Stocking After Fishless Cycle

[craigieboy01]

Hi all, Fishless cycle just about done, I'm thinking about decorating the tank and putting in some live plants, because i will be disturbing the sand, will it affect the cycled tank? how long will i need to wait before adding fish?

 

[PDSimon]

Hi all, Fishless cycle just about done, I'm thinking about decorating the tank and putting in some live plants, because i will be disturbing the sand, will it affect the cycled tank? how long will i need to wait before adding fish?

If its almost cycled I should think its fine to put them in. Thats what I'm going to do... Test it every 12 hours for a week ensuring the nitrites and ammonia process within that time adding 5ppm a day.

I assume if you've cycled your tank, with both ammonia and nitrites processing within 12 hours, and a big 90%(i think) water change you'd be ready for fish.

Remember to keep the tank cycled with ammonia whilst your waiting for fish and plants. Otherwise your bacteria will die. Also when doing large waterchanges don't let the filter dry out.

 

[fatheadminnow]

Yup, if you are done with the qualifying week then go ahead and do a 90% water change and add fish. The bacteria, at least 99% of them, colonize in the filter. So moving the sand around will not affect the cycle at all.

-FHM

 

[craigieboy01]

Yes, qualifying week just about complete, looking forward to stocking, will post some pics of my Edge.

 

[Assaye]

Keep adding the ammonia until the day you add the fish, to keep the bacteria fed. Add plants and decorations before fish to give tank (sand, released gasses, etc) time to settle. If you are cycled, add fish whenever, just keep the bacteria fed. Don't forget a large water change before you add them.

 

[craigieboy01]

As i only have a small 23 litre tank, will 5 small male guppys be ok to start off with? Will they produce enough waste to keep the tank fully cycled?

 

[Assaye]

As i only have a small 23 litre tank, will 5 small male guppys be ok to start off with? Will they produce enough waste to keep the tank fully cycled?

In a 23 litre tank, 5 guppies would fully stock it. So yes, you can use them to keep the bacteria alive but you won't be able to fit much else in. Maybe a few shrimp.

 

[Gvilleguy]

This is a concern of mine, also. If I ever manage to get my 26 gallon tank cycled to 12 hours, I don't want to do a full load of fish all at once. I was planning to add a few fish every week or two. But if I only add 4 fish to start with (zebra danios), that's not enough fish to keep all the cycled bacteria alive, is it?

 

[PDSimon]

This is a concern of mine, also. If I ever manage to get my 26 gallon tank cycled to 12 hours, I don't want to do a full load of fish all at once. I was planning to add a few fish every week or two. But if I only add 4 fish to start with (zebra danios), that's not enough fish to keep all the cycled bacteria alive, is it?

Not really... It'd be better to stock 3/4

 

[Gvilleguy]

This is a concern of mine, also. If I ever manage to get my 26 gallon tank cycled to 12 hours, I don't want to do a full load of fish all at once. I was planning to add a few fish every week or two. But if I only add 4 fish to start with (zebra danios), that's not enough fish to keep all the cycled bacteria alive, is it?

Not really... It'd be better to stock 3/4

Well- my kids would certainly love to stock to 3/4! I just didn't think it was smart to stock many at once due to possible disease or tank trouble.

 

[craigieboy01]

That was my intention, 5 male bright tailed guppys to start and maybe 3 or 4 cherry shrimp after a few weeks.

 

[Assaye]

This is a concern of mine, also. If I ever manage to get my 26 gallon tank cycled to 12 hours, I don't want to do a full load of fish all at once. I was planning to add a few fish every week or two. But if I only add 4 fish to start with (zebra danios), that's not enough fish to keep all the cycled bacteria alive, is it?

A fishless cycle simply means you can introduce fish without exposing them to ammonia or nitrites. Some people stock to 3/4 or full from day one and one of the risks is that they often can't isolate the fish before adding them to the tank, to check for diseases and such.

If you add a few fish and slowly build it up from there your excess bacteria will die. However, if you stock slowly and carefully you won't see any ammonia or nitrite in the tank because you already have enough bacteria for them to reproduce quickly to catch up with the bioload.

 

[craigieboy01]

This is a concern of mine, also. If I ever manage to get my 26 gallon tank cycled to 12 hours, I don't want to do a full load of fish all at once. I was planning to add a few fish every week or two. But if I only add 4 fish to start with (zebra danios), that's not enough fish to keep all the cycled bacteria alive, is it?

A fishless cycle simply means you can introduce fish without exposing them to ammonia or nitrites. Some people stock to 3/4 or full from day one and one of the risks is that they often can't isolate the fish before adding them to the tank, to check for diseases and such.

If you add a few fish and slowly build it up from there your excess bacteria will die. However, if you stock slowly and carefully you won't see any ammonia or nitrite in the tank because you already have enough bacteria for them to reproduce quickly to catch up with the bioload.

Thanks Assaye, that makes sense wot u r saying.

 

[karin]

I stocked slowly after cycling. Lost some bacteria I'm sure along the way but as long as you do a few fish every week you will be fine.

 

[PDSimon]

Yeah and to be on the safe side, some more water changes