K
Khabbral
Guest
Should I cycle with fish or not? Which method if faster? I want to have fish in it as soon as possible.
The friendliest place on the web for anyone with an interest in aquariums or fish keeping!
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
MoxieGrrrl
Aquarium Advice Freak
Hi there! I am a total fish newbie and just went through the very same question. Here's where I ended up:
I bought some Bio-Spira (cost me $10 for a 30 gallon dose) at my LFS. You need to keep it refrigerated until you use it. The guy told me to set the tank up and add dechlorinater (I have StressCoat for that, about another $10 or less and will last you a while). He said I could add the Bio-Spira right after, but I think I will let the StressCoat cycle through for a little (maybe a half hour). Bio-Spira is supposed to allow you to add fish within 24-48 hours. I have all the water test kits I need to check the water throughout that time and see what the levels are. If it does what it says it does, I think by the 3rd day it would be safe to add fish.
If I researched correctly, fishless cycling is the next fastest method, though it can take up to 6 weeks, depending. I read that borrowing a handful of a mature tank's substrate and putting it in a sock or hosery (so you can remove it later) can help jumpstart the process. Also read that raising the water temperature into the 80s can help encourage the bacteria to grow. There's lots of articles out there about fishless cycling.
The more I read about cycling with fish, the more I decided not to go with it. You'd want to use "starter" fish - which are usually not the fish you want in your tank. If they live, you will likely have fish who are messed up from going through the high levels of ammonia and nitrites. Sure you could just flush them, but I know I would feel awful making them suffer just to kill them later.
I am giving my daughter the tank for Xmas, and will be setting it up right away, so I'll be sure to let you know how it goes.
Hope I could help!
I bought some Bio-Spira (cost me $10 for a 30 gallon dose) at my LFS. You need to keep it refrigerated until you use it. The guy told me to set the tank up and add dechlorinater (I have StressCoat for that, about another $10 or less and will last you a while). He said I could add the Bio-Spira right after, but I think I will let the StressCoat cycle through for a little (maybe a half hour). Bio-Spira is supposed to allow you to add fish within 24-48 hours. I have all the water test kits I need to check the water throughout that time and see what the levels are. If it does what it says it does, I think by the 3rd day it would be safe to add fish.
If I researched correctly, fishless cycling is the next fastest method, though it can take up to 6 weeks, depending. I read that borrowing a handful of a mature tank's substrate and putting it in a sock or hosery (so you can remove it later) can help jumpstart the process. Also read that raising the water temperature into the 80s can help encourage the bacteria to grow. There's lots of articles out there about fishless cycling.
The more I read about cycling with fish, the more I decided not to go with it. You'd want to use "starter" fish - which are usually not the fish you want in your tank. If they live, you will likely have fish who are messed up from going through the high levels of ammonia and nitrites. Sure you could just flush them, but I know I would feel awful making them suffer just to kill them later.
I am giving my daughter the tank for Xmas, and will be setting it up right away, so I'll be sure to let you know how it goes.
Hope I could help!
OP
OP
Khabbral
Guest
Ok, well I have a 33 gallon tank (3'x1'x2'), I put Cycle , Aqua-Plus and Waste Control. I have gravel in it (pretty thin) and it made the tank REALLY cloudy, I don't know if this is ok, I rinsed the gravel really well. I have a 150W heater and an Aquaclear 200 filter. Will I be good to use this Bio-Spira? What do I do I just put it in and in 24 hours I'm safe to put fish?
Here are links to the products:
Cycle: http://www.hagen.com/canada/english/aquatic/product.cfm?CAT=1&SUBCAT=121&PROD_ID=01076000010101
Aqua-Plus: http://www.hagen.com/canada/english/aquatic/product.cfm?CAT=1&SUBCAT=121&PROD_ID=01076530010101
Waste Control: http://www.hagen.com/canada/english/aquatic/product.cfm?CAT=1&SUBCAT=121&PROD_ID=01076630010101
Heater: http://www.hagen.com/canada/english/aquatic/product.cfm?CAT=1&SUBCAT=110&PROD_ID=01007140011001
Aquaclear 200: N/A
Here are links to the products:
Cycle: http://www.hagen.com/canada/english/aquatic/product.cfm?CAT=1&SUBCAT=121&PROD_ID=01076000010101
Aqua-Plus: http://www.hagen.com/canada/english/aquatic/product.cfm?CAT=1&SUBCAT=121&PROD_ID=01076530010101
Waste Control: http://www.hagen.com/canada/english/aquatic/product.cfm?CAT=1&SUBCAT=121&PROD_ID=01076630010101
Heater: http://www.hagen.com/canada/english/aquatic/product.cfm?CAT=1&SUBCAT=110&PROD_ID=01007140011001
Aquaclear 200: N/A
MoxieGrrrl
Aquarium Advice Freak
Ok, you say that the gravel is pretty thin... You mean like 1/4 inch thin, or an inch and a half thin? Depending, you may want to get some more gravel... I am putting about 25 lbs in my 36 gallon. I am making the assumption that having too thin a layer might not let enough nitrates (the good stuff) cultivate, but this should be confirmed by a more experienced aquarist.
