Are we the odd ones?

[Retired_AF]

I am ready to put my first fish in my new saltwater tank. I have been shopping at 3 different stores and every time they asked what I have in the tank. When I tell them I have nothing and I cycled fishless they look at me like I grew another head. I explained the process and they couldnt believe it. One even said I was nuts to put ammonia in the tank to start the cycle. Even explaining the process to him he went on to tell me how he bought live sand and live rock for his tank and a week later had corals and fish in it.

I prefer fishless cycling even if it seems to take so much longer, but ammonia is cheaper and less stressful than putting fish in the tank for the cycle. But I am wondering, are we the odd ones for doing it this way? Why don't the fish store people that have tanks as well know about this process?

Oh, well. crazy or not, I prefer it this way.

 

[fort384]

Cycling fish in is a valid way, but fishless cycling is a good method as well. Most LFSs don't know about or recommend it because it doesn't result in the customer impulse buying livestock... they make money that way. The knowledgeable ones at the store are usually the owners, and they are looking for profit. The rest are often not as knowledgeable in fish keeping as we would hope... I suppose that's one of the reason the job pays so well .