Just started my first aquarium 20g. Made an initial mistake of doing a fish in cycle. Didn't discover this site till after I started. Got 4 harlequin rasboras that are schooling and doing great. Tank has a medium amount of live plants. Question is does any of those Bacteria booster and quick start drops work to accelerate my first cycle? Haven't used any of them yet and wondering if I should ?
Fish in cycle queation
- Thread starter Mcgolg76
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The jury is out on that one. Some people do use them and have said they are good-eg Seachem Stability seems a good brand; other people say that they are just a complete waste of money. If you decide to use them or not, either way you are going to have to daily test the water with a fish in cycle. My advice would be to buy a test kit as a priority. Popular one is the Api Master test kit. Nearly all LFS sell them, or you can get it cheaper online. When ammonia or nitrite reads above 0.25 you perform a large water change. About 50%; depending on the reading. Ammonia and nitrite are toxic to fish. You may also want to test your PH as this also has an effect on the cycle and on free ammonia levels. Feel free to post your test results here for advice on how you are doing...
BBradbury
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Fish In Tank Cycling
Hello Mc...
Cycling a tank with fish is far from a mistake. If this is the worst thing you do in the hobby, you'll be fortunate. Rasboras aren't the best choice, though. Floating plants like Anacharis are best for the cycle. They'll use the nitrogens produced by the fish waste and give off a mild toxin that will discourage the growth of algae.
You will need to have a reliable water testing kit handy and test for ammonia and nitrites daily. If you have a trace of these, then remove and replace 25 percent of the tank water, with pure, treated tap water. You simply test daily and change the water when needed. When you have several "0" tests for the above toxins, your tank is cycled.
B
Hello Mc...
Cycling a tank with fish is far from a mistake. If this is the worst thing you do in the hobby, you'll be fortunate. Rasboras aren't the best choice, though. Floating plants like Anacharis are best for the cycle. They'll use the nitrogens produced by the fish waste and give off a mild toxin that will discourage the growth of algae.
You will need to have a reliable water testing kit handy and test for ammonia and nitrites daily. If you have a trace of these, then remove and replace 25 percent of the tank water, with pure, treated tap water. You simply test daily and change the water when needed. When you have several "0" tests for the above toxins, your tank is cycled.
B
Except that a 25% water change may not be enough to bring the toxins into safe levels. If you have 0.5 reading of ammonia you need to change 50% of the water to bring it into a safe 0.25 reading. If you get a reading of 1.0 and do a 50% change, you are now at 0.5 and need to do another 50% change to bring that 0.5 down to 0.25. That is all assuming you don't have ammonia in your tap water. If you use prime as your water conditioner it will neutralise excess ammonia for 24-48 hours giving the bacteria a chance to consume it, but in a cycle daily water changes are still needed as the ammonia builds up fast, while the bacteria are low enough in numbers.
Fishdude3233
Aquarium Advice Addict
No because you let the water sit for 20 mins which makes it room temp.after you put the water dechlorinater sp? I suggest prime best one on the market
Some people have their "new" water in large drums, others let the water sit to let it come to room temp, others put a heater in their new water. Whatever works for you.
Jmunroe
Aquarium Advice FINatic
Mix warm and cold water from the tap so it is the same temp as tank. Add dechlorinator ( if on city water) to the tank then add water
BBradbury
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Hello again Mc...
I'd still recommend the 25 percent water change. Your aim is to grow the microscopic bugs that use the ammonia and nitrites for their food. By removing more than a quarter of the tank water, you remove the food the bacteria needs to reproduce. Doing larger water changes will only delay the process. This is why you use hardy fish like feeder female Guppies, Platys, White Clouds, Barbs, etc. These fish have no trouble with the changes in water conditions that happen during the "nitrogen cycle".
B
I'd still recommend the 25 percent water change. Your aim is to grow the microscopic bugs that use the ammonia and nitrites for their food. By removing more than a quarter of the tank water, you remove the food the bacteria needs to reproduce. Doing larger water changes will only delay the process. This is why you use hardy fish like feeder female Guppies, Platys, White Clouds, Barbs, etc. These fish have no trouble with the changes in water conditions that happen during the "nitrogen cycle".
B
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