First fish today!!!!

[ghent_3rd]

I have added my first fish today, I am cycling with fish so I know I am going to have to keep an eye on my test readings and possibly do water changes everyday.

I have only added 4 danios and a couple of platys, which my LFS said were pretty hardy little critters!!

I have been adding cycle in the recommended doses and I am looking to use some filter aid as well to clear any very small particles.

Anything else anybody can suggest to help me out cycling for the next 4-6 weeks while my tank matures.

All information greatly accepted. ( I am a total newbie!!!! )

 

[clutterydrawer]

Heya

Your fish should survive but you must be diligent with maintenance. Do you have test kits for ammonia and nitrIte? Basically you need to test for these each day and do sufficient water changes to keep the levels of each below 1ppm. Also it's a good idea to keep a record of what the levels are each day, so you can see what stage the cycle is at. goodluck

 

[wetwetwet]

I'd add, feed sparingly and remove any uneaten food so toxins don't build up as rapidly...

Good luck

 

[ghent_3rd]

Thanks very much guys.

I have test kits and have tested the last couple of days and readings seem good.

Going to do water change tommorrow to keep levels down.

All seems to be going swimmingley up to now excuse the pun!!!

 

[canarsie11]

What is cycle? Why are you adding it?

 

[corrosive]

I had a small bottle of cycle, its basically something which you can put in to help your tank cycle suposebly... It adds bacteria, or something like that, i would tell you exactly, but i just noticed i threw the bottle in the bin.

 

[clutterydrawer]

It's bottled "beneficial bacteria" (non refrigerated)


...and yeah, it doesn't really work. just so you know.

 

[canarsie11]

Also why would you need it if you have fish in your tank? The fish are the sources to get your cycle going

 

[corrosive]

Also why would you need it if you have fish in your tank? The fish are the sources to get your cycle going

I think he means he was mainly adding it while he didnt have fish .

Maybe he will be stopping using it now .

 

[ghent_3rd]

Like I said guys I am a total newbie so please don't make me feel bad

I really am just starting out so any help or advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[clutterydrawer]

Also why would you need it if you have fish in your tank? The fish are the sources to get your cycle going

the fish are the source of Ammonia, not the source of bacteria. products like cycle are designed (badly from what i hear...!) to introduce a source of beneficial bacteria to kick-start the cycle.


No one wants to make you feel bad ghent_3rd, by looking for advice you have shownt hat you care for your fishes. basically as long as you are diligent with water changes they should be ok. It is my opinion, and that of many other people, that bottled bacteria products such as cycle are ineffective (except something called biospira which is refrigerated) however i don't believe it will do any harm so go on adding it if you wish, to be on the safe side.

 

[Fishy Fishy Man]

I just bought a bottle of similar stuff today.

I am meant to keep it refrigerated. It is meant to speed up the cylcling process.

Sounds too easy though...

I think he means he was mainly adding it while he didnt have fish .

If he was adding it to start the cycle could it be amonia?

 

[Def]

and yeah, it doesn't really work. just so you know.

Hm. I'm a noob at this, but I have to disagree. Cycle is awesome and it does work, on personal experience I'd recommend it to anyone. At least, it worked for me...

 

[clutterydrawer]

how do you know?

 

[Def]

For 2 reasons. First, when I added it to an empty tank I started getting very small ammonia, nitrite and nitrate readings after a short while. Then when I started cycling my tank with fish, the ammonia never went above 0.25 - it was 0, 0.25 for a week then back down to 0, and as it went 0.25 to 0 the nitrite started to rise. Nitrite went up to 0.5 and levelled, then started going back down again. I had nitrate readings very quickly after the ammonia appeared, indicating there was at least something kickstarting the cycle. I wasn't doing huge, constant water changes either. I could even see the bacteria forming on the filter sponges, before I'd put any fish in.

From everything I've read, cycling a 27gallon tank with 6 fish should produce way more ammonia and nitrite, and take more than 3 weeks. I'm a noob at this, but I personally believe Cycle works.