Can"t cycle my tank

[Fishperson]

I have been planning on doing a fishless cycle, but I can't figure out how to get some used filter media to start it! I have a 20 gallon tank with a Tetra Whisper EX30 filter. It doesn't have fish in it right now, but I want to start cycling it in a week or so. Here are my questions:

Do I need the filter media that I will use to be compatible with the filter that I have?
Will the pet store give/sell me some (filter media)?
And out of curiosity, does anyone know of a small fish that lives alone/in pairs/very small groups (less than 5) that can live in a tropical community freshwater?

Please help!

 

[Fishperson]

I seriously need some help with this, and I need ASAP. in advance to anyone that helps!

 

[Obsessedfishlover]

I have been planning on doing a fishless cycle, but I can't figure out how to get some used filter media to start it! I have a 20 gallon tank with a Tetra Whisper EX30 filter. It doesn't have fish in it right now, but I want to start cycling it in a week or so. Here are my questions:

Do I need the filter media that I will use to be compatible with the filter that I have?
Will the pet store give/sell me some (filter media)?
And out of curiosity, does anyone know of a small fish that lives alone/in pairs/very small groups (< 5) that can live in a tropical community freshwater?

Please help!

Some great fish for starters is a harlequin rasbora fish these are one of the hardiest fish and are so fun to watch and prefer to be kept in groups of five cuz they r schooling fish. Another species is black skirt tetras these are to very hardy and pretty and fun to watch... I can post pics if you want...

 

[Obsessedfishlover]

I have been planning on doing a fishless cycle, but I can't figure out how to get some used filter media to start it! I have a 20 gallon tank with a Tetra Whisper EX30 filter. It doesn't have fish in it right now, but I want to start cycling it in a week or so. Here are my questions:

Do I need the filter media that I will use to be compatible with the filter that I have?
Will the pet store give/sell me some (filter media)?
And out of curiosity, does anyone know of a small fish that lives alone/in pairs/very small groups (less than 5) that can live in a tropical community freshwater?

Please help!

The petstore will sell you some media... And yes it needs to be compatible with the filter..

 

[Russelmartin55]

Or you could sprinkle a
Little bit of fish food in for the ammonia to "eat"

 

[fort384]

Or you could sprinkle a
Little bit of fish food in for the ammonia to "eat"

What? Ammonia does not eat anything. It is a chemical compound. NH4.

Fish food can be used as a source of ammonia, since as it biodegrades in the water, it will release ammonia.

All you need to fishless cycle a tank is a source of ammonia. Fish food, a raw piece of seafood, a bottle of pure ammonia without surfactants, or even urine will induce a fishless cycle. The bacteria that help break down nitrogenous waste as part of the nitrogen cycle are found everywhere there is oxygen and water. They will grow and multiply if they have a source of nitrogenous waste to consume. You do not need seed material, or anything else for that matter. Seed material can speed a fishless cycle, but is not necessary.

 

[LeeSweeney]

Just for the record. And before anyone pees in there tank., there is no ammonia in urine.

Also just be patient it will all eventually happen. It seems to take forever but finally it will be happen and both you and your fish will be glad that u waited.

Just keep testing your water and eventually your ammonia and nitrite level will rise and fall. Then just a few water changes should get ur nitrates in check

Hope this helps

 

[fort384]

Just for the record, when urea (CO(NH2)2) breaks down, it releases ammonia (NH4). It can and will cycle a tank.

 

[Fishperson]

Obsessedfishlover, I can't add another school of fish, I only have room for 1 or 2 more.

Thank you fort384, I always thought that you had to have seeded material to cycle a tank. I have one more question. At a pet store today, I saw a product called Quick Start, by API. On the bottle, it says that you just had to add it in, and then add the fish. I am skeptical. I am sure there are products like it too. Has anyone ever used any of these products? Do they work? It was expensive, like $11 for a tiny bottle, but IMO it would be worth it. Unless of course, it doesn't work. So I haven't decided wether or not to buy it. Does anyone have any experience with that kind of thing?

