YAY! I Cycled without Fish!

[jmpgop]

I did it... I'm happy! And feel as if I achieved something.

Set up my 10 gallon quarrentine tank with a pure ammonia fishless cycle.

Had my big spikes, then the drop off in ammonia while trites stayed high, then after about 4 days of dosing ammonia and trites still high, the trites dropped. Exactly what was supposed to happen.

Then I made it through with dosing ammonia and nitrites and ammonia were at 0 after 3 days in a row, did a big water change, used a bit of Prime of course, waited 24 hours, tested again. O... put in my psychotic danio as my test fish yesterday (I'm too nervous to use my 12 baby Cherry Barbs), and we're still at zero today!

YAY!

Fishless cycle works - took about 2 weeks.

WORTH IT!

Now on to my 72 gallon fishless cycle. I received my filter (Fluval FX5) yesterday...

Same thing - bigger scale!


Janelle

 

[Scouser]

Congrats!!

 

[jlk]

Congrats! Let us know how things go with your 72g!

 

[Hholly]

Yay! You might want to add a few more fish to keep the bacteria fed. Good luck!

 

[jmpgop]

I just got a filter cover for the 10 gallon intake - I'm gonna put the babies in there (the 12 baby cherry barbs I've been raising - they're 2 months old on Friday). Had to get the cover so they don't get sucked up in the filter - some are still rather small! Then I'll move the Danio back to the other tank... Wanted to make sure the water was Okay.

I'll do that this afternoon.

I'm also rinsing gravel today, and hoping I can follow the youtube video on the fluval!

Gettin' it going.

I was proud of myself though - I passed up this lovely young yellow angel fish today I saw at my friend's business... Just not ready to buy more fish now until the babies find a new home so I have my quarrentine tank ready and the 72 is set up! It was tough but I did it!

HA!

 

[LyndaB]

What a great attitude you have..... rock on!!!

 

[Blag It]

Envying you right now! I'm only on my 8 gallon starter tank, and I've made the rookie mistake of adding fish before the cycle was complete.. Doh!
Gona put it right though by taking the fish back and doing a fish-less cycle for a few weeks before getting appropriate fish for my tanks size.
Hoping one day to have a few tanks like yours, will get it right next time!
Well done

 

[jmpgop]

It is soooo worth it to do the fishless cycle. I didn't with my 36 and I was changing water every day and worrying about the 2 fish I had in there. I couldn't take the fish back as the business I bought them from was on clearance to close. The fish I cycled with made it through but it was stressful for all of us I'm sure! Patience is worth it and makes you feel better about it in the long wrong. I'm proud!

I now have 3 tanks, on to number 4!

I just hung my background for my72, but I'm thinking I maybe should paint it? It looks good from the front but you can see it from the sides. I'm hopint that it lays a bit flatter (I use painters tape vs. sticky stuff). It is just black so I can always change my mind I guess...

Anywho - heading out to get my filter out of the car - WISH ME LUCK!

This thing is a beast!

 

[Blag It]

Good luck

 

[jlk]

Painting the back of the tank black (or another color) looks great & is really easy! If you are considering it, its best to do it now while your still in the planning stages. Check out this thread-

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f20/painting-back-of-tank-190220.html

 

[Blag It]

Ooh yeh hadn't thought of that! That thread is useful thanks, and the blue colour used in the pic of the tank looks great! How good does black look??

 

[jlk]

Check this thread- theres pics of Mumma's goldfish tank redone in black & one of my tanks (though poor quality pic) . I credit her with the great idea!!

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f70/26g-goldfish-tank-188852.html

 

[Blag It]

Thanks for that, not sure how useful it is for a biorb lol but I may change it to a normal tank eventually.
Now I know a lot about goldfish after reading that thread!
I want one.. Haha

 

[jmpgop]

The black background looks FAB on my new 72 gal set up! I'll take some pics of how it is looking so far later today... I use painter's tape to stick it on so I can always change out if I need to - and then electrical tape for the edges so it is hard to notice from the sides.

The plants really POP! I like it far better than the *freshwater* background I used on my 36 gallon!

I added my baby cherry barbs to the 10 gallon and took the crazy danio out. I now only have 11 left though Started with 14. I don't think that is too bad of a stat. 2 months in, only lost 3 babies?

Anywho.