Just got a 33 G Tank

[G_Sharky]

OK Guys/Gals just got a 33 G Tank and i'm wondering if i could get some tips on how to set it up properly like should i wash the gravel and decorations before i put it in the aquarium and need some info on how to cycle it with or without a fish, Thanks

 

[Patrick333]

I always clean my gravel and decorations in hot water.

 

[QHowes]

get some gravel from a fiends tank and put that in ur tank. make sure ur water is chlorine free. the gravel has bacteria that your tank needs to get rid of harmful things like nitrites. you will want to pick up amonia and nitrite test kits.

 

[thecichlidaddict]

Hey G

First I will discuss the benefits of each way of cycling. Then when you decide which is best for you we can discuss the actual cycle.

Fishless cycling takes less time. A very large colony of bacteria is formed, allowing you to put as many fish as you'd like into the tank at once. The only negative is that you need to deal with an empty tank for the entire cycle, and this can be easier said then done.

Fish cycling takes much longer, but allows you to actually have fish in the tank the entire time. Not many fish though, you need to start the stocking off very lightly in order to keep the fish healthy. I cycle my tanks this way because I like to stock my tanks gradually over time anyway, there is no benefit to fishless for the way I do things.

The question is, which sounds better for you?


Also, anything you ever introduce into the tank except for the fish themselves should be rinsed first. If you use anything like rocks or wood found in outdoors yourself you should even boil it, just to make sure.

 

[G_Sharky]

Thanks guys But i think i would do a fishless cycle as i can't bear to see another fish die due to it as i already lost nearly 13 fish when i started with my 10 Gallon. I'm also short on patience so i would like to get this done ASAP and from all the research i've done on cycling, fishless is the quickest way...

 

[thecichlidaddict]

There are a couple of ways to do a fishless cycle, this is a good one:

You need bottled ammonia. It can be found in grocery stores, maybe hardware stores if you can't find it there. Make sure it does not contain any soaps or perfumes. (if it is colored or foams when you shake it, don't buy it)

Make sure all your equipment is running for movement and oxygenation. Heat the tank up to the high 80's, this will help speed up the cycle.

Carefully add ammonia to the tank a bit at a time, testing after each addition, and keeping track of how much you are using. When ammonia in the tank measures 4 ppm, stop adding and note how much it took to get there.

Add this amount everyday. Eventually you will see the ammonia begin to fall and the nitrite begin to rise. At this point decrease the ammount of ammonia you are using by half. Keep adding daily, and testing. When nitrite and ammonia are both 0, you are ready for fish.

Keep adding the ammonia every day until the very day that you add fish. Do a 75-100% water change before adding them, this will take care of the nitrates that have built up from the cycle, and also make sure no un-converted ammonia is in the water. Make sure the heat is at a normal level as well.

To further speed up the cycle, add media from an established filter to your own filter. Obtain this froma friend or the LFS. This will introduce the bacteria direcly into your tank, giving the cycle a very healthy boosts - cycles have taken as little as a week with this method.

Hope this helps

 

[Dragonslair]

Hello GS
Have you read the pinned article arout new tank syndrome and some of the others. You may find some useful information in there.

 

[G_Sharky]

Change of plans guys, I went to my LFS today and to my surprise nobody have ever heard of a fishless cycle and they don't sell bottled ammonia, too bad i didn't catch your post guys, If i knew that I could buy them in grocery and hardware store then i would start the fishless cycle, but now my LFS recommended me to get 6 blood fin tetras to cycle a 33 galon(poor little things).

 

[G_Sharky]

I just noticed today that the water in my Tank is blurry and i did an ammonia and nitrite test and the result is 0(i just put some fish in last night). I read somewhere else that when the water get's blurry it means that there is a nitrite spike, but there's no nitrite and ammonia present yet in my tank. Does anybody knows why this would happen?

 

[thecichlidaddict]

Do you mean there is a white cloudiness to it?

Did you by chance add any established bacteria to the tank?

 

[G_Sharky]

Yeah it's a little cloudy, no i didn't put any establish bacteria on the tank, I only put cycle on it(bacteria in the bottle). It's a little better today but it's still cloudy, no sign of stress to the fish though, I'll test my water again in a couple of days.... And i'll be adding some decorations from my other tank maybe after a week....

 

[suemack]

hi G

any chance of getting a couple of handfulls of gravel, or some filter material from an established tank.....that would help to get the bacteria established in your tank


congratulations on the new tank

sue

 

[G_Sharky]

Thanks Sue
The reason why i'm waiting for a week to transfer some gravel and decorations from my other tank is because it just finished the cycle recently and i don't want to start another minicycle by removing some of the beneficial bacteria. I'll be posting pics next week when everything is set up and once i get my digi cam