Excellent Guide to Fishless Cycling

[Naz_Nomad]

I am going to unashamedly cut and paste the following article, posted at http://www.tropicalfish.site5.com/tfc/s ... hp?t=60022 by R.O.B.

This is an excellent and very simple method of cycling that should allow for a fully stocked aquarium in around two to three weeks. I have found that this method works very well, the instructions are simple to follow and there will be no need to put your precious charges into an uncycled tank, thus reducing fish loss during the cycle.

A Guide To "Fishless Cycling"

Wrote this a little while back and it will hopefully prove useful to those considering going the fishless route Revisions have been provided by Rocker3. You can also take a look at his article on the topic by going to his signature

For general info on the nitrogen cycle, take a look here:

http://www.tropicalfishcentre.co.uk/Cycle.htm

FISHLESS CYCLING - basic ideas

The traditional idea is to cycle a tank using fish waste as your primary source of ammonia. However this can cause undue suffering for the fish and take up a great amount of time as very frequent water changes of large amounts are needed to reduce spikes of both ammonia & nitrite which would otherwise kill the fish. Cycling the fishy way (usually with danios or platties at the rate of 1" of fish per 5G of water) can take anywhere from 4 to 6 weeks as well

When 'fishless cycling' a tank, you replace the fish waste with pure ammonia which you introduce into the tank yourself. This is obviously a much 'kinder' option, less time consuming in terms of water changes and the tank will cycle much quicker. Rocker3 has reported cycling many tanks in just 10 days using this method. It also enables you to fully stock the tank straightaway once the cycle is complete. There is no need to 1/3 or 1/2 stock as doing so will only reduce the bacteria built up during the cycle. If you choose to do so, when you later add to your initial stock, you will need to build it up slowly to allow the bacteria to increase at a rate to cope with the increasing amount of ammonia being produced

KEY POINTS

1. It is not necessary to conduct any water changes during your cycle as you have no fish in the tank but you may wish to do so, say, if you add too much ammonia to the tank (but leave the filter media alone - don't rinse it). Overdosing can actually slow the growth of the bacterial colonies (see below for dosing instructions)

2. Ammonia is a very dangerous chemical so don't leave it where kiddies or the dog can get at it. Make sure the ammonia you buy is pure, doesn't foam when shook and with no scents / perfumes. Here in the UK, Boots do their own brand of household ammonia. Jeyes Kleen Off is another option and local hardware stores and independent chemists are a good place to look

3. One of the most important bits of kit you will need is a test kit for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate, in addition to pH. There's no other way of monitoring how the cycle is going on a daily basis. Liquid test kits tend to be more reliable than strip tests

4. The fishless cycle can and should be greatly speeded up with the introduction of a decent additional source of bacteria such as established filter sponges / media from another tank, squeezings from such media over the fresh media, gravel, ornaments and other decorations from established tank and plants (should be potted and in rock wool). Make sure any additional bacterial sources are from a disease free tank

5. In addition to the test kits mentioned above, get yourself a test for kH and ensure that it remains above 3 or 50ppm during the cycle to avoid a possible pH crash which can hinder the growth of the bacterial colonies. Should you need to increase the kH, a bag of crushed oyster shell or coral sand or the addition of a little bicarbonate of soda will do the job

6. Do not add any 'cycling' products to the tank such as Cycle or Stress Zyme. They don't work and may actually slow the cycle. Similarly, you don't want to be adding any ammonia removing products such as AmmoLock. Just a plain dechlorinator will suffice

CYCLING PROCESS

1. First off you will need to set up your tank (obviously ). Make sure your filter is running and that the water in the tank has been treated with a good quality dechlorinator. To complete the cycle in as quick a time as possible, turn the heater up to around 80 degrees (but not higher as decreased oxygen levels at higher temperatures may inhibit bacterial growth). At the end of the cycle, the heater can be turned down to suit the fish

2. Add your established bacterial source(s) and dose the tank with the pure ammonia up to 5ppm (as measured with your test kit). Add a few drops and test and repeat until 5ppm is achieved

3 . Keep a daily check on your ammonia level and make sure it stays at 5ppm by adding ammonia once a day at the same time each day to maintain the level. 5ppm at this stage is IME about the right level to be dosing at to achieve a large enough bacterial colony as an end result.

