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I highly recommend adding ammonia over the fish food method. It's much more controlled and a high ammonia level could stall a cycle, which could happen with adding fish food since you don't know how much to add to get to the desired ammonia level for the fishless cycle.

" FilterActive Bacteria and Jewel BioBoost Filter Accelerator tabs" are not going to do anything and it's just a money grab for you fish store. Get a test kit (API Freshwater Master Test Kit) Get some ammonia (ACE Ammonia or equivalent) Start with some new water in your tank and follow the...

Please don't change out the bio media in the filter. This is where the majority of the BB (beneficial bacteria) will colonize and live. Also, purchase a test kit. I always recommend the API Freshwater Master Test Kit. I'd return that one mollie to your fish store (if you can) and start a...

Thanks for the replies. I looked up Nerite snails and was able to learn a little bit more. Looks like this is a none issue. Eggs won't hatch unless in brackish or saltwater so my coworker shouldn't worry about that in his freshwater tank.

A coworker, of mine, has these snail egg sacs overtaking his tank. Besides physically removing them, what are some other ways that will manage the amount and/or get rid of these snail egg sacs? Thanks!

Awesome! Thank you for sharing this!

Thanks.

Thanks for the recommendations. I run a lot of HOB filters I was more curious about how much water movement. I read that they don't like a lot of surface water movement so looking at something that's a little more gentle on the water surface

Hello. I'm looking at getting a small tank for my office at work and was interested in stocking it with Clown Killfish. I'm looking at getting a 5 gallon tank and maybe have two of them in there. Not sure if that's too small of a tank for two of them? I've seen different tank recommendations...

28 days is a really good cycle time.  Hopefully everything works out for ya.

I'm going to try this new method.  I'm interested in seeing the results myself first hand.   I guess the most I have done some studies on is how the autotrophic bacteria behave in different scenarios.  I do have a few articles on this site in the scientific section if someone wants to dig them...

I stand behind my own research but thanks for the info.  Some of this stuff is newly discovered so thanks for the link to that article.  The fishless cycling method, on this site, has changed so many times but I still stick with my method because it has been proven to work for me and my...

  May I ask, how will it delay the process?  If you're dosing less frequent then yes, you will see a drop in nitrite because there's more time in between dosing which allows the bacteria to process the nitrite.  But you're not colonizing more bacteria.  In fact you will more than likely colonize...

Think of it as buying a fish from a fish store.  Not feeding the day before is not going to do much besides reduce waste.   To transport the fish fill a bag up with 1/3 water and 2/3 air.  He can stay in there for a long time.     When you get him to your house set the tank up how you want it...

lol yeah cycling takes a while sometimes.  Hang in there the nitrite will drop.

The waves on the surface is actually how oxygen enters the water.  One thing to keep in mind is that this is a small tank.  Small tanks are very susceptible to fluctuations.   Staying on top of weekly tank maintenance is going to become important to clear debris and waste from the substrate.  If...

I don't see any issues with this as long as you can turn the flow down for the betta.

I would still maybe grab a little MM out of your currently established tank.  Just for a little kick start.  

I agree with the above statement.   What you are talking about is known as Cloning.  Taking some MM (Mature Media) and transferring it to another filter.   Like mentioned above only take up to 1/3 of the MM from the cycled tank and replace it with new media.   Transfer that MM to the new tank...

  Where you aim the spray bar is really up to you and what type of fish you have.  The API test kit is good so we all know, now, you are getting accurate readings for your water parameters.   One thing I would do is make the spray bar have a little water surface turbulence.  Doing this will...

I wouldn't worry so much about the size of the filter but worry more about how much water it will actually move.  Aim for around 5x water turn over in one hour.  That is a good benchmark.     Although you do have a very small tank, the 40 gallon sump would probably be large enough, with the...

Safestart is a good product and will help with your cycling a lot.  Few things to keep in mind moving forward.  Ammonia at or above .25ppm can cause permanent gill damage to the fish and kill them.  Nitrite at or above .25ppm can cause permanent nerve damage and kill the fish.  So keep on top...

Heavy breathing and red gills is a sign of excess ammonia in the tank.  Also, heavy breathing might be a sign of lack of oxygen in the tank, as well.  Although you said your ammonia is at 0ppm I think we can rule this out.  What test kit are you using by chance?  Swimming sideways and upside...

Short answer is no, you don't need two filters.  A good rule of thumb and how filter size is rated is you want to have, at least, a 5 times per hour turn over rate.  This means you want the water in your tank to go through your filter, at least, 5 times in one hour.   Your filter is rated at...

I really like the setup you have.  Once you get the tank cycled and plants in there it's going to look even better.  I love planted tanks.  I'll be looking forward to the finished result.  Good luck with the cycling.  Hopefully you can get it cycled within a month. 

I still dose up to 5ppm with no issues what so ever.  I understand you get your figures from someone with a big name.  However, I have done my own studies and research and I have very good success.  Thanks.   With that I would suggest 2ppm to 5ppm.  I will do some studies involving lower levels...

Yes that is what I would do.  After the cycle is complete then add plants.

Short answer: yes, the plants will effect the ammonia levels.  I would suggest to cycle the tank before you add plants.  Once the tank is fully cycled than go ahead and add plants.    If you still chose to add plants before you start to cycle I would recommend dosing up to 5ppm of ammonia since...

    Actually there was a feshwater version of Bio Spira.  As far as I am aware, you can still buy the saltwater bio spira just not the freshwater anymore since that is safestart.  

Hahah yes petsmart and petsco both.

  You hit the nail right on the head with that one.  Fish stores do take advantage of us fish keepers.  Although, there are few fish stores that actually are in the business for the right reasons, although these are harder to come by.  So far it sounds like your fish store is pretty good and not...

I guess if it was free why not try it lol.  I would probably do the same.  :p

It must be similar to Bio Spira.  That one worked very well.  I do agree there are some that do have benefits but nothing that I have seen at LFS that do and not the product the OP purchased.     I just did some reading.  Tetra safestart actually is the product that replaced Bio Spira.  (didn't...

Congrats.  I used to bread Kribs like crazy.  They are fun for sure!

Sorry to hear you are in a fish-in cycle.  They are not fun and require a lot of work.   First, off I would get a better (liquid) test kit.  Strip test kits are inaccurate as you already found out.  I always recommend the API Freshwater Master Test Kit.   Also, any bottle of... whatever.. that...

Except when it talks about replacing filter media every 2 weeks or whatever they say.  Make sure to learn about how to properly clean your filter media.  You never want to throw away filter media unless it's super old and falling apart.  

Okay.  The fact that you have around 80ppm of nitrate tells me that you cycle is coming along well.  Hopefully not much longer until your nitrite starts to drop towards 0ppm.

Looks like to me that your cycle is progressing nicely.  You were having the nitrite issue with tank #1, correct?

    That is a good idea for everyone to test their ammonia solution before so they now what % concentration they have.   The lower the the buffering capacity the more susceptible the pH is to changes and usually the pH is lower vs. a higher buffering capacity.     I've done quite a few studies...