My Fishless Cycle

[Twinklecaz]

Ha ha yeah, to see if we can survive on our own!

I just need to know what someone experience thinks of this stocking thing next weekend. What did WD say to you about it? See I think coz I've had such a long cyle and it's mostly behaving now, coupled with the fact I'll be getting less than half my final stocking (I'll only be getting 5 fish) that it'll be fine but then I thought of something else............if I do that, then get my 6 Pandas the weekend after that'll mean I'm more than doubling my stock and maybe that could be a problem? I don't know if a week is enough time for some of the bacteria to die off so the filter only knows how to deal with the 5 fish it has. Does that make sense? Like do I run the risk of sending myself into a mini-cycle?

 

[PDSimon]

I can't survive on my own, i'm falling apart

WD doesn't say much about stocking, I just made threads on it...

Yeah by stocking another double your stock wouldn't be a good idea, it'd be a better idea to stick them all in one go.

 

[Twinklecaz]

You know the prob I've got....I don't see how I'll have room for that many bags floating on my tank all at once!

 

[Twinklecaz]

Double 0's today but then I am pretty sure I only put 2ml in rather than my usual 3. I decided it was best to underdose than overdose.

 

[Twinklecaz]

RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA trace of Nitrite again!

It's such a small trace each time, the solution is still blue just a purpley one!

It appears my filter can process no prob in about 13 hours and sometimes 12.

Am I doing the right thing getting 5 of my fish this weekend?

 

[PDSimon]

how much stocking is the five fish? this seems insane and I don't think anyone could tell you to wait 7 more days of double 0's!

 

[Twinklecaz]

It's odd isn't it, it's like it does it in 12 hours every other day and 13 the day between.

##143### says it's 66%. Basically I'll have 5 of my eventual 17 fish (sounds a lot but the other 12 will be 6 Pands and 6 Neons).

[Edit] oooooo how come we're not allowed to name the website that advises people anymore?

 

[PDSimon]

##143###? how odd.. but atleast I know what you mean

If you've had this confirmed with other members imo its fine. It seems like you've had a lot of double 0's now...

 

[Twinklecaz]

No-ones really confirmed anything except you and Joshua......I don't think anyway. Apologies if someone has.

 

[PDSimon]

I thought you made a thread on it hah.

I have no idea about stocking, but less than 75% I think its fine

 

[Twinklecaz]

Double 0's again. I'll be happy if it now stays like this till fish day (Saturday).

Hope my plants come tomorrow/Friday. If not fish day will be next Sat

 

[JoshuaA]

I put in 49% of my stocking, you could probably get away with adding the 5 fish + your Pandas. They are only juvenile remember so I believe even at the theoretical 100% of your stocking you wouldn't actually achieve that number until a good few months/year down the line.

It really is up to you although I would advise only going the first 5 fish initially. Or at least 50% of your intended stocking. That really shouldn't bother the filter.

 

[waterdrop]

The Add&Wait Fishless Cycling writeup that RDD worked so hard on is truely meant to allow a 100% stocking (I believe) and I think there have been a few examples of people actually doing that in the past (people with a "species" (all one species) tank, that sort of thing.) But of course most of us beginners want community tanks and often have a few fish we want to introduce later, after the tank has matured more or we can't actually find the fish available at the first stocking. I also admit that most of us are a little paranoid about going right at 100% at the first stocking and just don't mind the idea of going at 50% or 75% or however it happens to work out. The stocking we're talking about is -also- quite conservative (the one-inch-guideline business) and I think that is a -good- thing, as its one more safety feature to help make a good first year experience.

~~waterdrop~~

 

[Twinklecaz]

Hi guys

Yeah I think I'm just gonna go for the 5 this week. The LFS didn't have Pandas last week so I may have to request them/find somewhere else anyway.

 

[JoshuaA]

Hey WD

What else does rotting plants etc release during decomposition?

Ammonia and obviously some other stuff but is there much of a write up on this? I have somewhat been a bit "lazy" about scooping up plant remains (broken leaves etc) purely because I want to preserve some of the bacterial colony. Hoping I won't lose enough to cause a spike when I add my next lot of fish in

My 2nd tank has been acting funny, Ammonia is reduced pretty fast 12 hours already and nitrite was in fact being reduced faster than ammonia initially, however it has somewhat changed and the nitrite has stalled. Anywho I bought a replacement filter as got fed up of the stingray filter and bought a Fluval U1 seeing as our successful with the fluval U2 was convincing. I know its going to knock me back a lot unless I cut up the filter sponges in to slithers and cram it in the new filter... when it eventually does come.

Ordered off a site I have had great custom with before however this time they just haven't given me any notifications and have ignored my emails. Will give them till the end of the week to deliver or I will file a dispute on paypal.