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[AlexT]

Main thing is you are all good to go

 

[777james777]

i think more what I mean is @AlexT @Essjay @CaptainBarnicles is….

Iv just changed the water now so basically I have lots of good bacteria but they have nothing to eat (they will when my fish poo) but how long will they survive before they die of starving from ammonia

Fish won’t be till 11am tomorrow

 

[CaptainBarnicles]

I'm not too sure on the answer here but my estimation is that you'll be OK until tomorrow. The fishless cycle method allows you to grow more bacteria than you need, so even if some die off there will still be enough to cope with your fish load. Plus, you've got a load of plants in there now too, which will help. I do however absolutely insist you get more cryptocorynes! Only because in my very humble () opinion, they're so attractive and happen to be my favourite

 

[jaylach]

PUT IN SOME DANGED FISH!

I won't argue with anything that has been said by others but I really believe that some are trying to get you to reach perfection which will never happen. We are trying to duplicate nature in a small enclosed environment and this is just not possible.

In my opinion while I have nothing against a fish-less cycle I have never totally done one. In my opinion once the ammonia is under 0.5 PPM and there are at least traces of Nitrates and Nitrites the tank needs fish to finish the process. You can fight all you want by adding raw ammonia to feed bacteria but a true balance will never be reached until there are fish in the tank to naturally supply the ammonia and establish a real cycle according to the fish population.

Let's take my little 20 gallon cube tank. Actually I haven't actually chemically tested the water in ages as the tank is way over a year old and stable. Still I used to do regular testing and did not have any real concern unless the PPM for ammonia hit in the area of 0.5. Often I would get results of ammonia of 0.25 PPM and who cares. With my water temperature and PH a reading of 0.25 PPM of amonia actually relates to something like 0.004 PPM of actual ammonia which is not an issue to any fish I've ever kept. It has to be understood that any ammonia test also includes ammonium which is the majority of the reading and not any kind of real issue.

To be honest ... considering that I'm very old school ... I don't really want zero ammonia. I DO want it very low as in the area of 0.1 to 0.15 PPM but I've never been concerned as to trying to get it to an actual zero. Let's be real and accept that a tank with absolutely no ammonia is a dead tank as the good bacteria would have nothing on which to feed.

I'm sure tat I'll get yelled at and there will be all kinds of things said contrary to what I've said but you will never achieve a true balance in the tank until fish are introduced. Again I am NOT against a fish less cycle but consider this to just be the start and a good start at that.

Most on this site will recommend to not add chemicals to a tank to solve an issue yet this thread mostly says to keep adding chemicals.

I say to add some fish but not what you want for a full population. Add a few fish you want that are on the lower end price just in case and let the fish and tank just steep like a tea bag. A balance will be reached. Initially the ammonia count may rise a little with the introduction but will soon drop. Gradually add more fish while allowing the tank ecology to adapt.

In my humble opinion you will never reach the best water conditions in a tank unless there are fish in the tank as fish are part of the equation.

Don't get me wrong as I respect all that have led you but that does not mean that I have o totally agree. In y humble opinion you need some fish in the tank to finish the process. You are close enough to quit trying to reach perfection. Quit adding ammonia and ad a small population of fish instead. The fish will supply the needed ammonia naturally.

 

[CaptainBarnicles]

PUT IN SOME DANGED FISH!

Agreed!

 

[Essjay]

He's going to put fish in - tomorrow as he can only get to the fish store at weekends


Fish make the difference between 'cycled' and 'mature'. We concentrate on growing ammonia and nitrite eaters as ammonia and nitrite can kill fish. But there are still a lot of micro-organisms which need to grow before a tank can be called 'mature'.

 

[AlexT]

PUT IN SOME DANGED FISH!

I won't argue with anything that has been said by others but I really believe that some are trying to get you to reach perfection which will never happen. We are trying to duplicate nature in a small enclosed environment and this is just not possible.

In my opinion while I have nothing against a fish-less cycle I have never totally done one. In my opinion once the ammonia is under 0.5 PPM and there are at least traces of Nitrates and Nitrites the tank needs fish to finish the process. You can fight all you want by adding raw ammonia to feed bacteria but a true balance will never be reached until there are fish in the tank to naturally supply the ammonia and establish a real cycle according to the fish population.

