The best way to cycle a freshwater aquarium ?

[cichlidman2010]

I get to set up my new 450lt tank this Saturday :happy2: but im worried about getting it cycled properly

It will be a Malawi Cichlid set up. What's the best way to cycle a tank properly for these guys ? Usually I've just chucked in a fish or two and slowly built the tank up like that, but what is the best way ?

Cheers !

[Ice222]

There's not really a best way. Adding fish slowly is one of the tried and true methods, but if you're wanting to know some different methods, there are other ways. If you want to do fishless cycling, you can try with 'feeding' the empty tank, putting a few pieces of cocktail shrimp (in pantyhose), or sourcing some pure ammonia and adding that instead.

Whichever method you choose, I'd recommend test kits, so you know when it's cycled, and adding some media from an established tank also quickens the cycling process (sometimes JUST adding media from an established tank is enough to cycle). Also best not to use any 'cycling' products unless if you know exactly how it works since each is different. Some might work, but most require you to keep using it or the cycle would crash.

[ryanjury]

Are you stocking the tank fully to begin with? With a 450L tank I would just steal some media from an established tank and start off stocking slowly, with the established media and the volume of water I doubt you would even get any detectable ammonia, plus most malawis are tough as old boots so takes alot to affect them.

[ally07]

Are you stocking the tank fully to begin with? With a 450L tank I would just steal some media from an established tank and start off stocking slowly, with the established media and the volume of water I doubt you would even get any detectable ammonia, plus most malawis are tough as old boots so takes alot to affect them.

Yeah I agree with Ryan, if you have some old media available that would be the quickest way. However, it's a juggling act because you'll need to feed the fish enough so that the bacteria colony can continue to grow, but not so much that the ammonia spikes suddenly. Prepare for a lot of water tests!

[cichlidman2010]

good i've just bought alot of new kits !

[s3xtcy]

i use the smart-start stuff from the petshop, its just a biobomb of good bacteria which kicks the tank, and filters connected to into go, ive done two tanks and witnessed one, who have literally been filled from the tap, one or two bottles (dependant on size of tanks) of startsmart, then literally a whole tank load of fish, with no losses! its good stuff, but expensive... most LFS should have it

[Caryl]

No need to waste money if you already have a tank up and running. The above suggestions are all easy - split existing media or run new filter on old tank for a month.

[anthony law]

all i do is use one of the filter of a tank thats being running a while and plum that to it..

and run that for a week with one or two fish in there...then start add fish after that and put

the new fillter two the old tank to get that seeded..

[acara]

I use a sort of combination of above,kick start the filter with gunk from another filter,and feed the tank with fish food as though the fish were actually in it.I set up a nano 2nts ago,and the fish were in it before the filter was plugged in.

I never waste my money on all those magic little bottles.

[Windsparrow]

start smart without stupidly overstocking/feed too quickly is good way

if no access to old bio