Fishless Cycling For Dummies

[JohnPaul]

Originally Posted by RJRofFL

I have been advised that there are methods to help speed up the process, but I have my doubts. For example, I've been told to add fish flakes and/or frozen shrimp to aid in the creation of ammonia. I dispute this, only because, in using pure logic (I am a dummy, remember), both fish flakes and shrimp do take time to decay and form ammonia, so, what's the sense when you can add actual ammonia straight from the bottle? Doh!

The only thing I have heard that makes sense to me (regarding the value of adding a little fish food) is that the fish food not only puts ammonia into the water (when it decays), but also adds other trace nutrients to the water column--trace nutrients that the bacteria might need. If you look at the list of ingredients in any commercial fish food, you can see there are a LOT of things in there. It certainly wouldn't hurt, and it might indeed help, if someone doing a fishless cycle added a pinch of flakes (finely ground up into almost a powder) at the very beginning, just to "seed" the water with these various micronutrients. I don't think it is something one would have to do throughout the process, just occasionally (maybe a tiny pinch of flakes every week or every other week).

Just a thought.

[A4Ryan]

Originally Posted by JohnPaul

The only thing I have heard that makes sense to me (regarding the value of adding a little fish food) is that the fish food not only puts ammonia into the water (when it decays), but also adds other trace nutrients to the water column--trace nutrients that the bacteria might need. If you look at the list of ingredients in any commercial fish food, you can see there are a LOT of things in there. It certainly wouldn't hurt, and it might indeed help, if someone doing a fishless cycle added a pinch of flakes (finely ground up into almost a powder) at the very beginning, just to "seed" the water with these various micronutrients. I don't think it is something one would have to do throughout the process, just occasionally (maybe a tiny pinch of flakes every week or every other week).

Just a thought.

Fish food can also add in phosphate. Phosphate can lead to algae.
If you use fish food to cycle, remember to clean it out and replace it with more food often. If I remember correctly, 5 grams of decaying food can raise phosphate .4ppm.

[Pranicmegan]

I really appreciated this article! THANKS!!!!!

I am a noob, but trying to learn really fast. It IS complicated, but not as hard to understand as I first thought.

I made the mistake of getting a tank and whacking fish in it. I lost 2 gouramis before I thought I better find I WHY I lost them. That's when I found out about the 'cycling' and 'over feeding'.
Sigh.
I made BOTH mistakes.

HOWEVER! I am happy to say that since I found this site (and all this FANTASTIC info) I have NOT lost another fish!!
I HAVE just about put all my ribs out carrying buckets of water to do lots of water changes but its worth it.
No dead fish.
Nitrites DOWN to under .5 (more like .2) and still dropping with each change.

I am getting another 4 footer in the near future, but I am going to be more prepared this time. I am DEFINITELY going to cycle the tank before I start stocking it with fish. I LOVE my fish and I cry if I lose one. Yeah Yeah I know Im a sucker. But I can't help it.

The info here on this site is just INVALUABLE !!! And I appreciate it SO MUCH.

[RJRofFL]

Hey Pranicmegan.

I'm glad that you are fishless cycling, and that it's working for you.

I am a true believer in fishless cycling, and every time I read a successful post such as yours, I am reminded of that famous phrase from "It's a Wonderful Life."

"Every time a bell rings, an Angel gets his wings."

"Every time someone fishless cycles, 6 Danios get their fins!"

Thanks,

Bob

[Pranicmegan]

RJRoFL .... I only WISH I had read all this stuff BEFORE I got my first two tanks!!
At present I have 3 tanks, one has juuuuust cycled, the next is in the nitrite spike phase, and the last is the fishless tank.
SIGH.
The first 2 have fish in em. (oops made that mistake BEFORE finding this site.)