cycle :)

[justethe]

i have a old filter that i used for gold fish and i just got a heater yesterday so i was wondering if all i have to do is put the water in and put the heater on and filter and let it sit there but how long do i have to let it sit my friend let his sit for i day and his is fine but is that not long enough?

 

[sinistral]

I see that you have edited this post so that it's different than the question I was replying to... So, here's my reply to your original question, which was to list the steps to the nitrogen cycle:

I hate to say this, but as one newbie (that's me) to another, I really do think it's important to be able to understand the ideas behind the nitrogen cycle. The steps are straightforward. But, if something goes wrong, you could end up with a tank that's very inhospitable to fish It's important to be able to figure out what's going wrong by testing your water chemistry and interpreting the results.

I'd recommend having somebody who is experienced in keeping fish to help you with the cycle and help supervise you while you're setting up the tank. Sorry I couldn't answer your question more directly Perhaps one of the more experiences members can help...

 

[justethe]

thanks for the help anything is good edvice now i don't know anything about cycling the tank i have is not new and the people at the pet store do not give you anything to help you it is just things that get you to buy there stuff they say it is easy but i don't find thid easy. so if any experts come and see this can they please just put some steps not long just easy and short



thanks

 

[LoveMyOscar]

 

[Bol]

Just for clarification, "nitrates" and "the good bacteria" aren't the same thing.

The "good bacteria" come in two major kinds; the first turns ammonia into nitrites, and the second turns nitrites into nitrates. This cycle (ammonia -> nitrites -> nitrates) is the "cycle" people are talking about. I'd suggest reading up a lot on cycling, to make sure you understand it very well. For a start, you can look at This Thread

Justethe, is your old filter still being used in a tank? If it isn't, maybe it's been sitting in a box for a while, then the bacteria on it are dead. It's just like starting with a new filter.

 

[G_Sharky]

So when doing a fishless cycle how often should you do wc on the new tank?

 

[thecichlidaddict]

Hey justethe

Don't worry, it is easy, it's just not self explanitory as the fish store would have you believe. I'll do the best I can.

Fish produce ammonia. They breath it, and the breaking down of waste in the water emits it.

Ammonia is very toxic to fish. Bacteria naturally forms in the tank to deal with this poison by converting it into a slightly less toxic element called Nitrite.

To deal with nitrite another bacteria forms. This converts nitrIte into nitraAte. Nitrate is toxic only in very large quantities, and must be removed through water changes.

That's all there is to it.

Once your tank is setup, filled with dechlorinated water, and heated, it is ready to begin cycling right away.

Cycling a tank means preparing it by growing this bacteria so that the ammonia levels don't kill the fish. There are a couple of ways to do this.
-You can do a fishless cycle using bottled ammonia. This will make your tank ready for as many fish as you'd like at once, but you need to wait for the cycle to complete before adding any fish.
-The other way is to add a very small amount of fish, so that ammonia levels don't rise high enough to do damage. This lets you have fish in the tank right away, but it will take you longer to fuly stock the tank in the long run then a fishless cycle. I do it this way because I like to take my time stocking my tanks anyway.

Think about which method is right for you, and we can help you get through it

So when doing a fishless cycle how often should you do wc on the new tank?

Never - just a huge one (75% or more) on the day that you add the fish, to clear the nitrate build up and any ammonia still residing in the water.

 

[thecichlidaddict]

LoveMyOscar, feel free to take up space, that way other people reading this can learn too!

 

[LoveMyOscar]

 

[justethe]

ok thaks guys for the help it worked

 

[justethe]

hehe wow my fish grow fast vroom vroom

 

[tdins_2]

you dont have fish u lier

 

[justethe]

i just got some fag

 

[tdins_2]

i though your tank was cracked so how could u have fish in it when i come i will see
i will see 2morro stubs

 

[justethe]

hehe i have 2 fishys