5. Within a few days you should begin to detect nitrite in the water (I would start testing for this after the first couple of days). The ammonia level may start to decrease at a quicker rate as the bacteria that consume and turn ammonia into nitrite begin to colonise your tank. The nitrite will then spike (as shown by a high reading) and ammonia dosing should be cut back to 2 to 3ppm on a daily basis. Maintaining 5ppm and overdosing can slow the growth of the bacterial colonies

6. In the final stage, the nitrite reading should decrease as the nitrite is oxidised by a second type of bacteria to produce nitrate. Continue to add ammonia daily to 2 to 3ppm until the nitrite has returned to 0ppm and you have a nitrate reading

7. The cycle is now complete. However, nitrate at high levels is still toxic to fish so perform a large water change (up to 80%) to dilute it and make the tank ready for new arrivals. Do not rinse the filter media at this point. This can wait until fish have been added and the sponges / media are actually covered in gunk which will start to affect the flow

FINAL POINTS

As stated earlier, your tank is now ready to be fully stocked. It is best to do this as soon as possible to prevent the loss of the bacteria which you have built up during the cycle (they will begin to die off without a source of ammonia). The tank can stand empty for up to 48 hours but I'd try to do it asap. Remember to adjust the heater setting if necessary and dechlorinate the freshwater (some water companies add chloramine to our tap supply so it's worthwhile checking to see if you need a dual product)

IF YOU'RE HAVING TROUBLE FINDING AMMONIA:

As previously mentioned, Boots do their own label one. It's usually only found in the largest stores though, and to quote Rocker! :

Originally Posted by Rocker!

"If they do not have it in they certainly can get hold of it. They often have it in their storeroom. Best bet is to ask the old dear that has work there since the war. She will know and also be the one to actually help you. Steer clear of the young uns."

[alanmin4304]

How many fish are equivalent to 5 or 2 ppm ammonia?

How can a plant grow if it is potted in rockwool?

[Naz_Nomad]

How many fish are equivalent to 5 or 2 ppm ammonia?

I don't think the idea of the guide is to compare number of fish equivalents to ppm of ammonia. The whole idea is to use ammonia in place of the fish. Ammonia is toxic to fish, yet they produce it through their waste products. The whole purpose of using ammonia in the cycling stage of tank set-up is to save the stress and risk to your fish and yet still produce an environment suitable for the bacteria that maintain your nitrogen cycle to flourish all the quicker. Once the fishless cycle is finished, there are enough bacteria in the tank fully established and merrily working away to cope with the introduction of your fish. Indeed, this cycle has been designed so that at the end of the cycle, you can fully stock your tank. If you read carefully, it recommends that once the cycle is complete, fish should be added within days. You also can't simply ask how many fish are equivalent to ppm ammonia. Different fish on different diets produce different amounts of waste and hence different amounts of ammonia. Larger fish produce more waste than the equivalent volume of smaller fish too, so the calculations are impossible to make.

How can a plant grow if it is potted in rockwool?

The importance of the rockwool initially is that it is a source of bacteria from the dealers tank, not as a medium for the plant to grow in. So, what do you do with the rockwool that is supplied with your plants when you get them from the dealer? It won't harm the plants to leave the rockwool there whilst you cycle the tank and then remove it once the bacteria has had a chance to establish itself.

[alanmin4304]

I agree with what you say, in that different fish produce different amounts of urea (and then ammonia).

I can't see why people think adding a few fish slowly and allowing the bacteria to adjust to the natural and actual load is a stress to fish but adding ammonia is not, even though they have absolutely no idea that the ammonia they are adding has any relationship to the fish they are adding and the urea they will produce. I think the latter is probably more stressfull even though it may be more fashionable.

I sell heaps of plants and none are in rockwool because I don't grow with hydroponics. I always plant the plants in the media and they help to use up the nitrate which is all part of the nitrogen cycle.

[Naz_Nomad]

I agree with what you say, in that different fish produce different amounts of urea (and then ammonia).

I can't see why people think adding a few fish slowly and allowing the bacteria to adjust to the natural and actual load is a stress to fish but adding ammonia is not, even though they have absolutely no idea that the ammonia they are adding has any relationship to the fish they are adding and the urea they will produce. I think the latter is probably more stressfull even though it may be more fashionable.

Adding fish to an uncycled tank may be stressful because there is a chance of ammonia spikes and nitrite spikes, both of which may be harmful to fish in sufficient concentrations. This is especially true when fish are added too quickly and/or are overfed which happens all to commonly in our hobby.

Adding ammonia will not be stressful to fish using the above method as they simply won't be there and are not added to the tank until the cycle is complete and the ammonia levels are zero. Hence zero risk for your precious charges and no chance of any stress or miscalculation. In fact following the above guide, the only things present in the tank are the bacteria necessary for the nitrogen cycle in amounts able to cope with a fully stocked tank, plants and a decent level of nitrates.

Of course, adding ammonia to a tank with fish in it will be fatal for the fish.

I sell heaps of plants and none are in rockwool because I don't grow with hydroponics. I always plant the plants in the media and they help to use up the nitrate which is all part of the nitrogen cycle.

I agree. As I stated earlier in the thread, the only reason I can see for the rockwool is as a source of nitrifying bacteria from the tank the plants were originally in. Personally, I also plant without rockwool. The idea of the guide is to cycle and establish the tank far quicker and without risk to fish. I really feel that the rockwool being present is a very minor point and any benefits may be obtained by squeezing the rockwool into your filter to release some of the bacteria that are present.

