29 Gallon Tank

dortiz24

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I'm getting a bigger aquarium for Christmas. Yay! A 29 gallon kit. I want to know how long it will take to cycle the tank. Weeks? Months? Exactly how do you cycle the water? Do I do normal water changes every day? I do 20% water change every day in my 10 gallon. Any help/tips is appreciated. Thx.
 
When I got my tank, I had no clue about cycling. I loaded it with wild fish and they cycled it for me, so I've never had to worry about cycling a tank. What I'm saying is, I wouldn't know. As far as I know, there is a pinned topic in the newbie forum with some very helpful advice on cycling - when I get a decent tank, if I ever get a decent tank, I will follow it because it sounds pretty accurate.

I also have to do water changes all the time because my tank, like your 10 gal, has a lot of fish in it for its size. I have been flamed for overstocking many times, but my fish are happy and healthy and my water quality is perfect. I would still kill for a big tank, because I can't keep anything big in my tiny tank. There's a difference between lots of fish in a small tank and big fish in a small tank - the latter is just cruel IMO.
 
What your meant to do is let the water cycle by leaving it for 4 weeks or so, to allow the ammonia and nitrites to build and fall as the good bacteria grow.
As the ammonia and nitrites are lethal to most fish in low levels.

How ever their are a couple of things you can do to speed this process of cycling.
1) Adding a couple of prawns as the decompose they release ammonia which feed the bacteria.
2) Feeding with no fish, same as the prawns.
3) Adding pure ammonia, again all the same idea.
4) Adding a couple of hardy fish, not the best thing for the fish as these are likely to be damaged or killed by ammonia poisoning!!!
5) Seeding, this is where you remove some filter material, gravel or décor from an existing tank and add it to the tank to cycle. These are carrying the good bacteria.

What you need to do is test your water for 3 chemical's ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate. once ammonia and nitrite are both 0 and nitrate's are slowly rising you system in cycled and now y can add fish slowly, only 4-6 small fish at a time and let the bacteria grow to the new level of fish and about 7-10 days later you can then add some more.

Doing the above will get the tank running in around 20 days safe to add fish.
 
You are far better to cycle your tank with pure ammonia as it is a much more clinical and accurate process. Follow the Add & Wait method from the link in my sig. as the majority of members on this site have and you are guaranteed success. If you follow it too the letter you are looking at aroun 4 - 6 weeks from start to finish. This time can be more than halved if you add mature sponges and ceramic media from a mature tank. All the Best.

:good:
 
Wow, thx for all the responses! I've read up on the fishless cycling. I think I'm going to give that a try. My current tank has a high ammonia lvl. I added some freshwater salt but don't really know if that is going to do any good. It did seem to fix the pH lvl though. Strangely enough all my fish seem to be fine. I now have 17 fry I worry about. Ranging from 1 wk old to 3 hours old. I hope they make it to adulthood! Or at least til I get my new tank cycled! Thx for all the advice! Very helpful!
 
Your current tank is hugely over stocked. You have probably double the number of fish you should have in there (and that's without the fry!) That's why you're experiencing problems. You are heading for massive problems with that 10gallon I'm afraid.

I would advise you to take back the male guppies, the molly and the frog. Cull all the fry and keep culling all the new ones that are born. Eventually you will find that your guppies are not giving birth any more. Find out what species your algae eaters are but they will almost certainly need to go back as well unless they are otos. Your cories also need to be in at least a group of 5 but again unless they are pygmy corys they will not be suitable for that tank.

I would guess that you are planning to move some of these fish to your 29 gallon. But think twice about stocking male and female liverbearers like guppies in this tank as you will soon find yoursefl as you are now overrun.

:good:
 
Right now I'm keeping my fry in the breeder. None of them are loose. I'm seeing if any friends and family want to take ownership of any of them. So not counting the fry...the number that I currently have is still going to be too much for the 29 gallon? I was hoping it'd be big enough to add a 4 more mollies. :sad: I got the algae eaters and cories simply for their cleaning purposes. I figured 2 of each would do the job. The frog was my 3 year old sons pick. He won't talk to me for a month if I get rid of that! lol. We had two but one got loose...god knows how...and I can't find it anywhere!!!! That was 4 days ago! So much for that! lol Well, I'll figure something out. Anyone know if pet supplies or petsmart take fish off your hand?
 

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