bcmakesiteasy
Aquarium Advice Apprentice
- Joined
- Jan 8, 2013
- Messages
- 36
Before I started my 10 gallon tank, I did my research on these forums and various other websites and the general consensus was to do fishless cylcing using pure amonia, with water changes and testing water with the API master test kit. I was going to with this route, but decided not to. I simply bought a used tank off craigslist, and told the guy specifically to keep the old filter media and have it in the tank water it was filtering when he gave it to me. I cleaned the old tanks really well, set up all my decor and put the old filter media back into the filter and ran my tank for two days. I then bought 3 fish and put them in the tank. using the API test kit, I had .025 or less amonia, no nitrites, and no nitrates the first day putting in fish. I have been testing for two weeks now and everyday after the 1st day i put fish in, 0 amonia, 0 nitrite, and 5-10 nitrates. Fish are doing absolutely fine, and i didnt "abuse" them or "hurt" them in anyway since the test kit tested 0 levels of toxins. All I am saying is, don't necessarily follow what EVERYONE says and be one of the masses. Do fishless if you want, but if you want fish and dont want to wait weeks/months, I would def say get a used filter media and start your tank, and you'll have fish within a week or less. There is no ONE way to do this hobby!