Not Cycling Before Adding Fish

[cJw]

I've cycled my 30gallon with 6 pearl danios from two days after filling and treating my tank; no deaths so far and ammonia is gone and nitrite is beginning (I hope!) to fall.

 

[TomK2]

cJw -
thats a fairly low bio-load, how high did your ammonia and nitrite get? I cycled a 55 gal with 6 zebra danios and 7 platies, added over two weeks, and never got ammonia or nitrite. After 40 days the nitrate just showed up. I am interested in how your tank compares t what I did.

 

[cJw]

That low bio-load was actually per your recommendation, Tom - @ 5" of fish per gallon, iirc.

My ammonia never got above 1.0ppm, and I did 15% water changes about every other day that first week. . . since then, I've been doing 30%pwcs every other day to keep the nitrite levels down; they highest they've gotten is 1.75ppm, and I've had a talk with them so they don't get any higher. :d

I had nitrate the first time I tested, as well as some apparent in my tap water test - it's been 10 for the longest, and has just elevated to 15 within the 3rd week.

 

[GouramiFanatic]

Ok, so what I'm gathering here is that it's ok to start right out with fish as long as I'm willing (and able) to do very frequent water changes?

I think the main reason that I'm kind of hesitant to go with a fishless cycle is because I still have very little knowledge about fish and the appropriate levels to keep them healthy and happy. To add to that, nobody that I work with who has a fish tank at home has ever gone through a fishless cycle. I guess I feel more secure going the familiar route where I'd have people there who can help me. Doing a fishless cycle is so unknown not just to me, but to my coworkers so I don't think that they'll be of any help to answer my questions. Unfortunately, I can't post question after question here during working hours. At least starting out with fish right away I have several people who can help me out. Does that make sense?

Thank you all for all of the info! I did learn quite a bit from this thread and I think I've made my decision based on what I've read here, on other sites, and from talking to other people. I think I'm going to give it a shot and start right out with fish... a pair of Gouramis. I've read that they've proven themselves to be hardy during the initial tank set up so I'm going to give it a shot. I'm sure it'll be a challenge for a while, but I've got a decent 'support team' at work.

- Mandy

 

[severum mama]

Mandy, I know you said that the friend in question doesn't keep fish anymore, but do you know anyone else that has a cycled tank? If you do you can run your filter on an established tank for a couple weeks. Then when you take your own filter back and use it on your tank, you can add some fish right away (stocking lightly at first) without the hassle of cycling for 4-6 weeks. If you know anyone that would give you some old filter media to put in your filter, that would work too.

I just set up a 55 gallon tank at work that way. As I added 8 flame tetras to the tank, I put a couple of old Biowheels and an old filter cartridge in an Emperor 400. The next day the ammonia was just under .25, nitrite wasn't detected, and nitrate was 0 so I did a 10% water change. 3 days after I set the tank up it had cycled- ammonia and nitrites were 0, and nitrates were detectable. I set it up a week ago, and today ammonia and nitrite were 0 and nitrates were around 10. Sorry for rambling, but if you can go this route with someone whose tanks you trust to be disease-free, you can cycle quickly and easily with minimal stress on your fish. Just an idea!

 

[TomK2]

That low bio-load was actually per your recommendation, Tom - @ 5" of fish per gallon, iirc.

err, that was one inch per 5 gallons, right? I am somewhat disappointed. With 6 danios, I would have predicted only very short lived low levels of ammonia and nitrite. So your repeat of my experiment failed to produce a similar result. bummer. I wonder why? since you have read my article, you know I postulated a number of variables. I wish it worked out better for you.

 

[Fishyfanatic]

Mandy, Since you plan on going the fish way, make sure you have a good master test kit. You need to test the water every day. If you get Ammonia levels above 1, do an immediate water change. If you can get something from someone elses established tank, it will go much quicker. Just like severum said. I used some AC from my 10 gal on my QT and I just set it up two weeks ago and I already am at the low Ammonia levels, Nitrites are going down, and Nitrates are at 2.5. Just be prepared for very frequent water changes.

 

[dr_girlfriend]

I know I've said this before, but get some Bio-Spira! You can instantly add fish and your tank is cycled.
http://www.marineland.com/products/mllabs/ML_biospira.asp
No shrimp, no ammonia, no constant water changes. No fuss, no muss.

Let technology work for you for a change!!!

 

[Fishyfanatic]

The problem with that Dr_girlfriend is that sometimes Bio-Spira is hard to come by. I, for one, have not been able to find it anywhere. If you get lucky and find it, be sure to buy it, but most places dont carry it.

 

[dr_girlfriend]

You can order it online if its not available in a store. I think one of the sponsors here sells it. Lighthouse, or something like that.

 

[GouramiFanatic]

Thanks again for the Bio-Spira suggestion. My mind has been going back and forth so much that I completely forgot about that stuff!

Now more questions...

1- Does anyone know of a reputable store (it can be an online store) that I can buy this stuff from? One that ships it out reasonably fast so I'll get it by the weeks end?

2- I went to Petco over the weekend to see if they sold it, but they don't. They do have stuff called Bio-Safe. Is this the same thing?

3- If I'm getting the fish on a Monday would it be ok to put this in the tank Friday afternoon/evening before leaving work for the day? Or should I wait and put some in the tank on Monday and hold off on getting the fish on Tuesday?

- Mandy

 

[GouramiFanatic]

Got another question!

When we set up the fish tank I was told to put some salt (I have the correct kind of sale already so no worries that I'll be using the wrong kind) in it. Should I do that now, towards the end of the week, the day of getting the fish, or wait until the fish are it?

- Mandy

 

[Fishyfanatic]

I've never used Bio-Spira but from what I've read (someone back me up or set me straight) you add the Bio-Spira at the same time that you add fish. Do I have that right?

 

[Fishyfanatic]

I'm assuming that it's Aquarium salt for Freshwater tanks. Adding it really depends on the fish that you will be keeping. Personally, we don't have a drop of salt in any of our tanks. It is only used if an ich outbreak occurs or another fish disease.

 

[dr_girlfriend]

http://www.fishstoretn.com/bio_spira.html sells it. Just make sure you express ship it, because it needs to be kept refrigerated. You add it at the same time you add your fish.
The stuff they sell at the store in a bottle, worthless.
As far as salt goes, thats really up to you. For a new set up you might want to add a very small amount maybe 1 tblspoon per 5-10 gallons just to help from the trauma of being moved. Some people keep it in their tanks all of the time, some only to treat illnessess. I keep a very low salt concentration in my tanks at all times. I have had no illnessess or ich so I think salt, if used correctly, is a great tonic and illness preventative.

 

[dr_girlfriend]

Just make sure you use freshwater aquarium salt, not marine salt
Petsmart and walmart sell it cheap.