fishless cycling

[LateralUs]

Hi, I was wondering if any of you who have cycled a tank without using fish could tell me what method you used or what experiences you've had with it.

I've never done it and am thinking tho that the tank I hope to get soon, I may try it fishless.

Thanks for any help!

[Leopardess]

I wouldn't do anything else. For some people it can take awhile, for others it goes really quick. There are a few things you can do to speed the process. I fishless cycled my 29 in about a week (yes, fully cycled)!

Check out this link- its a post someone put together about it. Very good post:)

http://myfishtank.net/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=13406

[Bristlenose Chuck]

If I may suggest a good link from this site...
http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=5927

[aquariumfishguy]

Here are my personal favorites, which you may or may not have seen before...

Links

Cycling Info (http://www.angelfire.com/pro/mavericks/Guide/Cycling.html)

Fishless Cycling (http://www.skepticalaquarist.com/docs/startover/fishless.shtml)

Fishless Cycling 2 (http://www.fish-disease.com/articles.htm)

Tips for cycling/setting up your aquarium (http://honors.montana.edu/~weif/firsttank/cycle.phtml)

[travelinman1969]

I'm gettin ready to buy a 40 and was thinking about trying this. Does ph or any other parameters matter? I use R/O water, does this matter? The R/O ph is about 7.2. I add electrlytes to it so no worries there.

Seems I might be better just using some water and gravel from the 5 gallon, which the fish in there are moving to the 40, but I want different gravel. I have plenty of beneficial around the house from the 5, 10, and 150. ;) Any ideas or suggestions? I plan to get a Penguin 330 for it.

[Tyler718]

Originally posted by travelinman1969
.....Seems I might be better just using some water and gravel from the 5 gallon, which the fish in there are moving to the 40, but I want different gravel. I have plenty of beneficial around the house from the 5, 10, and 150. ;) Any ideas or suggestions? I plan to get a Penguin 330 for it.

I have done a variety of things when I do a fishlesscycle.

1) I take some gravel or filter floss from another tank and put it into a mesh filter bag. I then place it in the tank.
2) I have also on occassion put filter floss from one filter and put it into the filter I was going to be using on the tank that is going to be cycled.
3) I have also ran the new filter on one of my existing tanks for about a week or 2 to just to seed it.

Hope this helps.

Dave

[LateralUs]

Ok thanks all. I appreciate the links, especially the guy who peed in his tank.

I had done some research all ready, I just wanted some actual feedback from ppl. Some of the stuff I read on the web did not recommend it.

How hard is it find the right kind of ammonia, because I aint peeing in my tank :eek: Silly hangup of mine I guess.

I read one method where instead of putting in ammonia, they just put fish food in it and let it decompose. Anyone ever try that?

[Bristlenose Chuck]

Go to the search function and type fishless cycle into the text box and check the "search titles only" radio button. This will return about 4 pages of past posts on the subject. This should help you out greatly.

[LateralUs]

Dude I already have the info on how to do it, I just wanted some input from ppl who have done it. In real time not past messages. I do afterall have specific questions.

[Leopardess]

Okay,

I have heard of people using shrimp from the grocery store to cycle a tank. You just throw it in and let it rot.

It was a bit difficult to find the ammonia here but I don't know why - it should be pretty easy to find.

I used plain old ammonia and had it cycled, like I said, in about 1 week by keeping the temp up and getting the ammonia up to about 6-8 ppm.

Don't know what else you want to know

[LateralUs]

by "plain old ammonia" do you mean the stuff one buys to clean their house? Or do you mean pure ammonia that a lot of the articles say to use INSTEAD OF household ammonia?

It seems from a lot of posts that I read that a lot of ppl have used household ammonia anyway,I;m assuming that the additives that might have been added did not affect their tank?

And forget about using fishfood or shrimp. Not gonna happen at my house, too inexact and too smelly. So ammonia it is.

So I guess the only thing I still want to knoooooooooooooowww is about household ammonia vs pure ammonia.

[aquariumfishguy]

LOL ...

They are both essentially "household products" only one has no parfume, or additives. I recommend you get this kind of pure ammonia. There can be harmful substances in ammonia which has additional things added to it.

BTW...I think why we are giving you links and other options is because we get these same questions on a regular basis. Whats on the links provided (esp. ones from AC) are questions and answers of whats provided here everyday. It's just easier to give links...and most of what you read is the general opinion of the croud here at AC. ;)

[Leopardess]

Exactly, people usually answer these types of questions on teh threads we linked to.

Anyway, PURE ammonia. Do NOT use one with additives.

And a shrimp breaking down into ammonia doesn't smell much different than ammonia that in your tank anyway....