 

[fort384]

Those types of additives are gimmicky imo. They can work, assuming the live culture of bacteria has survived. Often times, if they are subjected to freezing or hot temperatures, or take too long to get to the store, they are nothing more than snake oil.

I always like the adage "nothing good happens quickly in this hobby". I prefer adding as few chemicals or additives to my tanks as possible and try to do things slowly. In the end it has always given me the best resorts.

 

[Hholly]

Have a look at these articles:
http://www.aquariumadvice.com/guide-to-starting-a-freshwater-aquarium/
http://www.aquariumadvice.com/the-almost-complete-guide-and-faq-to-fishless-cycling/

 

[Fishperson]

Its not the time thats killing me, its the thought of having to get a bottle of ammonia, and all the testing and stuff. I haven't found a set of SIMPLE steps to fishless cycle a tank on the internet yet. I have done more research on the bacteria-in-a-bottle stuff, and people say it needs to be refrigerated, or it will die.

 

[fort384]

Stick a raw shrimp from the butcher in your tank. Fill it with water. 3-4 weeks later, your tank is cycled.

 

[Hholly]

What's hard about buying a bottle of ammonia?

 

[Obsessedfishlover]

Obsessedfishlover, I can't add another school of fish, I only have room for 1 or 2 more.

Thank you fort384, I always thought that you had to have seeded material to cycle a tank. I have one more question. At a pet store today, I saw a product called Quick Start, by API. On the bottle, it says that you just had to add it in, and then add the fish. I am skeptical. I am sure there are products like it too. Has anyone ever used any of these products? Do they work? It was expensive, like $11 for a tiny bottle, but IMO it would be worth it. Unless of course, it doesn't work. So I haven't decided wether or not to buy it. Does anyone have any experience with that kind of thing?

You need that quick start I added it when I started and i didn't lose any fish the whole first three months.... It works it truly does....

 

[fort384]

Let's talk about things from the stand point of a little bit of science or chemistry... what did the "quick start" do for your tank, other than anecdotally prevent you from losing fish? Did you try not using it in another tank and get different results?

I don't lose fish either when I start a tank, but have never used "quick start" or anything like it.

 

[Mrs.h2012]

Its not the time thats killing me, its the thought of having to get a bottle of ammonia, and all the testing and stuff. I haven't found a set of SIMPLE steps to fishless cycle a tank on the internet yet. I have done more research on the bacteria-in-a-bottle stuff, and people say it needs to be refrigerated, or it will die.

Your going to need testing kits no matter what (preferably liquid since strips arent accurate) It's the ONLY way to really know what's going on with your tank by knowing your water params, also the only way to know your tank has indeed cycled. Doing things the right way will save you a ton of money in the long run; i.e. having to replace fish over and over when it could've been
prevented in most cases; sometimes you just get a weak fish that can't withstand all the moving from tank to tank and shipping and what not.

 

[Mrs.h2012]

You need that quick start I added it when I started and i didn't lose any fish the whole first three months.... It works it truly does....

Again as stated these rarely work, it's a hit or a miss, some do have success with them and I'm glad you did, but people need to understand you can't just add this and expect everything to be perfect forever. I wouldn't waste your money on them, it's better spent on other things, such as test kits.

 

[fort384]

Again as stated these rarely work, it's a hit or a miss, some do have success with them and I'm glad you did, but people need to understand you can't just add this and expect everything to be perfect forever. I wouldn't waste your money on them, it's better spent on other things, such as test kits.

Sound advice!

 

[Mrs.h2012]

And obsessedfishlover my response wasn't meant in a mean way to you at all, it's just to often people buy things like this and wonder why months down the road things fall apart when the
product doesn't work like it should and it's the fish that end up suffering. People new to the hobby don't know this more times than not.