bacteria for fishless cycle?

[pinstripe]

I have been reading what I can find (here and elsewhere) on the fishless cycle, but can't find the answer to this question:
Can you do a fishless cycle without drawing bacteria from an existing tank?

I do not have a good source for gravel/filter squeezings/etc. I could get live plants but prefer not to; ditto for decomposing a shrimp. Is there anything else that would work? Maybe decomposing fish food ...?

 

[talloulou]

you can definitely do a fishless cycle without bacteria from an existing tank it will just take a hell of alot longer. Yes fish food will work.

 

[mr86mister]

IMO, BINGO! thats what i used for my first fishless cycle ever (i didnt have the money for the other stuff) i crushed up a bunch bunch of it and put it in my tank and let it set for a week with everything running....by the end of the week i had ammonia being detected and added more...after about 3 weeks i had nitrates and my nitrites were going doing and wahhhlaaahhh! a cycled tank

but it took patience and i dont know if that happens often it just did for me



good luck!!!

 

[pinstripe]

Thanks for the advice. Given the above, could I just add pure ammonia from the store? I don't know whether the bacteria can just arrive out of nowhere (?) or whether I need to start with something organic like fish food.

 

[virus]

you can use ammonia but yea MAKE sure its Pure ammonia!

 

[mr86mister]

you can use ammonia but yea MAKE sure its Pure ammonia!

exactly, what virus said...you have to make sure its PURE and has no chemicals in it because you will do ransid on your things in the tank and will mess it all up

 

[dr_girlfriend]

pure ammonia, fish food work. or you could use one of the products out there, stability by seachem and Bio-Spira by marineland are excellent. (and no waiting )

 

[TomK2]

Around here Ace hardware sells their own brand of "Janatorial strength cleaner" wich is a 10% ammonia solution with no perfumes, coloring, or surfactants. 0.34 ml of this solution per 10 gallons yeilds 1 ppm of ammonia.

 

[afishoutofh2o]

Having cycled one small tank without fish and using ammonia I just wanted to let you know that you have to watch not to overdose the ammonia. I did that and then my tank never cycled. I cut the ammonia down and it went on to complete the cycle in a few days. Target level for ammonia is 1-2 ppm (or 1-2 mg/L). This is the best link I have found other than the terrific advise of other fishless cyclers on AA.

I did not have any bacteria to inoculate my aquarium with and the total process took over 6 weeks (but that was likely because I was overdosing the ammonia at the start).

 

[pinstripe]

Thanks for this, really helpful!