cycle

I recently started working at PetSmart and I joined this forum to become more educated about fish. I see that cycling can be essential to the fishes health but ive seen on one or two articles that betta fish can go without cycling. Is this true and to with what conditions?

My 10 gallon tank is now pretty much empty due to the fact that my betta died not too long ago. All I have left is some java fern, and driftwood.There are of course no other fish in my tank.I was wondering if my beneficial bacteria will starve to death since there is no source of ammonia for it...

Last week I upgraded tank from a 64l to a 130l (very exciting). I had the tank set up for a week beforehand, then last weekend I moved the fish, old filter and ornaments into the new tank.   A bit of a mini cycle seemed to take place in the following days. On Sunday ammonia was up at 0.25. On...

Okay so I'm new to the fish keeping hobby. I have a 29 gallon, a 10 gallon & 5 gallon... go big or go home right? I've had the same problem with all of my tanks. Very high Nitrite and nothing I do seems to fix the problem. PH - 7.5 Amm - 0.25 Nitrite - 5.0ppm Nitrate - 20ppm Heaters in both & I...

I am going to be moving my pleco and upside down catfish from a 10 gallon to a 55 gallon tank in a few weeks and I am concerned that moving the old filter over to the new tank will not provide enough bacteria to cycle the tank. Should I do any additional cycling? If so what would be the best way...

Hey everyone, just signed up to the forum. Figured it would be beneficial since I plan to have this hobby for a long time. So I'm guessing this is an issue that comes up occasionally. I've put fish in an uncycled tank. I believe it's 250 litres.  The list of fish are as follows: #2 Clown...

Hi everyone,   Just asking how to cycle a new tank? Is it ok to leave a tank for 2 weeks without using filter start and then add a shoal of fish?   Many thanks, Fishyfish890

I want to make sure everything is going right in my tank. The nitrites aren't rising while the ammonia level is stuck at the same ppm. Is it normal for this to be happening or am I doing some wrong?? Here is the journal I'm keeping: Fishless cycle Tank was set up a week before may 28th. I...

Hello, I am very new to aquariums and am doing my best to understand the cycling process. I have always loved betta fish and after long consideration have decided to breed my male and my female. I have learned as much as I can, and have bought two tanks, filters, testing kits, heaters...

I am currently writing as research paper on stocking my 125 gallon tank. I would like to add 5 angelfish to this tank plus some other fish. The dimensions are 48" x 24" x 24" so this would be perfect for angels. I have plenty of caves and driftwood with some plants (definitely not heavily...

Hi everyone, I am starting a 125 gallon tank (about 4ft x 2ft x 2ft), which is days from being done cycling. This is my first big tank (I have two established tanks but they're 10 and 20 gallons) I have one light on the top of my tank and i've just started to think it isn't powerful enough for...

Hello!   So we've been cycling our 55 gallon cool-water tank for a little over a month. It finally seemed good- every thing settled, water was clear, we had some healthy bacteria going on and 6 very happy little zebra danios. They would stir up sand and it would immediately settle...so I figured...

I have a 10 gallon tank with some driftwood and anubias attached to it, would it be alright if i took it out and added it to new tank because my fish keeps biting the leaves off. I was curious if it would create a mini cycle in the tank.

I use established filter media, possibly with gravel from established tank? Im a little iffy on the gravel part because there is some kind of parasite going around (head twitching, rubbing on gravel, one affected fish keeps swimming to top for air, what is wrong?)

So this is my first post but it is with a purpose. I came here looking for advice on my 20 gallon tank . I have had the tank cycling for just over a month now and the ammonia is at 1.0ppm the nitrite is 5.0+ppm and the nitrates are at 20.0ppm I have had these same readings for over a week. its...

Will changing the filter pad cause an ammonia spike or are most of the benefial bacteria in the c nodes (i have a fluval c3 filter), should i replace it or just rinse it out a bit in declorinated water?

Hey guys! So as promised here are a few pictures of my new tank all set up! First one here is the day I filled it to make sure everything was in order http://s4.postimg.org/jlvl9oxx9/20140126_134328.jpg And then this one after it had been sat for a day! It's a little cloudy but it's...

hi everybody :) im going to be starting my first planted tank soon, got a couple of tanks on the go already but this is the first one to have live plants. ive got pretty much everything sorted, just wondering how i should cycle it, like how long and anything else i need to add to the water...

Hello everyone,   I am in the process of upgrading my brackish tank.  I have an overstocked 55 gallon and am moving everyone up into a newly acquired 150 gallon.  I have cycled the 150 gallon with 10 assorted mollies and by seeding with gravel from the mature tank.  Ammonia and nitrite have been...

So I had a tank for about a month and 2 weeks ago I began testing the water. I saw that the nitrates were through the roof! So I had been doing water changes everyday of 20% and then eventually to 50%. After I saw no difference, I did an 80% and all the fish died, but anywho...   With a fishless...

