The (almost) Complete Guide and FAQ to Fishless Cycling

[cichlidpaul]

That's awesome bro! It took a while but you're almost there. I can't wait till you get it all stocked. If you've still got some algae issues going on... add some Oto catfish as one of your first fish. I just bought 7 yesterday and they're my favorite fish. They're like a full time cleaning crew. I'm having a diatom outbreak (brown algae) and these things are cleaning it up like magic. I'm happy for you man!

Oto will have to check them boys out as i have a bit but to be fair its not much in hoping the plecs sort it out lol but you know me always open to new ideas will go check them out now dude
Lmao it took a while you can say that again off the top of my head it my 44/45 day

 

[eco23]

Oto will have to check them boys out as i have a bit but to be fair its not much in hoping the plecs sort it out lol but you know me always open to new ideas will go check them out now dude
Lmao it took a while you can say that again off the top of my head it my 44/45 day

I know...having water full of chlorine sitting in there for 3/4 of the time probably didn't help, lol. You should sue the guy at the lfs who told you you didn't need to dechlorinate for mental anguish.

 

[cichlidpaul]

I know...having water full of chlorine sitting in there for 3/4 of the time probably didn't help, lol. You should sue the guy at the lfs who told you you didn't need to dechlorinate for mental anguish.

Lol now thats a plan mate

Do you think the Otos would be ok with cichlids dude

 

[eco23]

Lol now thats a plan mate

Do you think the Otos would be ok with cichlids dude

They are pretty small...so I guess it'd depend on how aggressive the cichlids are. I love them though. The cleaned every speck of my glass in a couple hours, and now half are cleaning plants while the others are working on the gravel. It's like a personal janitorial service.

 

[cichlidpaul]

They are pretty small...so I guess it'd depend on how aggressive the cichlids are. I love them though. The cleaned every speck of my glass in a couple hours, and now half are cleaning plants while the others are working on the gravel. It's like a personal janitorial service.

I must say mate they do sound cool and pretty nice too but not sure they would be ok with haps and peacock and i would hate to see them get hurt
But sounds like you have your own bulldozers in now lol

 

[eco23]

I must say mate they do sound cool and pretty nice too but not sure they would be ok with haps and peacock and i would hate to see them get hurt
But sounds like you have your own bulldozers in now lol

Yeah, they might end up food...just like the 20 red cherry shrimp I put in last night. Oh well, I guess they were a good little snack for the red eyes and danios. They were so small I think my neons might have taken part in the feast.

 

[cichlidpaul]

Yeah, they might end up food...just like the 20 red cherry shrimp I put in last night. Oh well, I guess they were a good little snack for the red eyes and danios. They were so small I think my neons might have taken part in the feast.

Sounds like your fish came from down under and had a right good old bbq mate lol

 

[shammond15731]

About the brown algae Eco do u know what causes that or how to prevent it? I am getting a lot of it on one side of my filter output yet the other side a couple inches away is clean as a whistle, I wasn't sure if maybe one of my biowheels isn't doing as well as the other. The oto cats are pretty cute little bugers! How big will they get? I wouldn't mind replacing my pleco with a few especially if I can find some of the zebra otos.

 

[eco23]

About the brown algae Eco do u know what causes that or how to prevent it? I am getting a lot of it on one side of my filter output yet the other side a couple inches away is clean as a whistle, I wasn't sure if maybe one of my biowheels isn't doing as well as the other. The oto cats are pretty cute little bugers! How big will they get? I wouldn't mind replacing my pleco with a few especially if I can find some of the zebra otos.

From all I've researched, the diatoms are super common in virtually all newly cycled tanks (fishless or traditionally cycled). It seems they're caused by a mixture of the water conditions during the cycling process combined with silicates that leech from new substrate and decorations as well as the actual aquarium. They're supposed to go away as quickly as they came in weeks or a couple months.

What's odd is that all the things that make normal green algae grow are the same things that help control the diatoms. Apparently using MORE light and MORE oxygen helps control it. Do you have an air stone or brighter light on one side of the intake? I'd bet the clean side is closer to the oxygen. I'm starting to think that the reason the light helps eliminate the diatoms is because it encourages the more powerful green algae to grow and it outcompetes the diatoms.

I think the Otos stay really small. They're quick little guys so as long as there's nothing else that might think they're a snack...they should be fine. Supposedly they have a huge die off rate in the first couple weeks though...so you may want to consider buying more than you plan to have.

 

[eco23]

Oh, and you shouldn't have to replace any other algae eaters as long as you supplement their diets with algae wafers.

 

[shammond15731]

You are absolutely right the clean side is right above an air stone the dirty side however has very little air by it but is closer to the light. I just want to get my pleco out of this tank, I just am not a big fan of common plecos, they pretty much give me the creeps! Lol So I was pretty stoked when I read of the otos!!!

 

[Irish.OG87]

I think when i do have to do a 50% pwc i wont have any water to do the change with if my nitrites dont hurry up and skyrocket, water is receding!!

 

[eco23]

I think when i do have to do a 50% pwc i wont have any water to do the change with if my nitrites dont hurry up and skyrocket, water is receding!!

It's fine to top off as long as you dechlorinate. Gotta run!

 

[eco23]

Thanks to my buddy Deckape...I can show you a picture of what your fish will go through if you don't follow the guide, lol.

 

[Deckape]

You are a sales man thru and thru

 

[Irish.OG87]

omg....this is wild, when i topped up my ammonia lvls 2 days ago i topped it up a little high close to 6ppm maybe even 8ppm, checked today and its at 0.25ppm maybe cos its really liht yellow, so pretty much i gave my bacteria 2times what it was supposed to have and it ate it in 2 days, thats wild.. if they can eat that much ammonia in 2days that has to be good, right guys??

 

[Irish.OG87]

checked the other lvls too, and NO3 is about 20ppm and my NO2 is about 5ppm, hope im still on the right track.

 

[eco23]

checked the other lvls too, and NO3 is about 20ppm and my NO2 is about 5ppm, hope im still on the right track.

Yep. You just need the nitrIte to nitrAte bacteria to catch up with the ammo to nitrIte stuff. Remind me, did you do your mid cycle 50% pwc yet?

 

[Irish.OG87]

nope i have not done it yet...shud i?

 

[eco23]

nope i have not done it yet...shud i?

It's coming up soon...but you don't have to do it yet. If the ammo conversion slows down go ahead and do it. Just remember to match the temps and use dechlorinator.