]

I take gravel from my old tank throw it in same tith big rocks drifte wood that what
i do

Oh damn,I forgot that one.
5. Take a filter and any extra used cartridges that I don't neccesarily need in the big tank and put in on the tank being cyled. This way plus the Stability was is by far the fastest.

 

[jojo727]

good ideas. i forgot all about the used media and subtrate/decor to.

Packer, about number 4. Are you saying you just added fish you intended to keep in the tank before it cycled and just used a neutralizer while the tank cycled or am I reading it wrong? I wish i new someone with an established tank so i could get some media or something.

 

[snyder810]

I know of the traditional ways of cycling a FW tank: using feeder fish, pure liquid ammonia or fish food. But I was wondering if people have you used any other ways to start a cycle in there tanks, like when starting SW tanks folks tend to use raw deli shrimps or fish fillets...some even urinate in the water to start the cycle. I was thinking of trying the deli shrimp in my FW to see if it worked as well as the SW. What are your opinions on this and ideas on new ways to cycle?

the shrimp would work just the same in fw. it's the waste it puts off (ammonia) that helps the cycle so you could use nearly anything that will break down.

 

[packer43064]

good ideas. i forgot all about the used media and subtrate/decor to.

Packer, about number 4. Are you saying you just added fish you intended to keep in the tank before it cycled and just used a neutralizer while the tank cycled or am I reading it wrong? I wish i new someone with an established tank so i could get some media or something.

It's a product by Seachem. Yes I put the fish I wanted in the 125(Oscars, Gars, etc.) and used Stability. It's not really expensive either, the 125 took more to dose of course but a smaller tank would be even cheaper.
Here's some links.
http://www.seachem.com/Products/product_pages/Stability.html

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/produ...ubref=AA&ci_src=14110944&ci_sku=0018856000000

17 ounches for 12.99. Not bad at all. Shipping of course.

 

[jojo727]

the shrimp would work just the same in fw. it's the waste it puts off (ammonia) that helps the cycle so you could use nearly anything that will break down.

thanks for the reply. yea, i understand how it works but i wasn't sure if fw would break it down as quickly as sw would.

Packer, thanks for the link

 

[Sarah88]

hold on there are people that PEE in their tanks to cycle it?!?!

 

[jojo727]

yea, atleast in the SW world