Critique, Comment On My Fishless Cycle Please!

[neverquit]

Okay, after reading several articles and such, here’s my idea of how I’m going to do a fishless cycle. There’s no doubt I forgot something, or have something wrong, so PLEASE, tell me what I have wrong and how to correct it……..I don’t need to reinvent the wheel.

100 gallon tank
Swimming pool filter sand
About 10 to 15 plants, nothing with a high light requirement,
2 small pieces of driftwood with attached plants
Magnum 350 canister filter
Some filter media from a 10 gallon.

Clean, wash then add sand. Add water, dechlorinate, set heaters at 82° F to accelerate bacteria growth.
Add plants.
Add ammonia to 5 ppm
Lighting on for 12 hours/day……Using a timer
Start canister pump
Keep a log of all chemistry tests
Monitor chemistry daily, keep the ammonia at 5 ppm. When a daily measurement of ammonia is zero, add back to 5 ppm, check the next day. If it drops back to zero again, and nitrites are zero and nitrates are high, cycle is complete. Then do a 90% water change, add buffer to keep the pH stable, adjust heaters to 78°F then add fish.

Don't worry, you WON'T hurt my feelings commenting on this procedure. That's why I'm asking, so I get it right the first time.

Thanks for your help
Never Quit

 

[Little_Nemo]

Don't put plants in until you've finished your cycle. Light (needed for plants) + Ammonia = Algae

 

[The Taffy Apple]

Give your sand a THOROUGH clean with water.

I cleaned mine for longer than 30 mins (i put the bag out the bag, punctured some holes in it and run the hose pipe in the top), but that still wasn't enough and mt tank was particulary 'cloudy' for 3/4 days. Not a problem, per se, but not very nice to look at.

Terry.

 

[neverquit]

Don't put plants in until you've finished your cycle. Light (needed for plants) + Ammonia = Algae

Thanks, I read one article that mentioned that, and wasn't sure....I'll just wait until the tank is cycled.

Never Quit

Give your sand a THOROUGH clean with water.

I cleaned mine for longer than 30 mins (i put the bag out the bag, punctured some holes in it and run the hose pipe in the top), but that still wasn't enough and mt tank was particulary 'cloudy' for 3/4 days. Not a problem, per se, but not very nice to look at.

Terry.

Thanks Terry: I'm looking at about 120 Lbs of sand, and I expect it'll take some time....And I agree, just take my time....It's one of those things "You never have time to do it right, but you have time to do it over again!" Been there before too many times.

 

[The Taffy Apple]

I found that whilst i was cycling my small 30L tank, i adhered to the rule of the 'Qualifying Week'... a full week where Ammonia AND NitrItes go to '0' within 12hrs... it tends to prove the results you are getting were simply not false and/or lucky/unlucky.

Best of luck with it..keep us all informed of your results. I am currently on my 'Qualifying Week' with my 110L tank, and being able to post my results up on here and read the replies that are given, have helped me no end!

Remember- the only 'stupid question' that you can ask is the one that you didn't

Terry.

 

[fluttermoth]

You don't need lights on for 12 hours a day, even when you've got plants.

Leave the plants out and lights off while you cycle; 8 to 10 hours once the plants are in is plenty; you might even be able to have them on for 6 to 8, depending on how much algae you get and how your plants do.

Apart from that you look spot on

 

[neverquit]

I found that whilst i was cycling my small 30L tank, i adhered to the rule of the 'Qualifying Week'... a full week where Ammonia AND NitrItes go to '0' within 12hrs... it tends to prove the results you are getting were simply not false and/or lucky/unlucky.

Best of luck with it..keep us all informed of your results. I am currently on my 'Qualifying Week' with my 110L tank, and being able to post my results up on here and read the replies that are given, have helped me no end!

Remember- the only 'stupid question' that you can ask is the one that you didn't

Terry.

Hi Terry: Hey, that's a good idea of having a "qualifing week", kind of makes sense too. No use going through all that trouble then having a bunch of dead fish because of a bad water test. I'll add that...

Thanks
Never Quit

 

[neverquit]

You don't need lights on for 12 hours a day, even when you've got plants.

Leave the plants out and lights off while you cycle; 8 to 10 hours once the plants are in is plenty; you might even be able to have them on for 6 to 8, depending on how much algae you get and how your plants do.

Apart from that you look spot on

Oh, okay, I just figured that with the plants I'd need the lights....But since I'm not going to use the plants I don't have to worry about it.
Speaking of lighting, is there one bulb that works best? Or what would you recommend? And 8 hours/day would be plenty?

Thanks
Never Quit

I read someplace, don't remember where, but adding plants would accelerate the bacteria growth, thus the cycle time would be shortened. I'm going to do what you two recommend, with no plants, but for my understanding, WHY don't you want any plants in the tank during the cycle period?

Thanks
Never Quit

 

[Miles_hot]

NQ - adding plants does not increase the bacteria growth however it may mean that you need less bacteria as the plants do much the same job. Hence if you have a fully planted (i.e. 75%+) tank you may not even need a cycle however I suspect that this approach (possibly called silent cycle??) is only for the experienced! The reason for not including the plants as I understand it is so that you don't have the hassle of algae.
Regards
Miles

 

[neverquit]

NQ - adding plants does not increase the bacteria growth however it may mean that you need less bacteria as the plants do much the same job. Hence if you have a fully planted (i.e. 75%+) tank you may not even need a cycle however I suspect that this approach (possibly called silent cycle??) is only for the experienced! The reason for not including the plants as I understand it is so that you don't have the hassle of algae.
Regards
Miles

Yep, you're right, I remember now it mentioning about a "silent cycle".....I don't think 15 or 20 plants would cover 75% of the substrate....I think I'll stick with the simple, easy method of just using ammonia, then when the cycle is complete adding the plants.

One question: I read where charcoal isn't really necessary if you have a good filter and a cycled tank. Is that correct?

thanks
Neverquit

 

[fluttermoth]

Charcoal does not remove ammonia, nitrite or nitrate; only tannins leaching from wood and most medications. There's really no point using it; you might just as well have another normal sponge/cermic rings/whatever as carbon.

If you do use carbon and ever have to medicate, you'll need to remove it and will lose some of your bacteria, so it's probably best got rid of sooner rather than later.

 

[neverquit]

Charcoal does not remove ammonia, nitrite or nitrate; only tannins leaching from wood and most medications. There's really no point using it; you might just as well have another normal sponge/cermic rings/whatever as carbon.

If you do use carbon and ever have to medicate, you'll need to remove it and will lose some of your bacteria, so it's probably best got rid of sooner rather than later.

Man, that's amazing how the industry will sell you something and tell you that you MUST have it or something bad is going to happen! So that's about all the charcoal is good for?
Thanks for the information, I certainly appreciate it.

Oh, are there any plants you would or would not recommend? Not looking to have an overwhelming number of plants, just sufficient to make the tank look natural....Sorry, that may not be a very good explaination.


Thanks again for your help
Never Quit

 

[Miles_hot]

NQ - I would suggest that you have a good long read (I'm still reading as there's one heck of a lot of information) in the Planted section... There are a couple of sticky topics on types of planted tank and good "low tech" plants which I intend to follow when we've got the tank cycled...

Miles

 

[neverquit]

NQ - I would suggest that you have a good long read (I'm still reading as there's one heck of a lot of information) in the Planted section... There are a couple of sticky topics on types of planted tank and good "low tech" plants which I intend to follow when we've got the tank cycled...

Miles

Thanks Miles, I'll navagate to the folder now and check it out!

Never Quit