Potentially idiotic cycling questions?

[captaincritical]

Hello everyone,

Please forgive me if these questions are immensely stupid, but I've been reading and reading for DAYS and I am now so bloody confused that I can't even think for myself anymore.

I am trying to cycle a 35g freshwater tank without fish. I have a solid theoretical understanding of how the nitrogen cycle works. Putting it into practice, however, is becoming increasingly difficult for me because of the lack of ammonia available for purchase where I live. I have checked hardware stores and big chain stores and can find NOTHING appropriate locally.

If I were to order it online, I would have to pay extra money to have it shipped with a heat pack in order to avoid freezing. The cheapest I've found is an additional $10 charge on top of a minimum $25 order. I'm looking to avoid this - spending nearly $40 for a bottle of something that only costs $4 is a little ridiculous.

Putting a dead shrimp in my tank is not an option. I'm a strict vegetarian, which causes an ethical dilemma for me in regards to bringing a dead animal home. I don't mind that other people do it and I'm glad that it works for them, but it's just not for me. Live and let live, I say.

I have some "Bio-Support" that I purchased from Big Al's (a national chain FS here in Canada), which has the same formulation as API's Stress Zyme. But adding beneficial bacteria is pointless without an ammonia source, correct?

I don't want to harm any fish by performing a fish-in cycle, and I don't know anyone locally with an established tank from whom I can pilfer any seeded filter media.

Am I stuck here or am I overlooking something obvious?

EDIT: Ugh, and naturally I posted this to the wrong place. Forgive me, I'm exhausted. If anyone could move this to the Freshwater Forum for me, it would be much appreciated.

[sodbuster95]

Well, if you cannot find a source of ammonia and shrimp is not an option, you can use fish food to create a source of ammonia. Just put some food in the tank and, as it decays, ammonia will be created. It will obviously take longer than using pure ammonia, but it will work.

Alternately, you could do a fish-in cycle. Done properly (meaning, you'll spend a lot more time maintaining the tank so that your fish don't suffer), it works just as well as the fishless cycle. If you add live plants, you'll speed the process along as they consume the ammonia the fish produce.

[herp_mommy]

I'm just curious- if you do not want dead animals in your home (I assume you also do the same for animal by-products) what do you plan on feeding your fish?

[mr_X]

Most fish food is made from dead fish.

[captaincritical]

My only issue with bringing home a dead shrimp would be that I'd be doing it solely for my own convenience, which I feel guilty doing, so I don't do it.

My fish will be eating NLS foods made with fish because it's what's best for them. I wouldn't dream of harming them or trying to force them to live with my dietary choices.

Before we start some crazy debate here, I didn't start this thread to discuss vegetarianism. I don't harp on people for eating meat and I don't condone it when other people do. Please don't assume I'm insane just because I don't eat it.

[BigRedsReefs10]

Throw a couple cubes of frozen blood worms in there, that should kick start it for you

[captaincritical]

Originally Posted by sodbuster95

Well, if you cannot find a source of ammonia and shrimp is not an option, you can use fish food to create a source of ammonia. Just put some food in the tank and, as it decays, ammonia will be created. It will obviously take longer than using pure ammonia, but it will work.

Alternately, you could do a fish-in cycle. Done properly (meaning, you'll spend a lot more time maintaining the tank so that your fish don't suffer), it works just as well as the fishless cycle. If you add live plants, you'll speed the process along as they consume the ammonia the fish produce.

Thanks for the suggestions!

I'm totally okay with doing additional maintenance so long as the fish won't suffer. Do you think I'd be okay to add a few hardy fish (maybe this weekend), a bottle of SafeStart, and then just be careful monitoring my parameters for a few weeks?

[Brookster123]

Originally Posted by captaincritical

Thanks for the suggestions! I'm totally okay with doing additional maintenance so long as the fish won't suffer. Do you think I'd be okay to add a few hardy fish (maybe this weekend), a bottle of SafeStart, and then just be careful monitoring my parameters for a few weeks?

I unintentionally did my first cycle fish in, what is your stocking list as of now?

[captaincritical]

As far as I know, it's looking like this:

6 panda cories
9 diamond tetras
9 von rio flame tetras
5 blue velvet shrimp
5 guppies

Trying to decide which of those would be the hardiest?

[Brookster123]

Originally Posted by captaincritical

As far as I know, it's looking like this: 6 panda cories 9 diamond tetras 9 von rio flame tetras 5 blue velvet shrimp 5 guppies Trying to decide which of those would be the hardiest?

yup! If say start with the guppies, that's actually what i used with mine, still have most if them! While 2/4 anyways, but did not lose any to the cycle. Trick is lots of testing and lots of wc.

[captaincritical]

I may start with just one or two because I know they have a heavier bio load. Do you think that would be wise? I just don't want to hurt them, y'know?

[Brookster123]

Originally Posted by captaincritical

I may start with just one or two because I know they have a heavier bio load. Do you think that would be wise? I just don't want to hurt them, y'know?

the thing is with fish in.. If you start with one in a 35 than it could take you months to reach final stock, the bb will just take longer. Add 3 gupsters. Make sure you pick some healthy active ones at the Lfs.. Keep up on water maintainance and I wouldn't be shocked if you had those gups 2 years down the road

[Kimlafeiet]

If you want to do a fish in cycle, there is a great link on the home page of this site that goes over fish-in cycling. It can be done, it just requires more work on your part.

You can use fish food to cycle the tank also. dry/flake food will work, but frozen cubes are probably more efficient. Your fish will also love the variety of dry and frozen foods.

Another option is to get some seeded media from someone. Do you have any friends or neighbors with fish tanks? Ask them for a dirty filter pad/sponge/cartridge. Sounds kinda gross, but get a dirty sponge (keep it wet in tank water, dont let it dry out) and stick it in your filter. It will be full of beneficial bacteria needed to cycle. You can ask your LFS if they would give you one. Some stores do, some dont, just depends. They like to "sell" you stuff you dont need rather than give you a dirty sponge.

[captaincritical]

Thanks for the advice, Brookster and Kim. I think I'll call both LFSs in my area and see if they'd be willing to sell/donate some dirty filter media to get me kickstarted with a few guppies. =)

[Brookster123]

Originally Posted by captaincritical

Thanks for the advice, Brookster and Kim. I think I'll call both LFSs in my area and see if they'd be willing to sell/donate some dirty filter media to get me kickstarted with a few guppies. =)

best way to do it! If I only I could mail peeps my nasty old filters haha!