# I might get into trouble with this one...



## Kageshi17 (Sep 6, 2006)

I have a question about fishless cycling.

*Waits for everyone to recommend me to the freshwater section where there is a sticky explaining it and saying that this is off topic*

Hahaha

Well, I just want to know, in a very simplified just the basics kind of way, how to fishless cycle my tank. I ask this question in the betta section seeing as i have betta! and no one anywhere else answers my questions...ever...-_-

So, i heard someone tell me to drop a shrimp in the tank? Well im not quite sure how to cycle in the first place. should I wait to add plants until after the cycle is complete? or add them while its cycling?

Do I need to use a filter to cycle my tank? Or keep the water at any specific temp?

Pretty much, how would I cycle a 29g long (36 inches long) tank?


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## anasfire23 (Jan 19, 2005)

Personally I don't cycle my tanks. So I wouldn't have a clue!! But I've been told that you need to install the filter, fill the tank with everything you intended to keep in it (like gravel, ornaments and plants) and leave it with the filter running for 6 weeks. Then you can just add your fish straight to it. Please someone correct me if I'm wrong..but that sounds about right to me. But Jade, please remember to get fertiliser for the plants or they will die VERY VERY quickly... I found that out the hard way. Your LFS should be able to sell you one that's specifically for aquatic plants and won't harm the fish.
I'd hate to see someone get a regular liquid fertiliser and use it in their tank and wonder why all the fish die! :O

Good luck sweety


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## Sue Gremlin (Jan 16, 2007)

anasfire23 said:


> Personally I don't cycle my tanks. So I wouldn't have a clue!! But I've been told that you need to install the filter, fill the tank with everything you intended to keep in it (like gravel, ornaments and plants) and leave it with the filter running for 6 weeks. Then you can just add your fish straight to it. Please someone correct me if I'm wrong..but that sounds about right to me. But Jade, please remember to get fertiliser for the plants or they will die VERY VERY quickly... I found that out the hard way. Your LFS should be able to sell you one that's specifically for aquatic plants and won't harm the fish.
> I'd hate to see someone get a regular liquid fertiliser and use it in their tank and wonder why all the fish die! :O
> 
> Good luck sweety


No, that's not exactly right. 
When you cycle, you are inviting a couple of different kinds of friendly bacteria into your tank. You need these bacteria in the tank to consume the ammonia that is produced by the fish. Otherwise, the fish will die or be very stressed out by ammonia or nitrites, another chemical that's produced. 
Read this thread. It has good information on how to cycle your tank and what that means to the fishkeeper. 
http://www.fishforums.com/forum/general-freshwater/7125-nitrogen-cycle-basics.html


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## Sue Gremlin (Jan 16, 2007)

Kageshi17 said:


> So, i heard someone tell me to drop a shrimp in the tank? Well im not quite sure how to cycle in the first place. should I wait to add plants until after the cycle is complete? or add them while its cycling?


I've heard differing opinions on this. You can do it either way, but my understanding of it is that plants may interfere a bit, so it's best to wait to add those until your tank is fully cycled. In my own experience, I've done just fine cycling with plants in the tank. 



> Do I need to use a filter to cycle my tank? Or keep the water at any specific temp?


Yes. Have the filter running, and make sure it's got a cartridge that has a lot of surface area, i.e. like those woolly type bags. That's one of the places where the bacteria you are trying to cultivate will grow. Most filters have those now. Filters with bio wheels are also really good, those wheels are also made to give a place for the bacteria to grow. Bring the water to the temperature at which you plan to keep your fish. 
The idea is to have a little ammonia in the tank, which the shrimp will produce as it rots, to feed these colonies of bacteria. You can do some reading here on the forum for more specific information, but to put it simply, get two test kits. 
Test the water for ammonia. It should go way up if you have a shrimp in the tank. I am currently cycling a tank by adding ammonia every day. When the ammonia level starts to drop, test for nitrites. That will spike and gradually drop, too. When that goes to zero, you are ready for fish. 
Add them slowly, one or two at a time, and wait a couple of weeks between fish to allow these bacteria to grow to the level where they can handle the bioload.


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## Kageshi17 (Sep 6, 2006)

Thank you! You all are so very helpful all the time! Hahahaha, I knew I was doing the right thing by posting this here. Alright, as soon as I get the rest of my fish out of my tank, I can cycle away!


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