So the nitrite levels are off the chain, and I did my research and found out that I have to do daily water changes until it goes back down. Then I found out each water change is supposed to drop it to zero, and if it doesn't, increase the amount of water change. Well after a week of doing 25%...

Do I have to put the water from the tap in a bucket first and add Prime or can't I just add the appropriate amount of Prime to the tank first and then add the water right in?  I have read so many conflicting posts I am really frustrated.  Doing a fish in cycle and I have been adding Prime to my...

Is it true that if you add too much of fresh water(after dechlor), my tank will actually do a mini-cycle? I am confused....

At the moment I have a 20 gallon long and a 29g that both are waiting on upgrades, and I can't decide if I should upgrade them now or after I move about 4 1/2 - 5 months from now. I am planning on upgrading my 29g to a 55g, and the 20g to a 75g. I already have both tanks, filters, heaters etc...

Hi all,   I am moving my African cichlids to a new tank in a new city. I have the new tank all set up and I brought one of the filters from the original tank and put it on the new tank. The rocks and substrate are all new though so I anticipated having to cycle the tank again from scratch.  ...

Hey, I've had a fish in a bowl for a year or so. Male betta, hardy little bastard. About a month ago I set up at 25gal tank and he's been doing pretty good with the cycle. I'm to the point where I'm waiting for the bacteria that breaks down nitrites to do its job, but its taking a bit longer...

Hi all,   This is my first post on this forum, although I have been reading it for some time now.   I have recently purchased a 25l tank for a single male betta to live in.   I have planned to do a fishless cycle and have been reading about it for weeks prior to buying my tank.   I got my tank...

Afternoon all!   Just a quick bit of advice seeking here...   I have just ordered the All Pond Solutions 1000EF* for my 200L tank. Im currently using an annoying Fluval 3+ internal filter. When installing the new fresh bacteria free filter, should I keep the current filter in there and run both...

I set both of my tanks up I think on the 6th. I went a head and tested both of them today. Looks like they are both sitting at the same water condition.    ph - 7.2 ammonia - 1.0 nitrite - 1.0  nitrate - 10    I thought that was kind of strange. Both tanks were set up on the same day. I have...

Hi everyone, I've been lurking here for about two years now. I've successfully cycled a 10gal tank with ammonia in the past, but I've run into a strange problem.   I have a 2.5 gallon that I'm attempting to cycle with Ammonia, 10% from Ace Hardware. I have an Argentina sword plant in the tank.  ...

Hi, my tank is brand new and has been set up for 29 days, planted and kept at 26C. I added fish (guppy and platy) on the 8th day and have been testing and doing regular 25% water changes every day or two depending on readings. Last time I tested I had 0.1 mg/l ammonia which was lower than it had...

Last week, I went to an aquarium store and the guy gave me three things called Bio Balls? I think? They are ceramic.    They were from a running tank in the store. The tank didn't seem to have any fish in it, but maybe it had before.   He said that would help me with my cycle.   I've had my tank...

Ok so Monday July 22 (1 week ago) I set up my betta's new 5 gal. tank. It was going good until 2 days later I put in a water heater, and about 24 hours later the water gradually became cloudier and cloudier. (Idk if me putting the heater in has anything to do with it or not.) Today, it is still...

Hi Guys so im going to give you a basic break down of the history of my setup and what i need help with.   I bought a 4ft tank with angel fish and a few other fish. very mature tank (jewel)   didnt like angel fish or tank so sold it.   Bought a used marine tank. took all substrate out and...

This is an open thread to ask questions about cycling.

  Hi guys, i would appreciate a little advice on my new tank as it is my first   So i have had my Tank for 6 weeks for and i have been testing the water with the proper test kits (not strips) and has always been around PH - 7.4                                                          Ammonia -...

Hi friends,  First of all, I am new to the fish world.  I have read about the nitrogen cycle. I need help with setting up an aquarium with live plants. I currently have a 15gal tank (2ft-1ft-1ft) with an Internal filter with 140G/h filter capacity.  I need help with the kind of substrate to...

So I got a new tank a few weeks ago and was advised to have 2 platys in order to cycle the tank, but I'm not entirely sure how many water changes I should be doing per week whilst its cycling, and how long it will take to complete it's cycle. I have a 64 litre tank and 1 male + 1 female in at...

Hi there! My name is Natalie and I am COMPLETELY new to this fish business. I'm in need of some serious help. Currently, I have one Dwarf Gourami and one Pleco (bottom feeder). For the moment, I have a five gallon tank, which I'm sure is ok for two small fish temporarily. When I first begin this...

Yesterday I set up a 10 gallon tank (looking to house a kribensis pair). I put on a new aquaclear 20 filter. I have an established 55 gal community tank with an Emperor 280 and Aquaclear 70 on it...I took the sponge from the 70 and cut it up to fit into the AC 20. I put the rest of the sponge...