Fishless Cycle...

[H2O]

Our tank was cycled using the fishless cycle. From my experience with this method I can't see why everyone doesn't use it.
You don't need to stress any fish out with Ammonia/Nitrite. The tank is cycled in three weeks or less and once it is cycled you can add a good stock of fish straight away.
I don't understand why people would want to cycle a tank with fish any more? I read a lot of posts here from newbie's who have various problems with their fish but if you look at their situation they are in the middle of cycling the tank. This will cause Ammonia/Nitrite poisoning of the fish and they will get stressed and have any number of diseases.
If you cycle using fish then you need to expect this. This is why you should only use a few (as in three or four) small hardy fish. Then gradually add more fish once the tank is fully cycled, but no more than three or four more small fish every other week so long as your water tests show okay.
Why anyone would want to put the fish through this and have a lot of stress themselves from trying to save fish is beyond me.

 

[teknikz]

i used fish to cycle my tank because ive been told the bacteria grows stronger faster and better.........none of my fish were stressed by the looks of things and they have settled in nicely......nitrites peaked quickly n went down very fast to nil........i just feel that my bacteria is stronger than it would be if i cycled with no fish......ive added more fish and the parameters have stayed nil

Tek

 

[H2O]

I'm afraid you have been told wrong.
The bacteria feed on ammonia. The amount of ammonia a few fish produce is tiny compared to the amount of pure ammonia that you can add to a tank during a fishless cycle.
This is how come you can add a full fish stock once the cycle is complete. because the bacteria has grown very strong and fast in to a thriving colony. When you cycle with fish the bacteria only get a small amount of ammonia and so the colony is smaller and not as well established. Which is why people are advised to only add a few fish at a time to build the number of fish up, so that the bacteria colony has chance to grow.
Which is also why you get a mini cycle when you add new fish.

 

[teknikz]

i doubt ive been told wrong.....as i asked the ppl here in the forum....read up on it on the internet....and asked every 1 that works in the many lfs's that i go to......and every1 has said fish during cycling is good

i had 4 fish in the week b4 last.......now i have 11 and my nitrite and ammonia have both stayed at nil........so the filter must have a good colony of bacteria otherwise the nitrites n ammonia levels would have krept up and they havent budged

i doubt all those ppl are wrong....and if i remember correctly....in my juwel aquariums manual......it says after a few days from set-up add 3-5 hardy fish as this will help the tank cycle faster........n theyve got 30yrs professional experience under their belts so i think they know what theyre talkin about

Tek

 

[H2O]

The reason you have been told this is because using fish to cycle tanks has been used by everyone for many years.

Just because a method has been used for many years does not mean that there is not a better way.

Whenever you add fish to a tank the ammonia levels increase in your tank. So the bacteria colony in your tank needs to increase in size to consume the additional ammonia.

If your tests show no change then I would be concerned about the validity of the test kit you are using.

When Juwel say adding a few fish will help the tank cycle faster they are only sort of correct, without fish (or another source of ammonia) in the tank it wouldn't cycle at all.

...but, you don't have to listen to me. it's just IME.

 

[gadazobe]

I agree with H2O - using fish for cycling is wrong - the fish suffer and many of them die during the process. It's much easier to use the fishless cycle and to use ammonia. I've done it, written my method here, never lost a fish due to ammonia or nitrite poisoning - that's right, poisoning. That's what you're doing to your fish when you use them to cycle. How would you feel if you lived in an environment where ammonia was released into the oxygen? Admittedly it's boring looking at a tank with no fish, but just think that when the cycle is complete - you can fill up with all the fish you want all at the same time. Go on - next time you cycle a tank - give you fish a break and try the fishless method.

 

[pondfreak4365]

We've done it both ways. I was a total newbie and was told I could just cycle for a week and add fish. I lost all the neons within a week and several other livebearers. We used a fishless cycle for our 75 gallon tank, using gravel and filters from our established tanks....drum roll...all of the 27 fish we stocked with are still alive! I really like not putting my fishies through the stress.

We just set up our new 55 gallon today and also plan a fishless cycle for it, just seeded with gravel from another tank and we've had the filter in the large tank for a while growing bacteria.

So, I agree with H2O too!