cycling question

[Moe36]

Would there be a cycle if there is no filter or heater present in the aquarium (no fish either). Just water, rocks and wood and lighting. Im buying the equipment next week, but the sooner i start this cycle the sooner i can plant it.

Or should i wait.

Thanks.

 

[bunebop]

You can start it, it just won't get too far. I started my cycle w/o a filter as well... it had heat, but it was all screwed up for quite a while. It definatly would not hurt in any case

 

[Moe36]

Can you elaborate on the 'screwing up'?

Thanks for the quick response.

 

[bunebop]

lol the screwed up meaning I had to restart the cycle again after my filters came in because it's a 50 gallon tank and I found out I couldn't fit the filters between the tank and the wall... so had to empty the tank out completely in order to move it and then refill it and start the cycle all over again since I had gotten rid of all the amonia... it was not a good day for me lol. If I had known how much space I was gonna need for the filters it might have saved a day or two, but my filters came in pretty quickly. Since you're aren't coming for like a week I would at least start it. Like I said, w/o the filters it will not go as quickly, but starting it would definatly help it along a bit faster. Good luck

 

[flipz]

umm... hate to tell you but you can not cycle a tank without some source of ammonia. whether it's fish, a fresh shrimp (the fishless cycle method), or actual pure ammonia. but just putting water in a tank won't do anything for the cycle.

and especially without a filter it's kind of pointless because the bacteria will have nothing to grow on. if you really wanted to get it started, check out the fishless cycle in the articles at the top of the page, and go purchase your filter. if you are buying it online then the cheap method would be to go to any LFS (or even walmart) and just buy an air pump and a sponge/corner filter. it will provide something for bacteria to grow on until you get your equipment.

but like i said, without some source of ammonia, all you will have is tap water.

hope that helps

-brent

 

[Moe36]

This leads me to another question. Do the plants really mind? I have a few aquatic plants such as java (and others) in my terrarium, and are ready to be used. Just wondering.

As you can see im not a patient man.
Thanks.

 

[Moe36]

I actually meant fishliss cycle. I know you cant have a cycle without ammonia.

 

[bunebop]

umm... hate to tell you but you can not cycle a tank without some source of ammonia. whether it's fish, a fresh shrimp (the fishless cycle method), or actual pure ammonia. but just putting water in a tank won't do anything for the cycle.

Yeah, I wasn't being an idiot. I kinda figured that was implied? :? I ran mine w/ amonia before getting the filter in.

 

[bunebop]

This leads me to another question. Do the plants really mind? I have a few aquatic plants such as java (and others) in my terrarium, and are ready to be used. Just wondering.

As you can see im not a patient man.
Thanks.

LOL i'm the most impatient person ever. This freakin' tank has been cycling for about a week now and it's like not even close to being done. It's making me go crazy!!!! AHHHHHHH

 

[flipz]

Do the plants really mind? I have a few aquatic plants such as java (and others) in my terrarium, and are ready to be used. Just wondering.

As you can see im not a patient man.
Thanks.

haha. unfortunatly in this case, being patient is required. plant "food" are the nitrates, which are the last stage of your cycle. so until your tank gets through it and has a good source of nitrates, the plants would have nothing to feed off of.

-brent

edit: and sorry, didn't mean to offend you guys by saying you weren't smart enough to put ammonia in or something, i just assumed since it wasn't said that it wasn't done. the #1 mistake that is made when it comes to fish keeping is not cycling, and i would say #2 is that the person did some research, learned a little about the cycle, but don't understand how it works so they just let their tank "cycle" for a week by just adding water and turning on the filter.

 

[youronlysin]

Thats the crazy thing. When you buy a complete tank setup, the directions state that you should run the tank with the filter for at least two days before adding fish, else they could perish. After reading about "cycling", those directions seem absurd. The lfs told me that after I cycled mine for a week with a seeded filter that it should be fine. I added a single pleco and ran the tank for another week before adding anymore fish. According to the lfs and all of the printed directions Ive ever read, I had done way more than I needed and things should be great. Little did I realize that my cycling probably didnt even start until I added the pleco. So I more than likely didnt do my poor fish justice by adding them to the tank as early as I did. At least I found this forum when I did or I would have made even greater mistakes.

 

[flipz]

Yea. The #1 thing on the bags from my LFS for things to do to help your new fish is buy a background for your tank. 8O It's rediculous. That's why this board is good, it really helps a lot of people.

I'm glad you found it too! 8)

-brent

 

[youronlysin]

Yea. The #1 thing on the bags from my LFS for things to do to help your new fish is buy a background for your tank.

LOL....Hey man...I bought one cause they said the colors would help reduce stress in my fish! I just figured the bottle of scotch I poured in there would relieve them all of stress

 

[pkremer]

Haha!

When you buy an aquarium or any supplies at Wal-Mart, all it says is to let the tank run for 2-3 days before putting fish in, and then to only put a couple in for a few weeks, then add more. NOTHING about cycling, nothing about the actual cycle itself. No wonder so many people kill Wal-Mart fish...at least they have a 90 day money back guarantee if they do die... :?

I think those directions on the bag were things to help the LFS, not the fish! I'm glad I have an honest LFS. They told me about the cycle, and that the background was good for hiding the cords and might help the fish stand out colorwise, depending on which fish I wanted.

Paul