joemomma456
Aquarium Advice Activist
i was just wanting some feed back on how i should cycle a new tank
i was just wanting some feed back on how i should cycle a new tank
the easiest fastest way is to use borrowed media from an established aquarium
i do fishless cycling...nothing wrong with fish-in...i just prefer to build up my bb like a freight train and add my stock...less time and effort (much less time and effort)...when doing fish-in, you're contantly testing and changing water, while making multiple fish store trips (and quarantines)...
i was just wanting some feed back on how i should cycle a new tank
I can't really agree on fishless being easier. The tank does all the work...you might have add some fish food or shrimp, but that's it... I just don't understand how it can be easier. You almost don't even have to worry about the cycle when using fish no that's all you do because you have to stay on top of your parameters constantly (must stress done correctly) the cycle will just finish in it's own time, which is slower toxins will remain low because you're surpressing them by removing food for your growing bb population because to much of that "food" will kill your fish (I even do weekly water changes as I would on an established tank) and just use the Seachem ammonia alert as a reference.
I actually enjoy trips to the LFS and adding a new fish or batch of fish is the exciting part for me. my fish store is over an hour away...but do enjoy getting to go You can also easily keep track on disease by quarantining before adding to the main display and you don't have to look at an empty tank for a month. the empty tank (for 2 weeks tops) is what my wife hates...she just wants to put fish in, but i don't want the extra work and testing...
Then there's the risk of stalling be it by ph or kh. The dreaded high nitrite phase and constant water changes to get them readable and the huge nitrate busting change at the end to get the tank ready for the full batch. simple solution here...that's not "stalling" that's part of the process of your bb adapting to become best suited for that tanks environment (and it can happen when doing fish-in causing more problems) these things are sensitive so during the changing conditions of a cycling process in a tank your bb are adapting and going through population swings (i.e. stalling)...but with fishless you can leave it be and when it breaks through...just get your nitrates down and add fish (The problems in this paragraph can be avoided but instructions for fishless cycling are not refined enough to combat these problems they really are, but it's hard to tell through all the panicky "MY CYCLE STALLED WHAT DO I DO!" threads, which are then usually followed by repeated bad advice learned from the previous stalled cycle thread) knowing your source water when building a bacteria colony like a freight train is important (arguably just as important when using fish no it's not arguable, i would say more important for fish in, because with the fish in you may need to prepare for it) and that may involve buying a kh and gh kit more cost etc.
Again these are all my opinions I'm not putting fish less cycling down. I'm all for helping anyone have a smoother ride with a fishless cycle if that's the way they choose to do it.
I never said it was worse...this is all just matters of preference...you state why you like your way and i state why i like mine (in comparison to each other so it may seem like arguing, but i'm not)...i'm not arguing or putting down your method (it's a good one)...sorry if it sounds like i'm saying your wrong, your not, these are just different methods to achieve the same result...
they both work that's what matters but there's less risk with fishless, esp. for beginners...
through years of experience i prefer fishless and will never do fish-in unless for some reason i absolutely have to...
they are both easy, but you have plenty more room for error in fishless...
i've used ammonia alerts too, they're good for fish-in or if you're making changes to an established tank...
nothing wrong with removing food (you have to with fish-in) i just prefer to get the bb built up asap...
hiccup = stall
factors....assuming no changes in external inputs, you're looking at 2 main categories in your internal system; 1) natural succession (will result in a large die off or stall if "next in line" is not ready with a larger population)... 2) populaion vs. variable carrying capacity (really can go with external factors, but internal factors could have negative effects on food and type of food supply as well)...
for external inputs...anything and everything