new tank - help with cycling please

[LoveMyFishys]

hey all,

Didn't get much of a reply on my last post so i am hoping that this will.

My new tank comes saturday ! yay but i need some help on setting it up.

I have everything i need BUT what is the chemical that you use for amonia when fishless cycling ??

Is there anything else i need to add like bacterlife ect ect

Basic guidelines for what needs doing would be great !!

Thanks All

p.s the tank is 3ft x 2ft x1ft incase you need to know.

 

[Def]

If you're doing fishless cycling, you need to add pure ammonia. If you can't get hold of it, or you don't want to do fishless cycling then products like Cycle will be a major help.

 

[LoveMyFishys]

so how often do i need to add these types of products? ? just the once or over a period of time ? anything else i need to add or know ? Thanks

 

[LoveMyFishys]

oh and also should i use water from my current tank (which has new tank syndrome) or completly start a fresh with fishless cycling ?

 

[canarsie11]

Cycle is crap IMO. Bio Spira will work. if you can get your hands on it.

Get your pure ammonia. Where do you live?

Also, water from new tanks will do nothing, taking some gravel from establish tank will work.

 

[shrimpster97]

ive heard that danios will speed up the cycling process. is that true?

 

[LoveMyFishys]

I live in london so could probably get my hands on pure amonia from somewhere !

We have marine gravel at the moment, and never again ! i hate the stuff it's all shells and horriable to clean so we are going to get gravel this time.

 

[clutterydrawer]

you ,ight ahve more trouble finding it that you think, its notoriously hard to find in the UK. your ebst chance is to go to a small, private-ownedhardware/DIY store, NOT one of the big chains like B+Q, and look for household ammonia made by Jeyes.

 

[Cavafish]

If you dont want to mix your gravel from your existing tank in with the new stuff I have heard that you can put some of the old gravel in a stocking/pair of tights and put this in the new tank buried in your new substrate. That way you can spread the bacteria that is on the old substrate but still remove it afterwards.

I've never done it though........

 

[LoveMyFishys]

hmm ok thats a thought, will give that a look into !! can't wait to get it shall i post pics once i have it set up and running ? or are you all bored of peoples pics ??

 

[Ava_Banana]

Post pics..........that way I don't feel so bad about posting more pics of mine.........

 

[swampcat]

If you have an existing tank, use filter media from it in new tank, with some fish. Sponge , carbon, ceramic cylinders , bio balls ect. Bacteria thrive in this material. Bacteria will quickly spread into new media and tank.

You need some fish to keep bacteria alive, will die without food source (ammonia and nitrites).

 

[LoveMyFishys]

Thanks the new tank is here and ready to have water but i am waiting for the pump as it got broken in transit !

I am hoping that they will like the tank !! Will post a pic tonight if i can, if not will be tomorrow.

Wish me luck with it !!

 

[Crystal]

ive heard that danios will speed up the cycling process. is that true?

If you use danios, then you are no longer doing a fishless cycle, and it is hard on the little guys. I found a lot of lfs say to use danios because they are hardier fish, but I would personally not want to put my fish through the cycle process after doing a fishless cycle and reading how high the levels of ammonia and nitrites go during the process.