Best way to start a cycle?

[Sophia]

I realised this is a real newbie question, but it's my first new-new tank and I want to start it 'properly'. Or at least 'well' given the wealth of others' experience around here.

To begin the cycle before fish go in should I do the shrimp pellet in the empty tank thing or buy some of these products I've been looking at:

Seachem Stability (the bottle says put some in the tank every day for a week and then every water change forever after - this seems like a big commitment to using the chemical, surely once you get it started the filter should be left to it's own devices? A cunning marketing ploy at least)

Others I haven't read the bottle on: Stresszyme and TLC

Any tips appreciated.

[Ira]

Two best options:

1. The old fashioned method, Add a couple fish, feed fish, add more fish in a few weeks.

2. Fishless cycle, Add drops of ammonia for a couple weeks, then add a bunch of fish.

Don't bother with stresszyme, cycle, etc.

[Sophia]

thanks Ira

how much ammonia would you use? it's a 33 litre tank

[Ira]

thanks Ira

how much ammonia would you use? it's a 33 litre tank

Google fishless cycle, the first few results should have specific details.

[Brennos]

When I set up my tanks, I usually do it with a guppy or two, depending on size of tank of course.

[ryanjury]

Best way to cycle a tank is to steal media from an established tank and go from there

[Jennifer]

Best way to cycle a tank is to steal media from an established tank and go from there

+1 That's the only way I do it these days. There should be some nice fish people in your area who could swap you some media (you bring them new media and they give you old media).

If you have to start from scratch, I personally feel fishless cycling is better. You can seed the filter with something like TLC smart start to really speed it up.

[Caryl]

I agree. I run a filter in an established tank for a few weeks and start it that way, or swap media in an established filter. No wait then.

[livingart]

if established media isn't available i have had good results with the TLC start smart too

[Deepsound]

I rather prefer fishless cycling too

[alanmin4304]

Does anyone have the formula for how many drops of ammonia or dead shrimps are exactly equal to 6 guppies? Patience is a virtue they say. If you add your fish slowly the whole system will adjust to complete balance eventually. Grandad wasn't always a bit silly.

[Sophia]

thank you

[Ira]

Does anyone have the formula for how many drops of ammonia or dead shrimps are exactly equal to 6 guppies? Patience is a virtue they say. If you add your fish slowly the whole system will adjust to complete balance eventually. Grandad wasn't always a bit silly.

You don't need to add exactly 6 guppies worth, if you do you're doing it wrong. I'd guess they'd be in the region of 1 drop per week, you should be adding more like a handful of drops per day.

[BikBok]

my experiences:

1st tank : 34L - added 2 guppies , got ammonia readings, went through cycle, added a couple of fish every week or so.

2nd tank: 20L - added JBL filter start and one bristle nose.. never got any ammonia or nitrite readings at all. Added a fighter a couple of weeks later. That tank must have had a super fast cycle because i tested every day and never got ammonia or nitrite readings.. can only reason that it cycled within hours between my tests... anyway, I'm convinced the JBL filter start did a really good job. It's a little bottle that you add the whole thing to the filter. BNs are messey fish too!

3rd tank: 160L - used all the media from the 34L and kept same number of fish. no need to cycle. Added a couple more fish every week or so. No spikes that i know of. (this is the tank with your ottos sophia!)

restated 34L tank - used 4 guppies to cycle- got the usual readings

4th tank: 70L - used the media from the 34L tank again and put the guppies in new tank. so far so good.

conclusion - use existing /seeded media if you can .. otherwise JBL filter start was really good. With ALL my tanks I also use TLC once a week when first starting up and then every time I clean the filter or change the wool. The bottle says to add it weekly but I don't think that is necessary.

[Jennifer]

I have written this on several threads before, but here goes again...

Fishless cycling method

1. The tank is filled with water and the heater is turned up to 32 degrees.

2. Ammonia is added until the levels are just detectable (up to 4 ppm (mg/L) using a standard aquatic ammonia test kit.

3. After 3 or 4 days, the water is tested every day and it should be apparent that the ammonia levels are dropping and the nitrite levels are increasing (this process will be very quick if the filter was seeded first with mature media or a biological additive like TLC Smart Start).

4. After a few more days, the nitrite levels will keep rising and eventually will start to fall. Next the nitrate levels will begin to increase.

5. Once there is no trace of ammonia or nitrites the temperature can be turned down and a partial water change can be carried out (do not clean the filter or vacuum the gravel).

This process will take 4 days to 3 weeks depending on the concentration of ammonia and the temperature as well as whether you have seeded the filter. A small number of fish can be added as soon as the water is tested to be stable and free from ammonia and nitrites for 24 hours. If a large amount of ammonia was added, the filter will be able to handle quite a few fish, but it is always best to take care. The number of fish can gradually be built up over time as bacterial populations adjust to the bioload.

[alanmin4304]

The last sentence is the one I like.

[Sophia]

thank you BikBok and Jennifer for sharing

I've got the water and plants in and taken some initial readings for now

[Ice222]

I don't trust most cycling products, but sounds like I might have to try JBL filter start. I've used Stability, which is neat, works quickly but since you're supposed to keep using it, I wouldn't want to rely on it. If your tank is heavily stocked and you stop using it you might risk your tank re-cycling. Most recently, I've been cycling I've been doing a fishless cycle with two new tanks using ammonia nitrate (got it off a mate who does chemistry at uni), and one cycled in less than a week. I only had one heater at the time though, and I must say it made a HUGE difference. the tank without the heater is still cycling, whereas I just moved my fish into the heated tank a few days ago.