Fish in cycling

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Newlyobsessed

Aquarium Advice Apprentice
Joined
Sep 17, 2017
Messages
23
Location
Texas
So I e already posted several times and have another change of plans. I've become too emotionally attached to my goldfish so I want to keep him. I'm purchasing a 55 gallon tank for him to live in for a couple of years until I can figure the pond thing out or a bigger aquarium. He's currently in a 7.5 gallon so keeping him in there to wait for my new tank to cycle is out of the question. If I understand correctly I just put the water, filters, and fish in and test water daily, rt?
 
Correct, and congrats on being a caring and awesome owner to go and get him a tank that will be a much healthier enviroment :)
 
Thank you! I am really attached to him. He ate from my hand today! I have another question. What do I do about my tap water testing positive for ammonia?
 
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Fish in cycling seems to be a rarity nowadays. When i started fish keeping, fish in was the only way. Essentially you are correct. Fill the tank, using "Prime" water conditioner. That brand seems to be the chemical of choice among members. Get the power filter up and running then let the tank stand empty a few days to let the water chemistry stablize. No need for a heater with gold fish. Feed your fish sparingly through the process and probably best to use floating pellets to ensure all food is eaten. A small WC every third day will probably suffice and test periodically to monitor the progress of your BB.
I dug a huge koi pond for my parents years ago. Started with a few koi and goldfish. Within two years had a large population. Ponds really are the way to go with goldfish. Good luck.
 
If your goldfish is currently living in your tap water, probably no worries. I believe the Prime water conditioner has a neutralizing effect on ammonia.
 
Yes, but test daily in a tank that small. I think you are going to find you will need larger, more frequent water changes than would normally needed during a cycle because you relative bio-load is very high(meaning the amount of fish as compared to the volume of water).

Don't be afraid to do large water changes. It will make your life easier in the long-run
 
Fish In Tank Cycling

So I e already posted several times and have another change of plans. I've become too emotionally attached to my goldfish so I want to keep him. I'm purchasing a 55 gallon tank for him to live in for a couple of years until I can figure the pond thing out or a bigger aquarium. He's currently in a 7.5 gallon so keeping him in there to wait for my new tank to cycle is out of the question. If I understand correctly I just put the water, filters, and fish in and test water daily, rt?

Hello New...

Cycling a tank with fish is very efficient and done correctly, most aquarium fish have no trouble tolerating the process. The risk in cycling a tank is using those boosters. They'll cycle a tank in a couple of days or several months. Other than the standard water treatment, putting chemicals into the tank is never a good idea. Because you don't know how the fish will react.

Once the tank is set up, add some floating plants to help steady the water chemistry. Hornwort is a good one. Add 3 to 4 small to medium fish for every 10 gallons of tank water and feed a little every day or two to maintain a steady ammonia source. Test the water daily for traces of ammonia and nitrite. If you have a positive test, remove 25 percent of the water and replace that with treated tap water.

Just test daily and replace the water when needed. Don't remove more water, though. This will starve your bacteria colony and delay the cycle. When you have several daily tests with no traces of ammonia or nitrite, the tank is cycled. Takes 30 days or so.

After cycling, just remove and replace half the water every week to maintain good water conditions.

Easy peazee.

B
 
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