Different cycling methods, plz help

[_dan_]

just wondering, i know you can do a fish free cycle with 100% pure ammonia, but is there anyway to use fish food in large amounts to start a cycle? (in an empt tank of course)

 

[TankGirl]

Yes - that is another way to do it. Just toss in some food every day and over time you will build up ammonia as it decomposes. It is hard to predict the length of the cycle, and you don't have as much control, but it can be done.

Some people put in a shrimp and let it decompose to accomplish the cycle as well. Whatever works!

 

[_dan_]

i was thinking more towards fish flakes that my fish wont eat

 

[tamtam]

awsome im gonna try with m newist tank im getting tonight( a firiend is moving and said she an give it to me fer free) so with this kind of cycling method is it a good idea to have plenty of media in the tank or to leave it and let it do its own thing??????

 

[kmlong]

I don't think i would try that with fish in the tank. The fish will produce ammonia as well and with the uneaten food will make your ammonia levels very high. You don't want to try and rush the cycle because it will just stall. A lot of media is always good but once its in you don't want to take it out. Also, you want to be able to get in there and vacuum without a hassle when the time comes.

 

[tamtam]

hmmmmmmmm,i think im gonna give this a try, the new tank i have down stairs is a 15 gal from a friend of the family(she was moving and gave it to me), and i have nothing that needs to go in it right away so i think ill have a learning experience. i wonder how this is gonna go??? another thing. heating what should the temp be??? or does it really matter

 

[TankGirl]

_dan_ - go ahead and use the flake that your fish won't eat, and use plenty of media as the bacteria will have lots of places to grow. Like kmlong mentioned, at the end of the cycle you will need to go in there and vacuum out the gunk.

 

[_dan_]

i didnt put an gravel in yet i figured it would make it easier to vacum out, is this ok?

 

[Aquafriend]

You should have gravel because it's one of the best places the bacteria will live (the bacteria you want). You won't want to vacuum, anyway, because it will only remove the food that you want to rot and produce ammonia, so you'd be defeating your purpose. You'd have to wait until the end of the cycle before vacuuming it all out. It sounds like a messy job, cycling this way, come to think of it. Wonder how much flake food it will take to cycle.... this should be interesting. Keep us posted for sure!

 

[TankGirl]

I have heard of people cycling with fish food (or, more commonly, keeping an empty tank cycled with fish food, like a Q-tank) but it is good to clarify, Aquafriend, that the vacuuming will wait until the cycle is complete and you do your big water change prior to adding fish.

I also completely agree that gravel will help, as will as much filtration and media as you can get your hands on.