Let's take my little 20 gallon cube tank. Actually I haven't actually chemically tested the water in ages as the tank is way over a year old and stable. Still I used to do regular testing and did not have any real concern unless the PPM for ammonia hit in the area of 0.5. Often I would get results of ammonia of 0.25 PPM and who cares. With my water temperature and PH a reading of 0.25 PPM of amonia actually relates to something like 0.004 PPM of actual ammonia which is not an issue to any fish I've ever kept. It has to be understood that any ammonia test also includes ammonium which is the majority of the reading and not any kind of real issue.

To be honest ... considering that I'm very old school ... I don't really want zero ammonia. I DO want it very low as in the area of 0.1 to 0.15 PPM but I've never been concerned as to trying to get it to an actual zero. Let's be real and accept that a tank with absolutely no ammonia is a dead tank as the good bacteria would have nothing on which to feed.

I'm sure tat I'll get yelled at and there will be all kinds of things said contrary to what I've said but you will never achieve a true balance in the tank until fish are introduced. Again I am NOT against a fish less cycle but consider this to just be the start and a good start at that.

Most on this site will recommend to not add chemicals to a tank to solve an issue yet this thread mostly says to keep adding chemicals.

I say to add some fish but not what you want for a full population. Add a few fish you want that are on the lower end price just in case and let the fish and tank just steep like a tea bag. A balance will be reached. Initially the ammonia count may rise a little with the introduction but will soon drop. Gradually add more fish while allowing the tank ecology to adapt.

In my humble opinion you will never reach the best water conditions in a tank unless there are fish in the tank as fish are part of the equation.

Don't get me wrong as I respect all that have led you but that does not mean that I have o totally agree. In y humble opinion you need some fish in the tank to finish the process. You are close enough to quit trying to reach perfection. Quit adding ammonia and ad a small population of fish instead. The fish will supply the needed ammonia naturally.

No one is trying to get anyone to reach perfection. Perfection cannot be achieved. Just people following a proven formula. There is always more than one way of doing this as you are highlighting. Unless I am wrong, this has been quite rewarding although frustrating for James and useful for the rest of us. And it's over now anyway, in terms of the fishless cycling. Thanks to modern technology and research, the fish are going into a much better situation than they might have in previous times.

 

[BigBurgassio]

@Essjay @CaptainBarnicles

It took me 50 mins to empty and refill but we are finally ready the pictures don’t do it justice it looks much better in real life

That tank looks immense ! Great job scaping it

 

[777james777]

Thank you, I do feel it’s missing a few bits. I really wanted slate in there and natural rocks as opposed to the ornaments but Iv been really put off / paranoid incase anything leaks from them into my tank

How easy do the roots attach to the ornaments (from the plants that need them)

 

[BigBurgassio]

Thank you, I do feel it’s missing a few bits. I really wanted slate in there and natural rocks as opposed to the ornaments but Iv been really put off / paranoid incase anything leaks from them into my tank

How easy do the roots attach to the ornaments (from the plants that need them)

Maybe the right side of the temple a bit bare but it still looks ace , cant wait to see the fish in it

 

[777james777]

Maybe the right side of the temple a bit bare but it still looks ace , cant wait to see the fish in it

Yeh I did think that, I may pick up another ornament at pier aquatic

 

[777james777]

Ok so the fish are in -
There are 5 breeds -
I also go a skull cave some moss balls and an extra plant.
I know lots of people have different opinions on what should be with what etc etc but I had to go off what I could. Pier aquatics spent 45 minutes with me they were brilliant and were keen on the fact I must had done the water cycle. There advised me lots of fish to not put with others etc

Anyway after 50 days Iv made it - they all see calm happy and healthy !
@Essjay @CaptainBarnicles

 

[Lcc86]

Yay! Been following this thread and commend you for how patient and meticulous you've been! Onwards and upwards!

 

[Essjay]

So what fish are they?

I can see -
neons, which are great for your soft water
rummy nose tetras - great for your soft water
platies, which are hard water fish unfortunately
are the yellow and black fish mollies? they need very hard water
a species of rainbowfish, which are mostly hard water fish, but it does depend on the species

 

[777james777]

I did go through this at the shop with them, it was very difficult to obviously check.
Are they going to be okay? The seem okay
I’m worried now