Keeping A Tank Cycled.

[asheyna]

I'm with AA and Old Spouse. Some things can be tricky to get rid of. Especially if you're not totally sure what it was. It will likely save you headache, and heartache, in the future to sterilize everything and start over.

So sorry for your loss

 

[pumpkinnose]

I'm with everyone here. I'd start a new since you want to leave the tank going anyways with out adding more fish. This way you know for sure that there isn't anything in the filter, water or sitting on any of the decorations. I cleaned our 10 gallon and since I'm an impatient person and went ahead and added more fish to my aquarium after my goldfish died but my pleco survived. Seems like it wasn't anything contagious as I've had the platies for almost a month and only lost 2. One to the water quality and another to getting caught on the filter. I've definitely started doing water changes more if I notice the fish are acting strange.

 

[TwoTankAmin]

I agree on not wanting to keep that tank running. You do not know what killed the fish nor if it is present or not.

There are a number of effective bottled bacteria available that do work. Dr Tim's One and Only, Tetra's Safe start and a product in Europe called ABIL. There are more but most are available for Aquaculture moreso than for aquariums. The best option is usually media and/or substrate from healthy seasoned tanks. However, there are times when this isn't available or isn't advisable for other reasons. My experience has been limited to Dr. Tim's and I can usually set up a new tank to be fully cycled by borrowing stuff from a bunch of my various tanks.

Most of the bottled bacteria products do not contain the desired bacteria. They may contain stuff that helps some, but not what you want and will end up with in a tank long term. If you do decide to try one of the products, you do need to follow the directions which may often be more detailed on the manufacturer's site for that product.

 

[LucyB]

I'd start over - Better to be safe than sorry, right?

 

[PrairieSunflower]

Well... I have one fish that has survived and is on its way to recovery. I have bought more test strips and am testing daily and so far the tank is remaining cycled. I am planning to begin re-doing things this week... I have decided I will be replacing my sand with gravel so I am waiting on that to arrive by order before I start.

Should I buy new sponges for my filters as well? Or is cleaning them out enough?

 

[raptorrex]

No, those products don't work unfortunately

Present scientific studies to back this statement up for every product available. Two Tank Amin might be able to point you in the right direction, he's very up on the literature regarding this.

humm, advertising research. the famous Dr Tim. lol. (peer reviews by his business/research partner)
thing is, over the years, we've found here. these things don't work. or not consistently anyway.


I'd make a clean start. @OP.

 

[Bugdozer]

No, those products don't work unfortunately

Present scientific studies to back this statement up for every product available. Two Tank Amin might be able to point you in the right direction, he's very up on the literature regarding this.

humm, advertising research. the famous Dr Tim. lol. (peer reviews by his business/research partner)
thing is, over the years, we've found here. these things don't work. or not consistently anyway.

Over the years "we" have also found that maybe some of these things DO work. However, since the dogma on this forum is to tar all the starter media with the same brush, and to shout down anyone who makes claims that they have managed to speed the cycling of their tank using them as either mistaken, lying, or an idiot whose fish are about to die any moment, many people have learned that it's better to just keep quiet about stuff to avoid the sneering.
And I think it's a little rich for someone who has trouble with capital letters to slag off anyone's scientific research...

 

[PrairieSunflower]

No, those products don't work unfortunately

Present scientific studies to back this statement up for every product available. Two Tank Amin might be able to point you in the right direction, he's very up on the literature regarding this.

humm, advertising research. the famous Dr Tim. lol. (peer reviews by his business/research partner)
thing is, over the years, we've found here. these things don't work. or not consistently anyway.

Over the years "we" have also found that maybe some of these things DO work. However, since the dogma on this forum is to tar all the starter media with the same brush, and to shout down anyone who makes claims that they have managed to speed the cycling of their tank using them as either mistaken, lying, or an idiot whose fish are about to die any moment, many people have learned that it's better to just keep quiet about stuff to avoid the sneering.
And I think it's a little rich for someone who has trouble with capital letters to slag off anyone's scientific research...

Not scientific... but, I use a mixed method to cycle my tanks and they tend to take less than 4 weeks. I do a combination of silent cycling, using the products like Nutrafin Cycle, having a lot of plants and trying to use as much mature media as I can (sometimes its been a smaller filter piggy-backing in the tank, sometimes its been using water from other tanks.

Though... this time around I may have to use a different method since my healthy tank doesn't have enough water to help supply my large tank when I start over.

 

[Alm0stAwesome]

You don't need any water from your healthy tank just filter media.

 

[PrairieSunflower]

You don't need any water from your healthy tank just filter media.

I know people keep saying that. But when I had cycled my second tank and I was trying to use my smaller one... everything would die in it for no reason I could see despite being cycled. I started infusing it with tank water from the second tank and the problem cured. So... whether its needed or not, I've been keeping to that.

 

[Moby-Krib]

You don't need any water from your healthy tank just filter media.

I know people keep saying that. But when I had cycled my second tank and I was trying to use my smaller one... everything would die in it for no reason I could see despite being cycled. I started infusing it with tank water from the second tank and the problem cured. So... whether its needed or not, I've been keeping to that.

Quite the curious read,
Don't stop what works for you by any means BUT..
logic dictates that is an infusion of water (the end result of a proper filtration) is making a difference in the 2nd tank , UM I'll finish the thought for you, REWORK THE FILTRATION IN 2ND TANK!!
Just saying.

 

[raptorrex]

No, those products don't work unfortunately

Present scientific studies to back this statement up for every product available. Two Tank Amin might be able to point you in the right direction, he's very up on the literature regarding this.

humm, advertising research. the famous Dr Tim. lol. (peer reviews by his business/research partner)
thing is, over the years, we've found here. these things don't work. or not consistently anyway.

Over the years "we" have also found that maybe some of these things DO work. However, since the dogma on this forum is to tar all the starter media with the same brush, and to shout down anyone who makes claims that they have managed to speed the cycling of their tank using them as either mistaken, lying, or an idiot whose fish are about to die any moment, many people have learned that it's better to just keep quiet about stuff to avoid the sneering.
And I think it's a little rich for someone who has trouble with capital letters to slag off anyone's scientific research...

if you put it in the tank, and it doesn't work. no amount of "scientific" (sic) research will change that. whatever it says. and thats what happens, far too often. and is the reason for people saying "they don't work".
even Dr Tim. had a product. (he backed with his "scientific" research), back in the mists of time.
now that seemed to work. his research certainly said it did. yet he himself, admitted later. that there were no viable bacteria in his product. (or more correctly, none of that bacteria was evident at the time the cycle was complete)

but the product "seemed" to work. his conclusion was, that it was the additives he used that had some effect on the process.

for a product to be said to work, it must work in well over 90% of cases. even a 50% result is no more than you would expect with pure chance.

the "dogma" that these products, don't work (or far too often don't), is not restricted to this forum. which tells a story of its own.

as for your friend twotank, having to keep his head down. i'm not surprised. every time he did raise it. it got shot off with science and experience. all the posts are there to review.