Fishless Cycle

[robbrouse]

I guess the poll really saids it all, just need some real advicve from people that has doen this. I want to try this on my new 10 gallon tank. Any and all advice would eb great. Also any and all links would be great.

I have talked with a number of fish store people and no one has heard of this. I've even taken in print outs of some of teh stuff on the web. they all look at you like you are crazy.

So I thought I said my research here. Thanks for taking the time to read.

Robb

 

[Jediagh]

Read this post:
http/fish.orbust.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=10099

Which has two very good articles here:
http/www.aaquaria.com/aquasource/cycle2.shtml

and

http/www.tomgriffin.com/aquamag/cycling.html

 

[canarsie11]

Poll is not really fair, because you can lose a fish after doing cycle, does not really mean it is the fault of the cycle

 

[yhbae]

Yup, this could be more of an indication of how good condition your LFS fishes are...

 

[NinjaSmurf]

It's just a poll to see what's happened with other peoples tanks, calm down. General thoughts... Besides, I don't see anything that says your fish died because of cycling, though it would have been nice to have had the same choices for fish cycling.. not that I needed it ranting done now, will crawl back into small hovel and read...

 

[tstenback]

The fishless cycle is a way to help prevent stress on the fish. If you cycle with fish they may live but their lives may be shortened or they may be weakened by the stress of the cycle and be prone to diseases. If you cycle without fish you take these things out of the equation. Now all you have to do is observe fish at the LFS carefully over a few days and select those that appear to be strongest. Giving the fish the best possible chance to survive will definitely reduce the death toll. The big thing i believe is dont impulse buy at an LFS you dont know much about. Good Luck. Go fishless.

 

[luxum]

I've done several fishless cycles, followed by full stocking, never had any ammonia or nitrite spikes after adding fish, any of that, and never lost any fish due to cycling this way. I highly recommend it, much more humane imo to be patient and wait until the tank is ready than to add fish and force them to experience the establishment of the cycle which can cause permanent gill damage.

 

[Elisabeth83]

How long does fishless cycling take?? I'm planning on getting a 15-20 gallon Hex tank and was advised to do fishless cycling....

Thanks for your help!!

 

[tstenback]

usually 4-6 weeks. but could be shorter and could be longer It is not necessarily a faster way of cycling just more humane.

 

[canarsie11]

usually 4-6 weeks. but could be shorter and could be longer It is not necessarily a faster way of cycling just more humane.

4 to 6 weeks for fishless cycle?

Although some may take that long, most people have reported 2 to 3 weeks.

My 75 gallon cycled in 17 days. My 10 gallon using bacteria from 75 gallon took 11 days

 

[canarsie11]

It's just a poll to see what's happened with other peoples tanks, calm down. General thoughts... Besides, I don't see anything that says your fish died because of cycling, though it would have been nice to have had the same choices for fish cycling.. not that I needed it ranting done now, will crawl back into small hovel and read...

We are not excited , we are all calm .

But I thought the point of polls were to accurately give all scenarios of a idea or situation, then you choose. Thats all I am saying , he left out some options.

Poll was flawed, because did not ask everything, thats all

 

[tstenback]

usually 4-6 weeks. but could be shorter and could be longer It is not necessarily a faster way of cycling just more humane.

4 to 6 weeks for fishless cycle?

Although some may take that long, most people have reported 2 to 3 weeks.

My 75 gallon cycled in 17 days. My 10 gallon using bacteria from 75 gallon took 11 days

True this may be true at times and i have had these experiences too. But i have also seen(often) 29 gals that have taken 35-40 days to cycle and i have had one ten gal that took a full 6 weeks. I think that by saying it takes 2-3 weeks we are IMO creating a perception that is based more on the exception than the norm.

 

[canarsie11]

usually 4-6 weeks. but could be shorter   and could be longer   It is not necessarily a faster way of cycling  just more humane. 

4 to 6 weeks for fishless cycle?

Although some may take that long, most people have reported 2 to 3 weeks.

My 75 gallon cycled in 17 days. My 10 gallon using bacteria from 75 gallon took 11 days

True this may be true at times and i have had these experiences too. But i have also seen(often) 29 gals that have taken 35-40 days to cycle and i have had one ten gal that took a full 6 weeks. I think that by saying it takes 2-3 weeks we are IMO creating a perception that is based more on the exception than the norm.

I will give you that, that is true.

Dont want it to be seen a a magical way to cycle

 

[NinjaSmurf]

That's what I said, there needs to be more options on the poll...

 

[luxum]

To lessen the stress on yourself, expect a six week cycle if you have little or no seed material. If you have tons of material i've seen cycles establish in 10 days. It all depends, it's fairly variable. A lot of people go into this with unrealistic expectations and panic when it seems to them to be going too slow. Mine have finished as fast as 2 weeks (with a fairly small media volume) and the last one i did took about a month (with a much larger media volume).