Adding fish same day

[Tyler2354]

Is there a way or what is the best way to add cichlids the same day as u set up a new tank? I've heard use seeded filter media but if it's not the same filtration system where do u put it. Also heard of using a few gallons of established tank water. Help please

 

[squirrilah fish]

It is possible to do. The product you want is Seachems Stability, and Prime, However
I would not do it. It's a process called "fish in" cycling and it's A PAIN. If your ready to do daily water changes, sometimes two - three per day you could try it, but it's much better to let the tank cycle using cheep goldfish as the process is very very stressful, especially during the nitrite spikes.
Nitrite strikes hard and fast and if your not on top of it, paying attention you will lose all your fish, or at the least make them sick.


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[squirrilah fish]

If you can get your hands on some used filter media, you want to add it to your filter, as well as squeeze all the junk out into the tank. This helps speed things up some, but you will most likely have some nitrite spikes at some point. Stability is awesome, and helps a ton. I have been able to skip ammonia spikes a few times, but I have never been able to skip nitrite spikes.


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[Tyler2354]

Ok thanks for the tip!

 

[All_fish]

Why are you rushing? I tried that once and I lost both of the two fish I put in.

If you can defiantly do a normal cycle.

 

[squirrilah fish]

Why are you rushing? I tried that once and I lost both of the two fish I put in.

If you can defiantly do a normal cycle.

I agree, not only is it 5X the work, but also takes twice as long.

Google "fish-less cycling for freshwater aquarium"


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[Caliban07]

I agree, not only is it 5X the work, but also takes twice as long.

Google "fish-less cycling for freshwater aquarium"


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I don't agree with this whole-heatedly. The cycle does take longer but only because the cycle doesn't stop until the last livestock has been added.

I think fish in cycles are much easier. You just have to stock very very slowly and use an adequately sized tank. This may be more difficult with cichlids as later additions may get picked on?

In a regular community you don't have to worry too much ime


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[Caliban07]

I agree, not only is it 5X the work, but also takes twice as long.

Google "fish-less cycling for freshwater aquarium"


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I don't agree with this whole-heatedly. The cycle does take longer but only because the cycle doesn't stop until the last livestock has been added.

I think fish in cycles are much easier. You just have to stock very very slowly and use an adequately sized tank. This may be more difficult with cichlids as later additions may get picked on?

In a regular community you don't have to worry too much ime


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[Mebbid]

It is possible to do. The product you want is Seachems Stability, and Prime, However
I would not do it. It's a process called "fish in" cycling and it's A PAIN. If your ready to do daily water changes, sometimes two - three per day you could try it, but it's much better to let the tank cycle using cheep goldfish as the process is very very stressful, especially during the nitrite spikes.
Nitrite strikes hard and fast and if your not on top of it, paying attention you will lose all your fish, or at the least make them sick.


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I really disagree about using a fish you don't want to cycle a tank. Inhumane and you have to deal with potential disease from buying a cheap fish. Buy a hardy fish that you like - 1 per 10 gallons for a small fish and then go ahead with a fish in cycle changing water every time that your ammonia / nitrite rises above 0.25ppm It is fairly easy to keep the water safe if you're tracking the parameters regularly.

Is there a way or what is the best way to add cichlids the same day as u set up a new tank? I've heard use seeded filter media but if it's not the same filtration system where do u put it. Also heard of using a few gallons of established tank water. Help please

What kind of cichlids are these? If you're looking at African cichlids such as Mbuna it's way better to do a fishless cycle and add the entire stocking of fish at once to prevent any aggression.

 

[Ulrichsd]

Fishless cycling took me about 5-6 weeks but then I added 40 young mbuna to a 60g all at once with no problems at all. If you are ordering online it is going to be way cheaper to just pay shipping once.

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[squirrilah fish]

I'm pretty sure the general census among hobbyists is fish-less cycling is the better way to go. I have done both, and I prefer the fish less method by far.


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[Tyler2354]

Ok. Just trying to find the fastest safest way to add fish the quickest

 

[Freakgecko91]

My first tank was a fish in cycle, I haven't had to actually cycle a tank since, I just add a lot more media to one tanks established filter, and whenever I set up a new tank, remove the extra media and add it to the new filter. Works every time. When I upgraded, I removed most of one established filter that was in a lightly stocked tank, and I added fish slowly to the big new tank.


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[Tyler2354]

Yea that's what I do for my personal use. I am starting a business of installing aquariums so I was trying to come up with a way to cycle a new tank away from my house

 

[Caliban07]

Yea that's what I do for my personal use. I am starting a business of installing aquariums so I was trying to come up with a way to cycle a new tank away from my house

Just buy a load of 1 gallon cubes and add fishless cycles each one with a piece of sponge in them. I always wondered why LFS didn't do this and charge for the effort.


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[Mebbid]

Yea that's what I do for my personal use. I am starting a business of installing aquariums so I was trying to come up with a way to cycle a new tank away from my house

Buy a canister filter and a large garbage can. Run the canister on the garbage can and keep dosing ammonia up to 4ppm. Fill the canister filter with the chosen media type of the filters you are going to be installing and just use the filter media from the canister. You shouldn't even need any heat.

I would do a 100% water change every other week and call it good at that.

 

[Gillie]

Yea that's what I do for my personal use. I am starting a business of installing aquariums so I was trying to come up with a way to cycle a new tank away from my house

There is an simple solution to this. If you are operating out of a storefront, just keep a decent sized tank with a few sponge filters in it running and when it is time to set up a tank squeeze a sponge or 2 into a container and away you go. Otherwise do the same with the media from your tanks.

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[Gillie]

There is no cycling method that is better than the other. If you ask me it boils down to how much work you want to put into it, the end result is the same. I've never been the set it and forget it type so the tanks I had to cycle were all fish in, but I also like to enjoy my fish right away so I keep extra sponges in my tanks so I don't have to cycle anymore.

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[squirrilah fish]

Without used media, Stability works pretty well. Some will say all those start up products are a gimmick but I will vouch for stability all day everyday. Cycled a tank in 10 days using it.


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[Tyler2354]

Thank you for all the help everyone! I will try the sponge and filter cartridge methods!