New Tank Cycling Help!

[FishBlast]

I did a successful fish-in when I first started. Only because I found this forum on Day 2 before there was any ammonia buildup. I just meant that when telling someone new about cycling with fish, maybe include some of the facts or lead them to the reading material provided here so they will be prepared.

Just saying to "use" platys could lead someone to lose a few fish by mistake.

I found this forum 17 years later But discovered the forum first day of when I got 3 new swordtail fish to add to my 9 year old catfish that survived through worse times of uncycled (and unfiltered) tank that had 100% water changes.
Only lost one female swordtail during the first week of cycling. She was weakened further by the other female swordie picking on her in addition to the not yet cycled filter, so she stopped eating and, even though I kept her separately and changed water frequently in the bowl 100%, couldn't save her.

Didn't experience bacteria blooms, but the worst part was not having kits until... I didn't even need them anymore 2 months later (of changing water daily in a 23L tank). Then got the 76L tank I have now, moved the filter and stuff to it. And barely back in May I could confirm that the tank has cycled when I had both ammonia and nitrite kits (which both said 0).

Getting out of the muck was pretty hard, especially when I've been sleeping 17 years in it lol...

 

[OldMan47]

A fishless cycle without the benefit of a test kit means daily water changes of at least 50% daily for a period of at least 6 weeks. It can be done, I have done it myself, but it is a stressful introduction to fish keeping. These days I much prefer the fishless cycle with virtually no water changes, just a few water tests to stay on track. Maybe that just reflects my basically lazy nature.

 

[FishBlast]

A fishless cycle without the benefit of a test kit means daily water changes of at least 50% daily for a period of at least 6 weeks. It can be done, I have done it myself, but it is a stressful introduction to fish keeping. These days I much prefer the fishless cycle with virtually no water changes, just a few water tests to stay on track. Maybe that just reflects my basically lazy nature.

Fish-in I guess is what you meant. And yeah, it was probably stressful, I was doing 90% changes in a 23L tank daily (although halfway there, my mom didn't let me change as often and I had to wait 2 days between changes, but then I sneaked the daily changes back in).
But even fishless would be hard without test kit (not knowing how much ammonia you've added).
I am lazy too, but since I didn't want to lose the fish I already started with (and even cried at the idea of having to give them away), I did my best with what I had (being poor and all...).

 

[OldMan47]

Right you are FishBlast. Sometimes I get mixed up a bit and I answer several of these posts each day, which doesn't help me keep track of my answers. I will be the first to admit that I need to read my prior advice before adding any comments, just to see what I was thinking at the time.