# Just a few questions.



## mls3371971 (Apr 20, 2012)

I have a couple of questions and hoping to get some answers. I am no-fish cycling my f.w. tank. Its 55gs Its been set up for a week and today my Ammonia is set at 1ppm. I have talked to my LFS and they said that its started cycling and just to let it go, not to do anything with it and that in a week check the nitrites and in another the nitrates should be showing up. They also said that once nitrates show up then to do a 20pct change and that it should be good. This is the same thing we did with S.W. 3 years ago. 

I have read on here that you guys add ammonia, why is that? I have also seen that some things in int. says to add fish food during the cycling to also kick start the nitrite cycle. I added a pinch today, should I be doing this? Wondering about that...

Also, the substrate I have is a black sand base and black rock that is for a a planted aquarium... I have seen where some have told people to go ahead and put plants in their tank during this cycle. Just wondering what would be ok and what wouldn't, I know its different than S.W. But how much different. I know we waited a mo. or 2 before getting a fish for it... I am figuring on that time frame for this one...


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## ZebraDanio12 (Jun 17, 2011)

Putting fish food in gets the cycle going faster.

Yeah its alright if you put the plants. Won't hurt them.

As soon as you see the ammonia go up-drop, nitrites go up-drop, and nitrates go up-drop. Its safe to add fish.


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## mls3371971 (Apr 20, 2012)

Yeah that is what I figured was just wondering why people keep adding ammonia to their tank. I was thinking its prolonging the cycle instead of letting it just cycle.


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## phlyergirl (Nov 6, 2011)

Adding ammonia feeds the bacteria that you're trying to establish.


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## mls3371971 (Apr 20, 2012)

But its got the ammonia already in it, I don't want to keep increasing the ammonia if its already doing that, and it will create nitrites on its own. So why add more?


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## mls3371971 (Apr 20, 2012)

Also, I am doing the fish food thing, and its working and plus I have natural die off, cause the rocks I have in my tank came from my s.w tank, I did a bleaching method to clear out everything live and all that, it looks great levels come out great and so not particularly worried..have no sign of salt. and ph is 7.4


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## ZebraDanio12 (Jun 17, 2011)

What do you plan to put in there? Would awesome as a cichlid tank, or full of lots of neons.


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## lohachata (Jan 27, 2006)

normally the cycling of a tank with 1 or 2 hardy animals (yes,you can do it without harming them) takes 6-10 weeks.....it is the best way that i have found to do it...
my procedure was.....
set up the tank and let it run for 2-3 days to stabilize.....
add a couple of smaller fish such as danios or barbs..only 2 or 3...
feed them twice a day...do not test for another week..
after a week with the fish in the tank start testing......
1...Ammonia
2...Nitrites
then do a 10% water change...
continue normal feeding etc for another week..then do the tests again..just do the Ammonia and Nitrites as you don't need to worry about Nitrates for a bit...
this is what should happen.
ammonia levels should start to rise......then nitrites will start to rise....then ammonia starts to fall..on week 3 or 4 test for nitrates just to see if they have started yet..
when Ammonia test reads 0 you can start adding more fish...but only a few at a time..
the ammonia level will rise a bit and then go down...add a few more fish...repeat...
keep in mind that once the cycle process is in full swing you will be doing 30% water changes every week...
once everything has settled and your tank is stockedyou can stop testing....but do continue the 30% weekly water changes...
give your fish 2-3 light feedings a day rather than 1 bigger feeding..if you keep catfish and plecos make sure to give them food after lights out..


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## mls3371971 (Apr 20, 2012)

Thanks Lohachata. that is what I was pretty much figuring myself. Right now its just entering the ammonia phase.
As to the fish that I want, I want some angels. I was thinking on a couple of gouramis, and not sure, don't really care for tetras, or guppies or anything that small...not really sure til I get to that point. 
I have substrate set up for plants so trying to decide on which ones I want to have.


