Cycling.

[akulashark]

Ok, this tank has been up for a while, has some friends gravel and has killed 3 fish already. So I went Fishless for the rest of the cycle and I now have Nitrites, the spike was pretty prominant so now I will cut the ammonia until the Nitrites go away and then go get one or two fish. I will get Danios probably. Do they need some buddies or can you just get one?

 

[MartinB]

I am cycling my 3rd tank now and have used the same fish every time.
Thay are 4 swardtails.
Have been cycling my tank for 5 days now.
Looking at them now.
Thay are swimming around playing as if there is nothing wrong with the water.
Thay make me fell I should put all my fish in.
But i will wait.

 

[spanair]

I also use fishes to cycle, in my case, platties. they've done one 15 UK G tank for me, now doing a 60 UK G . It will take a month or two, but I do water changes to releive the fellas usually.

 

[akulashark]

Ammonia is down to Nil, Nitrite is down to Nil, time to get some fish.

Went out to LFS and got 3 Leopard Danios and 2 ghost shrimp.

 

[Moe]

At the end of a fishless cycle you should do a large water change before you add the fish to get the Nitrates down. When you go fishless the nitrates get really high and can harm the fish. I've always done an 80% water change before adding the fish. I've read you should do 50 - 80%. Danios are pretty hearty fish but I'd do a large water change ASAP.

 

[sinistral]

For my own clarification, if you stop adding ammonia during a fishless cycle after the nitrosomonas colony has grown in, wouldn't it be possible that the colony might die off after 3 days?

 

[blade8usa]

Hi All,

I'm also doing fishless cycling. As I have read, one must still add some ammonia. ie. just a couple of drops, after it's down to nil..Reason, that the new bacteria still need some source of ammonia. I have had a spike of nitrites to 7, and they are 6 today. Hoping to add some fish soon. I also took a gallon of water out of the 10 gal. tank to allow more water flow into the tank..back of the tank filter...hopefully, adding more O2 for the plants and the bacteria. Can't wait to get something moving in the tank.