TomK2
Aquarium Advice Addict
Well, I set up a new 55 gal FW unplanted tank on November 28. I let it filter for 5 days without fish. Then I added a small bioload - 6 zebra danios and four platies (December 3). Initial water parameters recorded (test strip -no kit available yet). After 12 days I begin recording daily or every other day water parameters (aquarium pharmacueticals liquid test kit). Since everything is still 0 - I add 3 more Platies (Dec 15). I now have approximately one inch of fish for each 5 gallons. The fish are fed Tetra Min tropical flakes twice daily, enough so that the food is consumed in two minutes each feeding. No water changes are done for the first 4 weeks. Experiment over when NH3 = 0, NO2 = 0 and NO3 = 5 or greater.
Hypothesis #1 - A tank with low bioload can acquire an adequate biofilter without an Ammonia or nitrite spike. Ammonia and nitrite spikes are only from stocking too fast.
Hypothesis #2 - if #1 is valid, using fish to cycle is not harmful, only impatience hurts fish.
What do you think? How long before the experiment is completed? Do you think it will be possible to get evidence of complete nitrogen cycling (ie: nitrate > 5ppm) without detecting ammonia (NH3 >0.25 test kit limit) or Nitrite (NO2 >0.25 test kit limit)? I tried to follow the nitrogen cycle before using a slow buildup of bioload and missed it, so now I am repeating the experiment with greater vigilance. Anyone ever tried this before?
Hypothesis #1 - A tank with low bioload can acquire an adequate biofilter without an Ammonia or nitrite spike. Ammonia and nitrite spikes are only from stocking too fast.
Hypothesis #2 - if #1 is valid, using fish to cycle is not harmful, only impatience hurts fish.
What do you think? How long before the experiment is completed? Do you think it will be possible to get evidence of complete nitrogen cycling (ie: nitrate > 5ppm) without detecting ammonia (NH3 >0.25 test kit limit) or Nitrite (NO2 >0.25 test kit limit)? I tried to follow the nitrogen cycle before using a slow buildup of bioload and missed it, so now I am repeating the experiment with greater vigilance. Anyone ever tried this before?