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## mls3371971 (Apr 20, 2012)

As for water changes I am not planning on doing any til the nitrates show up, that is what the LFS told me to do. and then they stated 20% change only and that when it gets to that point I will be good to go. Said I could throw some goldies in there for now, but I am going to wait.


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## Fishpunk (Apr 18, 2011)

There is only one reason to do a water change in a fishless cycle. All you do by changing the water is make it take longer. The exception is if your PPM gets too high, the cycle will choke itself. Keep the ammonia under 6PPM and you should be fine.

Adding plants may make it difficult to tell when the cycle is complete.


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## mls3371971 (Apr 20, 2012)

Cool, thank you Fishpunk that is what I needed to hear, and that is what my LFS told me also about the water changes and I don't plan on adding anything til its complete. Thank you again.


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## Obsidian (May 20, 2007)

Just make sure you keep "feeding" the tank. That can be with the fish food or with pure ammonia drops, or my personal favorite- shrimp cocktail prawn. As long as you are doing this and keeping the ammonia and nitrite below 4-6ppm (that's higher than I like- I prefer less than 4ppm for each) your cycle will take care of itself. If you do it with fish, and they are small like they are supposed to be then your cycle should be more "gentle" meaning the numbers shouldn't get as high. Personally I do not use fish to cycle. I tried that and it bit me in the butt and all of the fish died. Not doing that again. 

Plants will eat up the nitrate. To tell if your tank is cycled you will want to make sure it has been a few weeks (like closer to 4) into the cycle and test to see if it is at 0 ammonia and 0 nitrite. If those numbers are at 0 and there are either no nitrates or low level nitrates then you are cycled- add fish slow.


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## mls3371971 (Apr 20, 2012)

Thank you Obsidian, I have been throwing a pinch in a day, I have a meat pellet that was from the s.w. fish, not sure whats all in it. and I have flakes which I used today, My friend she has a tetra tank and she said she would give me her old filter media, but not sure how to use that. I figure just swirl it around the tank? But I shouldn't do that til the nitrites start correct?


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## mls3371971 (Apr 20, 2012)

I do have blocks of brine shrimp maybe I will pitch one in tomorrow...


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## Obsidian (May 20, 2007)

The brine shrimp will just mess things up, just because they are messy, not because of anything else LOL. 

Old filter media is perfect. You do not swirl it around, you put it in your current filter. Or better yet in a second filter that you run temporarily while your actual filter gets seeded. How you would put it in your existing filter depends on the filter you are using because you want to have your new media in there with the old media, otherwise it's pointless. 

You can also hang it in your tank by the filter output. 

If you go this route you can (and will actually want to) add fish right away. You will want to lightly stock- about3-4 fish in the first week and then just 2-3 each week after that as long as your numbers stay in cycled range. Do that until you reach your full stocking. Slow but steady!


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## Fishpunk (Apr 18, 2011)

Only add somebody else's filter media if you are confident it is from a healthy tank.


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## mls3371971 (Apr 20, 2012)

Well, not so sure that it is. I haven't seen it and according to her, she has never tested anything, never adds anything, no water changes, tops off with plain tap doesn't even add conditioner to it...kinda scared to go with hers. and not sure who else has a f.w tank....sooooo


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

dirty is okay, a filthy tank will have a good culture, just rinse out the worst of the crud. What you want to avoid is disease. Are the fish healthy?


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## Fishpunk (Apr 18, 2011)

Yes, this. ^^


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## mls3371971 (Apr 20, 2012)

Like I said I am not sure, I haven't seen her tank in a long time. It used to be and I can't see it being any different now... I will try it anyway she said it wont be til May when she changed her filter media which is probably when my nitrites will spike anyhow. My Ammonia is at 2-4 ppms...


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## Fishpunk (Apr 18, 2011)

If it is going to be that long, then I wouldn't bother. Just cycle it yourself.


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## mls3371971 (Apr 20, 2012)

True Fishpunk...Its going and going. lol...


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