The (almost) Complete Guide and FAQ to Fishless Cycling

[FishShack]

Ok I have moved over the fish that I have now, I forgot what day it was and the fish store is closed and won't open til tomorrow morning, will the tank keep it's cycle until I can get more fish tomorrow morning, the store opens a 9am? I hope so...I will add fish food too to help?...

2 Red Wag Platy
5 Jumbo Neon Tetra
1 Lamp Eye Tetra
1 Orange Von Rio Flame Tetra

[eco23]

Originally Posted by FishShack

Ok I have moved over the fish that I have now, I forgot what day it was and the fish store is closed and won't open til tomorrow morning, will the tank keep it's cycle until I can get more fish tomorrow morning, the store opens a 9am? I hope so...I will add fish food too to help?...

2 Red Wag Platy
5 Jumbo Neon Tetra
1 Lamp Eye Tetra
1 Orange Von Rio Flame Tetra

You'll be fine! It takes days before you have to worry about the bacteria beginning to die off. You're good to go

[Deckape]

Originally Posted by FishShack

Ok I have moved over the fish that I have now, I forgot what day it was and the fish store is closed and won't open til tomorrow morning, will the tank keep it's cycle until I can get more fish tomorrow morning, the store opens a 9am? I hope so...I will add fish food too to help?...

2 Red Wag Platy
5 Jumbo Neon Tetra
1 Lamp Eye Tetra
1 Orange Von Rio Flame Tetra

Nice good luck with them!

[FishShack]

Thanks guys and girls, when I am fully stocked tomorrow I will shoot up pics, here are my readings after the last PWC,

0 ppm ammo
0 ppm nitrites
5 ppm nitrates
PH 7.6

I have the red minor left in the 20g but I know that's not enough to sustain the cycle so I am trying to think of what next for it....

[eco23]

Originally Posted by FishShack

Thanks guys and girls, when I am fully stocked tomorrow I will shoot up pics, here are my readings after the last PWC,

0 ppm ammo
0 ppm nitrites
5 ppm nitrates
PH 7.6

I have the red minor left in the 20g but I know that's not enough to sustain the cycle so I am trying to think of what next for it....

Looks great. I'd say he can either be store credit, or even better...give him some friends in the 20 and see if his own school calms him down

[FishShack]

Eco, I went ahead and brought 4 more Red Minors and the Red Minor that I had settled down so I threw them in the 55g, the Barbs in the 20g were chasing it anyway....

[FishDroid26]

In the section about the Carbon in the HOB Filter, before I start up a 30 gal, should I through that carbon filter out and add an extra sponge one? Or was there something else you were referring to. Sorry, this Cali Heat isn't letting me focus.

[eco23]

Originally Posted by FishDroid26

In the section about the Carbon in the HOB Filter, before I start up a 30 gal, should I through that carbon filter out and add an extra sponge one? Or was there something else you were referring to. Sorry, this Cali Heat isn't letting me focus.

Don't worry...the remaining alcohol content in my system from the 4 of July isn't letting me focus either, lol.

The carbon wont hurt, it's just not necessary. If it's in a cartridge you can take a pair of scissors to it and cut a slit to shake the carbon out, or you can just buy a sheet of normal filter pad and cut it to size in its place which is the most cost efficient over time.

[eco23]

Originally Posted by FishShack

Saw the Tiger Oscar Cichlid today at the lfs, was wondering with what I have now in the 55g could 2 of them be added? Will they be ok?

5 Red Wag Platy
5 Jumbo Neon Tetra
5 Lamp Eye Tetra
5 Orange Von Rio Flame Tetra
5 Red Minor
2 Angels
2 Sucker Fish

Thanks...

I wouldn't add anything else yet. Make sure your tank is stable for a couple weeks before adding anything.

I'd vote a big no on the Oscars...I wouldn't even think about it. You can start a thread if you want and get other opinions, but that seems like a really bad idea to me.

[eco23]

Originally Posted by Homedog98

Just a shout-out to Eco. I followed your guide and had great results. No losses yet! (knock on driftwood!) fishless cycling is definitely the way to go!

Thanks . You did a great job with your fishless cycle, glad to hear everyone's doing good. Glad to have you back on the site

[griffinej5]

I've got .5 ammonia at the 24 hour mark today... nitrate, looked liked something between 40-80, nitrite, 5.0, maybe. It looks like it could be off the chart. I'll have to get someone else to take a look at it for me for a second opinion. If that is off the chart, that's supposed to come down on it's own, so I shouldn't change what to bring it down, right?
It looks like one (at least one) of my java ferns has died too. I have to get up on a step stool so I can get above the tank to reach down and grab the wood to get it out. Next time around, I'll do a real planted tank rather instead of just throwing plants in the tank.

[eco23]

Originally Posted by griffinej5

I've got .5 ammonia at the 24 hour mark today... nitrate, looked liked something between 40-80, nitrite, 5.0, maybe. It looks like it could be off the chart. I'll have to get someone else to take a look at it for me for a second opinion. If that is off the chart, that's supposed to come down on it's own, so I shouldn't change what to bring it down, right?
It looks like one (at least one) of my java ferns has died too. I have to get up on a step stool so I can get above the tank to reach down and grab the wood to get it out. Next time around, I'll do a real planted tank rather instead of just throwing plants in the tank.

