fishless cycle?

[discus_fan]

I would like to set up a bug free tank,but am not sure how to do fishless cycle.I have some what of an idea but not 100 per. sure.Could someone walk me thru this process? thanx Will

[georgef]

Here's a couple of articles on fishless cycling:

http://www.tomgriffin.com/aquamag/cycling.html
http://www.aaquaria.com/aquamag/cycle2.html

hth

:)

George

[Gizmo]

Mate, ive had good results just by running the tank setup (filteration etc) for several weeks and then adding several fish. If the waters < ph 7 a slight ammonia increase should not be a problem at all.

cheers kos.

Will,

I cycled a ton of tanks for the LFS and found the best way to cycle a new tank was to add a media bag filled with seeded gravel from another tank, one or two live plants in pots and enough pure ammonia to register 5ppm on a test kit. Just add the ammonia one time and wait for it to spike & fall, then the nitrite will do the same and then you should see nitrates. Do a large water change, remove the gravel & plant(s) and add fish. With the gravel, plants & ammonia I was able to cycle a new tank on average in 14 days. Some articles suggest adding ammonia throughout the cycling period at 1/2 strength. I also tried this and found that it merely extended the length of time required to finish the cycling and did not have any benefits.

Dave

[discus_fan]

Thanx all,I am going to try using method for eradicating external parasites etc. posted in disease and sickness.I think it says not to use anything from old tank if I understand it correctly.Dave,would it help to use beneficial bacteria bought from store?Also would it be possible for me to send you an e-mail with some questions? thanx Will

[Rick00]

will,

don't waste your money on the bottled bacteria...cuz it doesn't help much if at all.

Just do as dave says...add the amonia and wait....

hth
Rick

Yeah, skip the commercial garbage. Send me an email if you like. Or just post your questions here.

Dave

[eaglesfan3000]

Man it's been many years since I've cycled an aquarium. I've always done it the old fashon way, expendable gold fish. I'll give this a try I guess the gravel from my son's gold fish tank should work for bateria seed along with the two bottles of Tetra Safe Start. Could someone please explain what Dave meant by &amp.

[jimg]

Man it's been many years since I've cycled an aquarium. I've always done it the old fashon way, expendable gold fish. I'll give this a try I guess the gravel from my son's gold fish tank should work for bateria seed along with the two bottles of Tetra Safe Start. Could someone please explain what Dave meant by &amp.
If your going to use safe start no reason for anything from goldfish tank. if you want pathogen free cycled tank go with the safestart, entire bottle at once, then add enough pure ammonia to keep 1ppm and in a week most cases it will cycle. safestart doesn't always work so you may have to get another bottle from another source. keep ph in upper 7's temp in mid 80's

[eaglesfan3000]

Thanks Jim.

Also should I keep the light on or off during this period and should I use an air stone?

Bob

[jimg]

Hi Bob
I keep light off. definitely add air, I should have mentioned that, very important too.

[eaglesfan3000]

Hi Bob
I keep light off. definitely add air, I should have mentioned that, very important too.

Awesome thank you.

[Sean Buehrle]

Yeah definately do the ammonia thing.

Your correct in wanting to start a tank from scratch with no other organisms from another tank.

Be patient and have fun.

Good luck :)

[eaglesfan3000]

Yeah definately do the ammonia thing.

Your correct in wanting to start a tank from scratch with no other organisms from another tank.

Be patient and have fun.

Good luck :)

Thanks will do. I take it you can purchase pure ammonia from the local grocery store.

[jimg]

I use ace hardware industrial strength ammonia and an api liquid test kit

[eaglesfan3000]

I use ace hardware industrial strength ammonia and an api liquid test kit

Saweet, I'll pick some up tomorrow.

Thanks again

[eaglesfan3000]

I use ace hardware industrial strength ammonia and an api liquid test kit

I just picked up a gallon of Ace Hardware ammonia "janitorial strength formula" 10% ammonium hydroxide. Is that the stuff?