Ok, Cycle is supposed to do the same thing as Bio-Spira. I have not heard a lot of positive outcomes with Cycle, but you may have some luck with it (fingers crossed). You may want to get a test kit and check the levels... I have a leaflet from my LFS that had a chart...
In a normal cycling with starter fish the chart suggests that at about day 10 you will see a peak in the ammonia levels at around 5. At around day 30 you will see the peak of the nitrites at aroun 9-10. The nitrites would then drop over the next few days until they become so low all you see in the tests are the nitrAtes. Cycle is supposed ot only show miniscule spikes in the ammonia and nitrites.
By getting a test, you can moniter the water to make sure the ammonia and nitrites are low until the disappear.
You seems like me - very impatient and want everything done and working right - I am talking myself into being more patient with it because if I take my time and do it right, it will look fantastic and have happy fishies. If you find that Cycle doesn't do the job, try Bio-Spira.
And don't take what I say as law - I'm a newbie too. I think I'm just a couple pages ahead of you and since I just asked the same kind of questions I thought I'd share the answers I got
Ok, Cycle is supposed to do the same thing as Bio-Spira. I have not heard a lot of positive outcomes with Cycle, but you may have some luck with it (fingers crossed). You may want to get a test kit and check the levels... I have a leaflet from my LFS that had a chart...
In a normal cycling with starter fish the chart suggests that at about day 10 you will see a peak in the ammonia levels at around 5. At around day 30 you will see the peak of the nitrites at aroun 9-10. The nitrites would then drop over the next few days until they become so low all you see in the tests are the nitrAtes. Cycle is supposed ot only show miniscule spikes in the ammonia and nitrites.
By getting a test, you can moniter the water to make sure the ammonia and nitrites are low until the disappear.
You seems like me - very impatient and want everything done and working right - I am talking myself into being more patient with it because if I take my time and do it right, it will look fantastic and have happy fishies. If you find that Cycle doesn't do the job, try Bio-Spira.
And don't take what I say as law - I'm a newbie too. I think I'm just a couple pages ahead of you and since I just asked the same kind of questions I thought I'd share the answers I got
OP
OP
Khabbral
Guest
Is that Aqua-Plus dechlorifier?
Newbneedshelp
Aquarium Advice Freak
Cycle is not made to instantly cycle your tank, cycle (doesnt work may i add) is made to aid in the cycle of your tank. Bio-Spira is made for you to add all of the fish you wish to have in the tank at once then add the bio-spira and it will "instantly" cycle your tank. Others please correct me if im wrong. Also, i cycled with fish and it was done in 3 weeks. HTH.
FawnN
Aquarium Advice Addict
I strongly recommend you go with a fishless cycle and only add dechlorinator. Cycle will only help you jump start your tank and unless you have fish or pure ammonia to feed your bacteria, your bacteria will eventually all die.
IMO, regardless of how you go about it, you are still looking at a cylcling time of at least 4 weeks. The less you use when cycling the better you will be in the long run. I recommend using dechlorinator that only removes chlorine and chloramines and if you want, cycle.
IMO, regardless of how you go about it, you are still looking at a cylcling time of at least 4 weeks. The less you use when cycling the better you will be in the long run. I recommend using dechlorinator that only removes chlorine and chloramines and if you want, cycle.
MoxieGrrrl
Aquarium Advice Freak
I was told by guy at LFS to add the Bio-Spira after initial setup (including turning on heater and filter) and let it sit for a day or two, then add fish. He didn't mention testing the water, but I have a full kit and will be testing often before adding fish since I can't trust people at pet stores to have all the right knowledge.
Has anyone on the list actually used Bio-Spira? Did it work for you? How long did it take?
I'll be starting the tank Christmas weekend so I will let you know my personal experiences with it.
Has anyone on the list actually used Bio-Spira? Did it work for you? How long did it take?
I'll be starting the tank Christmas weekend so I will let you know my personal experiences with it.
Fishyfanatic
Aquarium Advice Addict
I have always read on this website about cycling a fish tank but I have never actually done it. When we purchased our initial 10 gal tank we chlorinated the water and plopped in the fish and let em go. It was maybe the next day after initial set up that we actually put the fish in. Even though we never "cycled" the tank we never had problems with fish dying. We did have a couple problems but that was pure stupidity on our part; mainly forgetting to add the conditioner. I don't know if it was pure dump luck but I set up a 5 gal hex on my comp desk and added water, the next day purchased three tetras and they have been doing perfectly fine. The 10 gal we started with Tetra's as well and they were great too.
This is just my experience and maybe I just had pure luck with my tanks but we have never actually cycled a tank before for any of the 4 (55, 29, 10, 5).
This is just my experience and maybe I just had pure luck with my tanks but we have never actually cycled a tank before for any of the 4 (55, 29, 10, 5).
Menagerie
Aquarium Advice Addict
8O I'm hoping that is "dechlorinated."
Tetras can live through anything, which is both good and bad. I was using some as canaries and they were fine, I put in brichardi and they died
(This was not to cycle a tank....don't ask 
). Many people do not cycle their tanks and all is well. It is when you see fish dieing left and right that it becomes a concern. Since members on this board do not want to see fish dieing, we recommend the fishless cycling method. Bio spira is not available up here. If you know someone with an established tank, you can instantly cycle it with some filter media from the established tank.
Similar threads