Whoops! Sorry I missed your post somehow.

It's not a bad idea to do large pwc to get nitrItes down to .5-1. There definitely is the possibility of a stall if the nitrItes get ridiculously high. Just make sure you dechlorinate and temp match the water the best you can.

It shouldn't' be too long before no2 starts dropping on it's own and you can move in Mr. Goldfish

[griffinej5]

No big deal, i've been out all day, so I couldn't have done the water change yet anyway. It looks like the nitrite may be slowly dropping, it seemed like it was darker on Tuesday than Wednesday. Tues was Not even close to the top of the chart, yesterday it looked just a tad darker. I'm so glad I didn't do fish in. I just got beat up at work pretty good, and calculation would say I need to change at least 80% to get it there unless it has fallen a lot since last night. I don't often get beat up, but it is always ridiculously hot there in the summer. I'd hate it if I had to change water daily with fish in.

[eco23]

Originally Posted by griffinej5

No big deal, i've been out all day, so I couldn't have done the water change yet anyway. It looks like the nitrite may be slowly dropping, it seemed like it was darker on Tuesday than Wednesday. Tues was Not even close to the top of the chart, yesterday it looked just a tad darker. I'm so glad I didn't do fish in. I just got beat up at work pretty good, and calculation would say I need to change at least 80% to get it there unless it has fallen a lot since last night. I don't often get beat up, but it is always ridiculously hot there in the summer. I'd hate it if I had to change water daily with fish in.

If they're dropping on their own...I set let it be. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. . Remember this is a critical time to keep an eye on your pH. If you see any drops, break out the bucket and do a 50% pwc.

[griffinej5]

I think they're dropping, but I can't tell for sure. It was definitely over the chart, because I changed some water, probably 6-8 gallons, next exactly sure, it's just maybe now actually readable on the nitrites. I'll have to check tomorrow morning, and take it up into natural light. The pH was down to 6.4 or 6.6, I don't remember which, so I did a water change to bring it up a bit. I left it low for now though, just high enough to keep the filters running. No need to put in more water that I'll need to carry upstairs and get rid of.

[eco23]

Originally Posted by griffinej5

I think they're dropping, but I can't tell for sure. It was definitely over the chart, because I changed some water, probably 6-8 gallons, next exactly sure, it's just maybe now actually readable on the nitrites. I'll have to check tomorrow morning, and take it up into natural light. The pH was down to 6.4 or 6.6, I don't remember which, so I did a water change to bring it up a bit. I left it low for now though, just high enough to keep the filters running. No need to put in more water that I'll need to carry upstairs and get rid of.

What is the natural pH value of your tap water? If it's drastically different, I think you should probably carry the buckets back up and down the stairs to get it back to it's pH level from the tap. A big enough water change like that would also reduce your no2 (preferably to around .5-1), which is ideal...I just didn't want to tell you to carry buckets if the no2 appears to be dropping.

[griffinej5]

I think the natural pH was 7.8. It's Philly 'burb water. High pH and somewhat hard water (to make the hoagie rolls just right). My only real basis on the no2 dropping is my belief that I think they are getting lighter one day to the next. Changing out that bit of water, I think it is now around 5. It could still be over. I've gotta check it in the morning so I can take it into the natural light, and get someone else to look for me. The little stick up on the tank is reading 7 now for pH I think. I'll test everything when the sleeping dog on my legs gets up in the morning.

[eco23]

Originally Posted by griffinej5

I think the natural pH was 7.8. It's Philly 'burb water. High pH and somewhat hard water (to make the hoagie rolls just right). My only real basis on the no2 dropping is my belief that I think they are getting lighter one day to the next. Changing out that bit of water, I think it is now around 5. It could still be over. I've gotta check it in the morning so I can take it into the natural light, and get someone else to look for me. The little stick up on the tank is reading 7 now for pH I think. I'll test everything when the sleeping dog on my legs gets up in the morning.

Sounds good. I'd be more than a bit concerned if your pH dropped from 7.8 to 6.4 though. It's worth experimenting and leaving a glass of water sitting out overnight (preferably stick an air stone in it), and see what the pH changes to as opposed to right out of your tap. It's possible it's being buffered and once it gasses out it will show your true pH level.

If it drops on it's own in 24 hours that's one thing...but if the nitrifying bacteria are what is causing it to plummet that much...that's a problem and bucket carrying is in your near future.

BTW, I don't get the cheez whiz you guys do on the cheese steaks up there...wasn't a fan, lol. I've been up to a couple concerts at the Electric Factory. Note to self and others...the Mosholu (floating, rocking and swaying boat restaurant in Penns Landing) is a horrible idea for a place to get breakfast after a night of concert going and enjoying adult beverages, lol.

[griffinej5]

I believe that was the from water left over night in a bucket, could have been slightly lower, but not lower than 7.6. I changed some this morning again.

[griffinej5]

Ok, I changed water. I took out 3 buckets worth and put in 4. I had let the level get fairly low, just letting it stay high enough to keep the filters running. The nitrites are still high, looking like 2 or 5 to me. The nitrates are at least 180, and the pH was at 6.8 after the new water had been in there for about an hour. I need to drain this down to bring those levels down, don't I? Shouldn't my nitrites be dropping by now if the nitrates are so high?