Thanks
Bob

[Sean Buehrle]

Does it say no suffructants ? It should be clear, no dyes, No perfumes.

When you shake it, the bubbles should disappear instantly.

[jarret8x]

I just picked up a gallon of Ace Hardware ammonia "janitorial strength formula" 10% ammonium hydroxide. Is that the stuff?

Thanks
Bob

The ace hardware stuff is right.

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk

[eaglesfan3000]

Does it say no suffructants ? It should be clear, no dyes, No perfumes.

When you shake it, the bubbles should disappear instantly.

Yes it's clear and the bubbles disappear instantly. I think I just burned off my nose hairs....whooooh that stuff is strong.

[jimg]

I just picked up a gallon of Ace Hardware ammonia "janitorial strength formula" 10% ammonium hydroxide. Is that the stuff?

Thanks
Bob a gallon will last you years!!

[chiligum]

I've always kick started a tank with a pinch of flake food in the sponge part of the filter, i was told that this was the quickest way for bacteria to colonise...Is this true, it's just something i've always done?!

[eaglesfan3000]

Got my tank all set up. I just have a question about using PRIME when cycling an aquarium. I can't seem to get an accurate ammonia measurement with my Nutrifin test kit or my Seachem ammonia test kit. How long does does PRIME stay active in the water? I'm tempted to wait a couple of days to start the cycling.

[Brokenrack]

The seachem should give accurate results but will only reed free ammonia. most others will work fine but read higher because the include all ammonia including the ammonia that prime has bound up.

[eaglesfan3000]

Who would of thought getting the correct amount of ammonia would be so difficult. I used PRIME and I can't seem to get an accurate reading. My Nutrafin test says 1.2 ppm and the Seachem test says it's a 6. Then I tried using TopFin and added on drop of ammonia into a gallon and the Nutrafin test says 2.4. So I dumped in some Safe Start turned off the lights and started an airstone. Long story short the ammonia in the tank is at 1.2 ppm I guess it's the PRIME still breaking down the ammonia.

[TNT77]

Who would of thought getting the correct amount of ammonia would be so difficult. I used PRIME and I can't seem to get an accurate reading. My Nutrafin test says 1.2 ppm and the Seachem test says it's a 6. Then I tried using TopFin and added on drop of ammonia into a gallon and the Nutrafin test says 2.4. So I dumped in some Safe Start turned off the lights and started an airstone. Long story short the ammonia in the tank is at 1.2 ppm I guess it's the PRIME still breaking down the ammonia.
I believe Prime is only active in the water for approx 24 hours. http://forum.simplydiscus.com/showthread.php?91668-prime-and-ammonia-nitrite&highlight=prime

[eaglesfan3000]

I believe Prime is only active in the water for approx 24 hours. http://forum.simplydiscus.com/showthread.php?91668-prime-and-ammonia-nitrite&highlight=prime

Thanks that's what I figured was going on I just wasn't sure how long it would be active.

[eaglesfan3000]

I think I have a PH crash it's off the charts like over an 8.6. Should I add some PH down or just do PWC?

[jimg]

no reason to be using prime when doing a fish less cycle. I like the api ammonia test kit (drops)

[eaglesfan3000]

no reason to be using prime when doing a fish less cycle. I like the api ammonia test kit (drops)

Yup rookie mistake, it dawned on me when I was adding ammonia.

[Sean Buehrle]

Thanx all,I am going to try using method for eradicating external parasites etc. posted in disease and sickness.I think it says not to use anything from old tank if I understand it correctly.Dave,would it help to use beneficial bacteria bought from store?Also would it be possible for me to send you an e-mail with some questions? thanx Will

Yep don't use anything from a existing tank, no hoses, nets, nothin.

[rubinsteinnyc]

how long would it take to cycle a 60 gallon tank for a group 6-7 juvie discus?
is one HOB filter enough let's say for a 110gallon?