Question About Fishless Cycle

[Snowbrumby]

Hi again

I've read the fishless cycling pages and quite like the idea of not inadvertantly harming anymore fish, so will be giving it a go. My question is, when the Ammonia and Nitrite readings are zero and I do the big water change I'm ready to put in fish, right.
But since I want to go up to the city to buy the fish this time I might not be able to go on the day the tank is ready so what do I do to keep the tank cycled without fish in it? Do I just keep putting ammonia in and leave the big water change until I know I can get some fish?? Because from when the tank is cycled to when I can actually get around to getting the fish could be up to 5 days.
Also, if the fish shop doesn't have all the fish I'm after and I end up with say only 4 fish that day, if I put them in the tank will they produce enough ammonia to keep all of the bacteria alive until I get some more fish maybe the following week?? Will I have to fill it up straight away?
I'm not sure what fish I'm after just yet - would like some albino cories as they are such fun to watch. But apart from that not sure. Would like some bigger fish for this tank, I think, as I have my little 2ft 20g mainly Tetra tank and think some bigger flashy fish in this one would be a nice contrast I'm thinking.
It is a 3ft 36g tank.
Thank you

 

[OohFeeshy]

Well, what are you doing fishless with? Ammonia? There you go. Add more ammonia.

 

[Snowbrumby]

So when the levels are at 0 I would leave the big water change and keep putting in ammonia until I know when I'm going to get the fish? Then change water?

 

[AlexsDaddy]

Yup, or you could do the big water change and keep adding ammonia while monitoring the nitrAte level, but it would probably be easier to leave the big water change till the day before you get the fish, then test again the next day before you go to make sure everything is still good. If you don't get all the fish you are planning the first day, depending on the ammont of ammonia you were using to cycle with (the more ammonia, the more bacteria that grows), the excess bacteria will start dying off till there is only enough to handle the current bio load. Depending on how long it is till you get the other fish, when you put them in there you might experience a mini cycle due to the extra ammonia produced and you might have to end up doing small water changes every day to keep ammonia levels down while the bacteria colony grows big enough to handle the extra load. Depending on the number of fish you put in there after the initial stocking depends on how long the mini cycle will last.

 

[Snowbrumby]

Thank you AlexsDaddy for answering my question so well Now I know what to do I can be sure to do it properly and not inadvertantly harm anymore fish, thank you