Fishless cycle

[val]

I've been reading around, and it seems like you have to cycle for a month before you can add your fishies. I was wondering what the minimum cycling time would be for a 29 gallon tank.(If that makes a difference.) I have some fish coming in 1 to 2 weeks and I want to put them in the new tank immediately. Is this possible?

thanks a bunch,
Valerie

 

[H2O]

Doubtful. It does happen but average it is about 3 weeks.

 

[val]

Well then, does it make a difference if there are about 600 live bacteria already circulating after I added some Stress zyme?

 

[Tanked]

stress zyme will not really help cycling the tank. you would need 100% pure ammonia or fish food left to rot away to produce ammonia. without ammonia there is no cycle

 

[H2O]

With no Ammonia/Nitrite in the tank those bacteria will die off altogether in about 8 hrs.

 

[val]

oh, fish poopy. well, guess I won't be getting my new fish, then. unless, she'll hold it for me for 3 weeks... Are there any cleaner ways to put Ammonia/Nitrite in the tank?


Valerie

 

[H2O]

I've explained the fishless cycle here.

 

[val]

Well, that won't work! I've already added my water conditioner that removes ammonia. great. Is there any other way? Like a fish cycle? I feel so stupid. I did all this research and still managed to mess it up.


Valerie

 

[H2O]

You can still do the fishless cycle. Just do a 100% water change and don't add the water conditioner this time.
Don't feel too bad. If I added up all the hours I have spent on research it would be easier to start counting in years... ...and I am still learning.

 

[mooga]

you don't have to wait a month to cycle your tank. i bought a 29 gallon a year ago to transfer fish from another tank. all you have to do is wait a week( if the tank is properly aerated) and slowly add fish to to make sure you don't overload the the parameters. i wouldn't advise plopping a whole bunch of fish at once even if you think the tank is cycled. it will still overload the parameters. my advice is to add fish one at a time without the water change.

 

[val]

oh, thank Mooga! I also just read an article that said if you add some zebra danios, who are very hardy, that they will start the cycling. I wonder if I should just add 2 zebra danios?

Valerie

 

[H2O]

Adding a few hardy fish is the way fish tanks have been cycled for years. I don't use this as I think it is cruel to the fish. You are actually making them live in toxic conditions which is why many people have a lot of problems with disease when they first start keeping fish.
It will take approx 6 to 8 weeks to fully cycle and then you can add other fish a few (3 or 4 small fish) at a time slowly.