Cycling a new tank

[kdmalkmus]

I have kept fish for 6 years. I have been through several tank changes and have never "cycled" a tank once. I have also never lost a fish in a new tank. Is "cycling" a tank really that important when you set it up??

When I set up a new tank I clean all the stuff, add water conditioner and bacteria. After a few hours, I put the fish in their new homes. I keep an ammonia detector on the side of the tank and check it every day for the first several weeks. If it is registering a little high, I add some ammonia fighter liquid per the instructions on the bottle. This method of "cycling" has never caused a problem before. Maybe I have just always gotten lucky.

Now would be a bad time for my little "no cycling" theory to be proven wrong. I have a pregnant platy that is near giving birth and is beginning to be harassed by one of my mollies. I want to move her to the new tank that I got for the fry, but I just set it up today. Is she gonna die if I move her tomorrow?

If cycling is really that important, what else do I need to do before the tank is ready for the fry? I imagine they will be a bit more sensitive than an adult fish so I want to do this right. I have added water conditioner and bacteria. Now what? Or should I be good?

 

[kdmalkmus]

I went ahead and added some filter media from my established tank to the new tank.

 

[Mrs.h2012]

I went ahead and added some filter media from my established tank to the new tank.

How was the established tank stocked? Given the info you gave it sounds like you have just done a fish in cycle for the 6 years. Do you ever check nitrite or nitrate levels?

 

[kdmalkmus]

I recently moved a good distance so the tank pretty much started over about 3 months ago. So it has been doing a fish in cycle for that long. Everyone seems happy and healthy. The tank is a 20G and it has 2 platies (I wasn't aware of the 2-3F per M ratio and will work on achieving that as more females become available at the store I buy at), an angelfish, a mollie, and a blue gourami. Sounds like a strange mix, but they all came from my local petsmart and everyone gets along great. They all seem to take well to the same water, but I am assuming that is because they came from petsmart and there was no special regard for brackish fish, etc. I haven't tested for nitrates and nitrites and I am actually planning to buy a kit to test today. I am panicking over the fry tank so now is a great time to test both tanks. I will post levels after I check.

 

[BBradbury]

Fish In Tank Cycling

Hello kd...

For the sake of your fish, I'd avoid getting creative with the cycling process and use the standard method. It's proven. Just add anything with a surface like decorations, some media, floating plants or gravel from an established tank and put in a few hardy fish. Any of the Barbs or Danios are fine if you like egglayers and Platys or Guppies if you like livebearers.

Get your testing kit out and test the water every day. When a test shows a trace of either ammonia or nitrites, then remove and replace at least 25 percent of the water with pure, treated tap water.

Just test and replace. When you have several tests with "0" for the above toxins, then add a few more small fish and resume the routine.

Just follow the routine until the tank if fully stocked. Pretty simple.

B

 

[kdmalkmus]

I just got home and did a strip test.

The fry tank is reading
GH- 30
KH- little over 0
PH- 6.5+, but not quite 7
NO2- 0
NO3- 0
Ammonia- less than .02 PPM

The community tank is reading
GH- 0
KH- 0
PH- 6 or a little over. (how is this so low?!)
NO2- 0
NO3- 20
Ammonia- a bit over .02 PPM

While I was picking up test strips, I noticed a couple platy fry swimming alone in a tank. I felt guilty and assumed they would die, so she let me bring the little fellas home for free. I also picked up a lone guppy. Hoping these 3 will help with the cycling process. I feel bad that the fry might die, but let's be honest, they wouldn't have survived at petsmart either. lol. Hoping I can keep them alive!

 

[Tigerosx]

I won't go on a rant here but I had used api test strips a few times and the reading were not accurate mainly the highest nitrates possible. Freaked out went to the store bought a few things to help and decided to get the master test kits I checked the water with it before I added anything just to see and it was zero since then I won't trust anything read off them.. The ph was off as well... Just thought I share that I know it's 30 some bucks but u get more tests out of it like 100s and if u do the math ur saving a ton of money compared to buying what 3 strips for 5 bucks..

 

[Mrs.h2012]

I won't go on a rant here but I had used api test strips a few times and the reading were not accurate mainly the highest nitrates possible. Freaked out went to the store bought a few things to help and decided to get the master test kits I checked the water with it before I added anything just to see and it was zero since then I won't trust anything read off them.. The ph was off as well... Just thought I share that I know it's 30 some bucks but u get more tests out of it like 100s and if u do the math ur saving a ton of money compared to buying what 3 strips for 5 bucks..

Also you can find them on amazon or eBay for alot cheaper, I think amazon is around 19 bucks and if you can find other items that are eligible for super saver shipping and get $27 worth of stuff you can get free shipping. I found mine on eBay for about $25 I think.