Kuhnini's 40 gal freshwater fishless cycle has commenced!
- Thread starter Kuhnini
- Start date
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If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
Gish
Aquarium Advice Freak
Stop torturing yourself and your fellow thread readers ! Just go to your lfs and throw some fish in ! My lfs had a sale on zebra danios 5 for a buck . It will help your cycle and let you start enjoying your tank.
The fish will survive. Just do frequent partial water changes. Put those testing chemicals away for now!
This is how tanks were set up for decades!
The fish will survive. Just do frequent partial water changes. Put those testing chemicals away for now!
This is how tanks were set up for decades!
LyndaB
Aquarium Advice Addict
The OP already indicated that they are doing a fishless cycle to avoid having to do all the additional water changes called for with a fish-in cycle. I know I'm not being tortured by watching someone set up their tank so responsibly.
Your nitrates are super high. You wouldn't be able to put fish into the tank and expect them to survive with nitrates of 160.
Your patience will pay off. Don't listen to the goofballs.....
jlk
Aquarium Advice Addict
+1
I agree with LyndaB!!! You are being a responsible keeper by properly cycling your tank before purchasing fish. I am certainly not being tortured either, btw, and enjoy helping you! Keep up the good work!
I agree with LyndaB!!! You are being a responsible keeper by properly cycling your tank before purchasing fish. I am certainly not being tortured either, btw, and enjoy helping you! Keep up the good work!
Gish
Aquarium Advice Freak
"tortured" was tongue and cheek. Obviously I find your progress interesting or I wouldnt be following along
The OP stated that she was Frustrated and had already had to do several water changes. I do think that adding fish would expedite the process
To suggest that the hundreds of thousands aquarists who have successfully performed in fish cycling since the 1850's are irresponsible fish keepers is completely ludicrous.
The OP stated that she was Frustrated and had already had to do several water changes. I do think that adding fish would expedite the process
To suggest that the hundreds of thousands aquarists who have successfully performed in fish cycling since the 1850's are irresponsible fish keepers is completely ludicrous.
jlk
Aquarium Advice Addict
Theres nothing wrong with fish-in cycling as long as its done responsibily. The OP is only @2 1/2 wks into a fishless cycle and has only performed a single water change so far. For this early into a fishless cycle, his/her tank is progressing very well!!!! Fishless cycling does require patience and it is no quicker than a fish-in cycle- both can take anywhere from 6 wks to much longer. He/she choose to do a fishless cycle for his/her own reasons and we should support the decision.
Gish, thanks for clearing up your "tortured" remark. I apologize for not taking it "tongue and cheek". jlk is right, I have only had to do one water change so far and that was my reason for doing a fishless cycle. I'm on old guy (52) who used to have an aquarium some thirty odd years ago. Back in that day, a bunch of college kids had aquariums. So many that we had about 4 or 5 local fish stores in the college town I lived in. Back then you went to the fish store, got your tank, took it home, dumped a bunch of chemicals in to it and came back the next day to buy your fish. Some made it, some didn't.
After reading this forum I wanted to try a fishless cycle. I'm impatient because of the way I experienced this hobby back in the day. I'm excitedly frustrated because quite frankly...I want fish but I do want to see the process through. I think I'm very close to having the tank cycled. This has not been a bad experience at all for me. The help here has been awesome and greatly appreciated.
I appreciate your idea about the zebra danios Gish but the fish I ultimately want to have in my tank may not like the zebra danios because of their size. A good thing that has come out of this "waiting game" is it has given me time to research the fish I want. I don't want to get in a situation where the first fish that I buy cause me to be limited in any fish purchases in the future.
After reading this forum I wanted to try a fishless cycle. I'm impatient because of the way I experienced this hobby back in the day. I'm excitedly frustrated because quite frankly...I want fish but I do want to see the process through. I think I'm very close to having the tank cycled. This has not been a bad experience at all for me. The help here has been awesome and greatly appreciated.
I appreciate your idea about the zebra danios Gish but the fish I ultimately want to have in my tank may not like the zebra danios because of their size. A good thing that has come out of this "waiting game" is it has given me time to research the fish I want. I don't want to get in a situation where the first fish that I buy cause me to be limited in any fish purchases in the future.
LyndaB
Aquarium Advice Addict
Perhaps you'd be so kind as to point out where I made the above suggestion..... funny thing is, I can't seem to find it in my post.
Gish
Aquarium Advice Freak
Pls don't take my posts as personal attacks.
The response was towards jlk's remark about being responsible by not adding fish until the tank is fully cycled.
I know understand that she may have been referring to the fishless method
The response was towards jlk's remark about being responsible by not adding fish until the tank is fully cycled.
I know understand that she may have been referring to the fishless method
jlk
Aquarium Advice Addict
160ppm nitrate? I'd be surprised if your PH hasn't crashed.
Several partial water changes might be needed.
NO3 is not acidic. HNO3 is acidic.
Gish
Aquarium Advice Freak
52 is not old!
jlk
Aquarium Advice Addict
I never stated that fish-in cycling is irresponsible. I, in fact, stated there is nothing wrong with fish-in cycling as long as its done responsibily. Please do not put words in my mouth. End of discussion and lets please stick to the OP's thread!
Today's water tests. Refer to previous posts for water test history. jlk I think you were right. I didn't read the nitrite result right on 4/7/12. I decided to go ahead and dose ammonia back up to 4.0 ppm because I'm going to be rather busy for the next couple of days so I can't do anything different even if I wanted to.
4/10/12
Ammonia 0.0 ppm
Nitrite 2.0 ppm
Nitrate .80 ppm
ph 7.6
ph high 8.2
4/10/12
Ammonia 0.0 ppm
Nitrite 2.0 ppm
Nitrate .80 ppm
ph 7.6
ph high 8.2
jlk
Aquarium Advice Addict
Your doing fine so dont worry!!!
Also Gish, I appreciate you saying 52 isn't old and I happily agree. My kids tease me regularly that 52 is old. They love to refer to my teen and twenty years as "back in the day"!
On occasion I can surprise them with some very limited and short lasting athletic ability and remind them the ol' dad isn't quite washed up yet!
On occasion I can surprise them with some very limited and short lasting athletic ability and remind them the ol' dad isn't quite washed up yet!
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