Fishless Or With Fish Cycle?

[rdd1952]

Fishless is much easier and eliminates the lose of fish from ammonia and nitrite poisoning. It is also much less work.

Another vote for bacterial cultures. I have great success with Stress-Zyme.

Stress Zyme does not claim to contain nitrifying bacteria.

From the API website tech sheet: "Stress Zyme is a biological filter additive containing live bacteria that improves the development of the biological filter and helps clean a dirty aquarium. The build-up of organic pollution in the aquarium inhibits the growth of nitrifying bacteria. The bacteria in Stress-Zyme keep conditions in the aquarium right for the development of the biological filter by consuming harmful organic pollutants."

You keep a tank clean with water changes, not a chemical. It also says that it can be used in both freshwater and salt water. There is a totally different set of nitrifying bacteria in SW versus FW so how could it help both tanks when they aren't even the same bacteria.

As you can tell, I am one of those that think bacteria in a bottle products are a waste of money. If they really worked, do you think any of us would ever do a fishless cycle again? Most of us have tried them and know for a fact that they don't work.

 

[tetraqueen]

I believe everyone who does fishless does both but those that do a fish less cycle lose less fish in the fish cycle.

That is the most difficult sentence to read, ever

Typical male attitude!!!


You obviously felt you had to comment. Is it meant as an insult or a dig !!!??

The question originally was 'Is it better to do a fishless cycle'?

Please put punctuation in or write a perfect sentence.

In ma langwich we conna be bothered n yer a snob 4 yer bbc english n folks disnae matter wit ye sae as long as it is guid far der brain. That is my tongue and I can understand it so English is for gentlemen and us wee bit lassies dinny dare care for ye. Its not a beautiful moon light tonight. disnae sound rght te me.

 

[rdd1952]

I believe everyone who does fishless does both but those that do a fish less cycle lose less fish in the fish cycle.

That is the most difficult sentence to read, ever

Typical male attitude!!!

You obviously felt you had to comment. Is it meant as an insult or a dig !!!?

I have to agree that the sentence is difficult. I still don't know what it means by "everyone who does fishless does both". You either do a cycle with fish or without but you can't do both at the same time.

Edited for spelling.

 

[tetraqueen]

If you cycle without fish then that is a fishless cycle.

You then add fish and cycle the tank with those fish for the next few weeks.

Or you do not care.

Why bother to do a fishless cycle then add the fish and take no readings.

so if you put in fish and do not do a fishless cycle you do a cycle with fish.

If you do fishless and want to add fish then you do it both ways.

However if you cannot understand then you never will.

 

[rdd1952]

If you cycle without fish then that is a fishless cycle.

You then add fish and cycle the tank with those fish for the next few weeks.

Or you do not care.

Why bother to do a fishless cycle then add the fish and take no readings.

so if you put in fish and do not do a fishless cycle you do a cycle with fish.

If you do fishless and want to add fish then you do it both ways.

However if you cannot understand then you never will.

Actually, when you do a fishless cycle, your IS cycled. The tank won't cycle any more once you add fish. Some bacteria will actually begin to die off as you will have more than you need for the waste the fish produce. Yes, it's important to keep testing but if you have properly cycled before adding the fish, your ammonia and nitrite readings will always be zero. If they aren't, then you didn't complete the fishless cycle.

 

[tetraqueen]

Have done this a few times now and have kept on average 98% of the fish whereas my mate who has done nothing has lost the whole tank twice.

I still believe in water changes after adding the fish first.......

 

[GRJ]

I was under the impression that once you have done a fishless cycle, you can 'fully' stock! When you do a fish in cycle, you have to add fish very slowly as the bio-load has to keep catching up! Thats what it says on here.

 

[ShoC]

Typical male attitude!!!


You obviously felt you had to comment. Is it meant as an insult or a dig !!!??

The question originally was 'Is it better to do a fishless cycle'?

Please put punctuation in or write a perfect sentence.

In ma langwich we conna be bothered n yer a snob 4 yer bbc english n folks disnae matter wit ye sae as long as it is guid far der brain. That is my tongue and I can understand it so English is for gentlemen and us wee bit lassies dinny dare care for ye. Its not a beautiful moon light tonight. disnae sound rght te me.

Eummm,
thats a little sexist don't you think?
with the whole typical male attitude!!!

and I agree it is difficult to read that sentence,
I'm just saying that as a comment not a dig btw.

and with regards to the topic,
Doing a fishless is so much better with regards to the fish health and once the cycle is finished you can fully stock
where as a fish cycle you have to slowly and carefully introduce.

 

[tetraqueen]

Why put a nasty comment like that if its not a dig..



I am quite offended or I would not have put it in such strong terms back.


Those that do not do a fishless cycle need to go on another topic where to look after fish all you have to do is dump them in water.


I do not believe the cycle is ever complete.


If so why do we have to keep taking readings etc..


I expect we will never agree but I do object to being made a fool of!!!!

 

[ShoC]

reading have to be checked to make sure the cycle never crashes or stalls,
I understand your frustration,
but a generalized attitude will cause people to be offended,
you could have very well said something towards the person who offended you instead of saying
typical male attitude as I find that offensive and sexist,
I'm sure if I said something about woman and said typical female attitude I would have been grilled

anyway Enough of this its off topic.

 

[GRJ]

I have to say, the whole 'typical male' comment was offensive to those of us who know better. We shouldnt all be put in the same box, but as ShoC said, this is off topic!

 

[rdd1952]

Those that do not do a fishless cycle need to go on another topic where to look after fish all you have to do is dump them in water.


I do not believe the cycle is ever complete.


If so why do we have to keep taking readings etc..


I expect we will never agree but I do object to being made a fool of!!!!

We keep taking readings to ease our mind and to make sure some other problem hasn't popped up. IF you fully cycle a tank fishlessly, you will not see any ammonia or nitrite once you add the fish. If you test the water daily and always get 0 readings, then the tank was cycled and no more cycling os going on. If you get any positive readings, the tank wasn't cycled to begin with.

A cycled tank is nothing more than one with enough bacteria present to handle the bio-load of it's inhabitants. After a successful fishless cycle, there will be enough bacteria to probably handle 3 to 5 times the normal stocking load for that tank so you cold easily add the fish and never test again but as I said, we do it for our own peace of mind.

I will say that I just cycled a 5 gallon to put a betta in but decided to get neons for my 29 gallon tank and use the 5 gallon as a Q-tank for a while before getting the betta. I added the 11 neons (I bought 10 but he apparently counted wrong) and tested the water about 12 hours later. Ammonia and nitrite were 0. I tested again 24 hours later and got 0s again and haven't tested again since (6 days). I was confident the tank was fully cycled so I saw no need to test further.

In any case, back on topic, I think we all agree that cycling without fish is the best (and easiest) way to go. Cloning a tank is easier and quicker if you have a tank you can clone from but newbies usually don't have that luxury.

 

[tetraqueen]

This is obviously your point of argumen..

I ask this to be closed as it is in no way saying how good this forum is or helping anyone.
What is typical male attitude those that are predudiced to it being said must have it as in my opinion it is

a statement of fact like crazy woman etc although some take it so seriously.


If this attitude carries on well good bye.

 

[kalihat]

I'm cycling a tank now, and I'm doing fishless. I can't imagine how much work it would be with fish. My parents are ready for me to get my fish in there so I can get rid of the other tank, but I'm making them wait! I'd recommend going without fish, less cost and less work! Good luck!

 

[ShoC]

agreed the workload is reduced ten-fold and its for sure is cheaper not having to buy more fish from those that die,

so saves heart ache also