[alanmin4304]

In the end it is a personal preference but I think you are missing the point completely. Bacteria will multiply (usually doubling by binary fision every 20 minutes in the right conditions) to suit the amount of urea, ammonia and nitrite present. The leval of bacteria in a cycle with fish will be directly proportional to the waste produced by the fish that are present and so a balance will be struck with the actual situation. In a fishless cycle you or anybody else has no idea of the amount of waste (urea) that will be produced by the fish that you intend to put in the tank so no balance can be established. Therefore there will be not enough or too much bacteria when the fish are added. If there are not enough bacteria there will be an ammoia and nitrite spike until the balance is reached. If there are too many bacteria they will die off through lack of food and cause an upset in the balance also.

If the tank is planted well with plants that are actually growing and using nutrient (including nitrate) and a few fish are added slowly to allow the natural balance to be established and maintained there will be less stress on the fish than there will be if you dump a heap of fish into a tank without having any idea of what the balance needs to be.

Grandfather had never heard of rock wool or fishless cycling but grew plants and kept fish pretty successfully. I think we need to think about what we are doing sometimes and not just do things because it is fashionable or Mrs Google thinks it is a good idea.

I will stick with grandad--- it still works for me.

[alanmin4304]

The only time I can see any point in a fishless cycle is when tanks are being set up to put a lot of fish in quarantine after importation. But many importers don't even do that.

[Caryl]

I so agree with you Alan. Fishless cycling is all the rage in the UK and cycling with fish is very much frowned upon but I have the same questions as you. Luckily I have not needed to cycle a tank for years (and when I did I didn't know that is what I was doing) as I just clone from existing filters.

In fact, I have an AquaOne 1000 hanging off my main tank at the moment cycling for another club member. In a nother week or so he can go and get some fish just in time for his birthday 8) :bounce:

[Ianab]

I understand the science behind the cycling with ammonia idea, no reason it wont work OK and thanks for posting it. If people are going to do it, best that they do it right.

I just question the need for it.

a: I have cycled tanks and filters already, so if I set up a new tank I can use a filter or media from that tank.

b: I'm not in such a hurry that I need to have my tank fully stocked in 10 days, and risk having a problem dumping a full population of fish into a tank that I can only assume is fully cycled. What if it only has 20% of the bacteria load it needs? The ammonia would still drop to zero after you stopped adding more, but is it the correct level for YOUR number of fish.

I think I will stick to the 'old fashioned' way of pre-cycling my filters or media and slowly adding fish. I understand the science behind cycling, and am pretty sure my fish arent getting stressed. They dont show any signs (gasping for breath, not eating etc) even in my new tanks, and I haven't lost any fish during the set up of my 5 tanks.

Messing around with bottles of ammonia and test kits.. or watching a couple of fish swim happily in your new tank for a couple of weeks? I know what I would rather be doing.

Cheers

Ian

[Chele&Luke]

Ok - prolly going to get gunned down - but here goes....

How many of you ever have your fishies putting out 5ppm of ammonia? You ever tested your water one day and found that sort of level happened overnight??

The amount of ammonia you put in for the fishless cycling process is WAY more than you need for a fully stocked - or even overstocked tank

I couldn't be bothered with the whole adding ammonia thing - and having a young child I didn't want it in the house anyway, so I went ahead and used a dead prawn.

The end result has been that my tank was fully cycled, no stress to my fishies (light bioload admittedly), everyone was added at once and my Ammonia (0), Nitrites (0) and even my Nitrates have remained super stable ever since!

Each to their own, but it really DOES work, and having your fish not die, not weakened and possibly living longer can't be all bad right?

Cool to find a local forum BTW - what a way for me to make an entrance... arrghhh! :oops:

*runs and hides*

[alanmin4304]

1 dead prawn + ? live fish?

[dude]

anyone got any cycled media i can buy need to cycle my tank quickly, cheers

[VinsonMassif]

I was reading this and wanted to try it to see how long it took. I know it's a couple of months on, but....

2. Add your established bacterial source(s) and dose the tank with the pure ammonia up to 5ppm (as measured with your test kit). Add a few drops and test and repeat until 5ppm is achieved.

So if 1ppm= 1 ml per litre, and 5ppm= 5ml per litre, does this mean 5ml of pure ammonia should be added per litre of water? Or have I completely missed the point?

I was wondering because I wish to attempt this in a 60L tank, leading to an initial dose of 300mL of pure ammonia which seems a lot.....and is definitely a lot more than a few drops.

[Ianab]

You are going to dose at 5 parts per THOUSAND

Parts per million is 1,000 times less

Thats would be 0.6ml of PURE ammonia, so you are back into the drops range of measurements.

Cheers

Ian

[VinsonMassif]

Awesome thanks. Thats 12 drops, much more realistic.

[dude]

anyone know where you can get ammonia from and how much it costs

[alanmin4304]

You can get ammonia free from fish or from the chemist by paying.