Fish Cycling (any Downsides?)

[xptweakerntn]

So I've messed up and added 4 fish (2 tiger barbs, to Jack Damsey's) to my brand new 55 gallon. So I've decided that twice daily water changes gets old fast (and the fish don't seem to like it, either). So what if I do this? Feed the fish as normal, expect them to die, and cycle my tank this way? Like instead of buying ammonnia, letting fish produce the ammonnia? I know in the long run the ammonnia would be better than my idea, but besides only having a bacterial colony cycled for 4 fish, are there any other dissadvantages? Like, will a dying/dead fish leave long term effects? See...I'm just hoping perhaps a fish or two will survive. Oh, and what about this: I've two 20 watt bulbs for my 55 gallon, I've heard you should have 2 watts per gallon if you are wanting to grow plants, but I can't find this sort of ligting (I've seen one solution, but it's like $200). So are there any hardy plants that will grow in my lighting conditions? Low light level plants are what I'm talking about.

 

[fish-aholic]

Do you not have a heart? Just give the fish to your lfs, you... you... fishkiller.

 

[ollyhtafc]

If you leave a dead fish in the tank it'll have long term affects...but surely you don't mean that?

The fish will like the water changes much more than they'll like poisoning themselves i can assure that too.

 

[xptweakerntn]

Yes I have a heart, paid 30 cents for it online. And the water changes, since it's a 55 gallon, will daily water changes of 10 gallons be enough? and please advise me on how to make the water changes, getting water out is easy, but several ways to put it in please?

 

[Erikson45]

30 cents? That's pretty cheap, but still you should be aware of the effects the bacterial imbalance on your fish as well as the possibility of gill damage. When you begin a hobby as an aquarist, you assume full responsibility for your fish. Like a parent or guardian to his or her's child. You don't want to turn into Britney Spears do you?

Anyways, hardy plants include java moss, java fern, and amazon sword I believe. They grow under lowish light.


Well, you could use a bucket and some tap water ;D. Estimate the number of drops of conditioner to add. Conditioners like AquaSafe won't be too threatening if you overdose a little, but if you overdose alot, then it'll start to take effect upon your fish. But I'd recommend getting your plants now to help speed along the cycling process. Or get Bio Spira.

 

[xptweakerntn]

Ok, perhaps tommorow I'll shop around for some amzon sword, and perhaps bio spira as well. Just wondering, how much does bio spira cost, I've heard a lot about it, perhaps I'll try it. Both that and plants won't hurt anything, will it? So bio spria is supposed to always be refridgerated, right? Will a local Petco be trustworthy enough if they carry it? Also, I'm wondering, the larger a tank, the more diluted ammonnia will be, correct? Will 4 fish in a 55 gallon make ammonnia levels very toxic very quickly?

 

[Erikson45]

Check to see what kinds of plants your lfs has and if they aren't labeled neatly with some descriptions, research em or ask on here. I heard the price of Bio Spira ranges, but yes, it has to always be refridgerated. I doubt a local Petco/Petsmart will carry it, because it isn't a very marketable product, meaning most of the time, you'll have to order it online or ask the lfs to order it for you. But ask around, you might get lucky, however if it isn't refridgerated, don't buy it. These are active bacteria, they must be refridgerated at all costs.

I'd just suggest asking an lfs or a friend with an aquarium for some mature filter media. It acts sorta like bio spira, but cheaper and easier to find in my opinion.

 

[Slufa111]

Too be honest even to think of that probably means you shouldnt keep fish.

How hard is doing the ammonia? NOT HARD!

Plus, with my experiences (or it might be where my tanks are located i dunno) if you do a fishless cycle itll cut down on new tank dieases, and algae.


it really isnt hard, after your first tank is cycled if you ever get a second tank itll be a piece of cake.

 

[Polenth]

I'm surprised that noone has mentioned the other downsides of keeping dead fish in a tank (the downsides to the fish being obvious). It will make your whole house stink once they start rotting. There's a good chance of fungus growing over everything in the aquarium. Too much ammonia stalls the cycle and rotting things can produce too much. At this point you've suffered a few weeks of a house where you can't invite friends round and you get funny looks if you stand too close to people when you go out. You'll come home to find you need to empty the tank, scrub everything down and start again.

It's not the easy option in the longterm. The easiest is to give the fish back. The next easiest is to keep up with daily water changes and only feed the fish once every other day. You probably only need one water change a day. If you test the water each day, you may find you can skip the water changes on some days as the ammonia hasn't built up.

Don't forget that once ammonia goes down, you have the same thing to go through with nitrite.

 

[xptweakerntn]

I'm sorry that what I said was interpreted that way. I was suggesting that I continue to change water, and hope that they live. I was just wondering if there were any longer term effects if a fish dies. I wasn't suggesting that I keep dead fish in there for an ammonnia supply, that's disquisting. I was just wondering if keeping the fish and changing water and hoping that they pull through was too great a risk. To think that anyone would even think of such a thing! Tommorow I'm going to a few lfs's and finding plants as well as possible filter medium. Thank you all for the time, especially slufa for suggesting that someone who would try such a thing not to keep fish!

 

[xptweakerntn]

Ok, so tommorow I'm heading for a test kit, possibly bio shpire or some filter media (whichever i can get ahold of), and possibly a few live plants. is there anything else that i should pick up? if i do get some filter media, resulting in (a cycled tank???), should i get a few more fish (i'm thinking 2 more tiger barbs?) so that the bacteria will survive? once again, is there anymore that i should try and get?

 

[Slufa111]

Ok, so tommorow I'm heading for a test kit, possibly bio shpire or some filter media (whichever i can get ahold of), and possibly a few live plants. is there anything else that i should pick up? if i do get some filter media, resulting in (a cycled tank???), should i get a few more fish (i'm thinking 2 more tiger barbs?) so that the bacteria will survive? once again, is there anymore that i should try and get?

The bacertia will only support the load of they tank just so your aware.

get some clear ammonia and just fishless cycle

 

[snow_mink87]

If you're cycling with fish, how much of the water should you change out a day? Just curious. I do a 25% change on Sundays. Would you have to do a 25% change daily, like I'd only do once a week?

 

[xptweakerntn]

"The bacertia will only support the load of they tank just so your aware.

get some clear ammonia and just fishless cycle"

Ok, so can I get ammonnia from the lfs? Also, while doing the cycle, would it be ok to place plants inside? A few amazon swords, and some java fern/moss? Also, since I'm going to pick up a test kit as well, it needs to test ph, ammonnia, nitrite, natrate, and anything else?

 

[ktricky]

not til after the cycle is complete as it will just slow you down


but you could do if you really wanted to