60gallon
- Thread starter Dmore2
- Start date
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If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
Cactuspixie
Aquarium Advice Addict
What stock are you planning to have?
Cactuspixie
Aquarium Advice Addict
Oh. None of which are going to handle a fish-in cycle. You could get some guppies to cycle, but I don't know how that would be more convenient than a fishless cycle. Sorry, I'm not much help!
Mumma.of.two
Aquarium Advice Obsessed
You could cycle with any of those except the ram. Have you seen the fish-in cycle articles?
Hey thanks for all the response. I'm have put in 3 tetras. Will post pics later 
I have added my other tank water when I done a cycle so I suppose this started as a fishless cycle but now, due to my impatience, has become a fish in cycle haha
I have added my other tank water when I done a cycle so I suppose this started as a fishless cycle but now, due to my impatience, has become a fish in cycle haha
Mumma.of.two
Aquarium Advice Obsessed
Water from a cycled tank won't do anything for the new tank. Ideally you want to add a used piece of filter media from an established tank. That will help speed up the cycle. If enough is added then a tank could instantly cycle.
http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f12/fish-in-cycling-step-over-into-the-dark-side-176446.html
http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f12/fish-in-cycling-step-over-into-the-dark-side-176446.html
Fishfur
Aquarium Advice Addict
No. The only way to tell if a cycle is working is to test for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate. Too bad for the fish, it's very hard on them when the ammonia rises. I wish folks would stick with the fish less cycle. I get that it's hard to wait, but it's also not kind to the fish.
The more fast growing plants you use, ones like Water Sprite, Wisteria, and many stem plants the faster you can cycle your tank. You need about 85% of your substrate planted and cycling can be cut down to days instead of weeks. It's called silent cycling. I did this with my 220g and it cycled in 8 days. This method of cycling is becoming very popular. The only thing when you cycle with plants you want to add fish slower. The plants use ammonia and nitrates.
I ran a 220g 100% planted high light tank using only liquid carbon and dry ferts for well over a year and just recently added CO2. Liquid carbon isn't well understood and the directions on name brand bottles are very broad. When using liquid carbon you determine dosage by the amount of light you have, the amount of plants you have especially fast growing ones, and by the amount of bioload your tank has as liquid carbon breaks down faster the higher the bioload. Plus if you buy and use the generic form, Metricide 14 Day Solution, you get 2 gallons for about $27 which includes shipping. Dry ferts are also cheap and last a very long time even in larger tanks. I'm all for economical. So you can add more plants and get better growth by only using liquid carbon. If you want to go this route down the road I can help you with your dosing.
It really depends. What is your lighting and bulbs? Are you wanting to do high, medium, or low light? Also have you given any thought to the types of plants you want? If you go with say medium light and say maybe 50% of the substrate planted you would have two options.
First one would be dosing the proper amount of liquid carbon. If you buy the generic Metricide 14 Day Solution a gallon is about $27 shipped. You mix it at a rate of 1:1 with RO or Distilled water to get 2 gallons. Very cheap if you price Excel or API CO2 booster. Then you dose it depending on the amount of light, the amount and type of plants you have, and your bioload. I ran a 220g 100% planted high light tank with dry ferts and liquid carbon for well over a year very successfully. If you go this route I can help you with how much you would need to dose daily.
Second choice would be CO2 which you could do with medium or high lighting.
You can always start with liquid carbon and get comfortable with the workings of a planted tank and move up to CO2 later. I would strongly suggest using dry ferts over liquid due to the size of your tank. Dry ferts are also very cheap and last a long time.
Fishfur
Aquarium Advice Addict
But why risk fish, if you don't have to ? It can be safe, perhaps, but often is not done properly, and then fish suffer.
So why bother if there is another way with zero risk ? We may not agree on this, that's ok. Everybody can have their opinion.
So why bother if there is another way with zero risk ? We may not agree on this, that's ok. Everybody can have their opinion.
I didn't agree or disagree with you nor give an opinion. I simply stated the fact that if done properly a fish-in cycle is not bad or harmful to fish.
