Who cycle with then live with...

Originally posted by Weasel6

Bala Shark
2- Giant Danios
2 Rosey Barbs
You pick um'

Click to expand...

Yes
Yes and
Yes.

They all would live nicely with the firemouths.

But.....

the bala will get much too big for a 29 gallon. So that one is out.

IMO: Danios are ugly and boring.

I would go with the barbs.
They will add some color and the firemouths probably won't even bother with them. I use to use them until I got hooked on Arulius barbs to go with my cichlids.

fishless cycling is much better. i have been though both and cycling with fish is a headach at best. here is a link that gives the whole run down.
http://www.tomgriffin.com/aquamag/cycle2.html

I second the fishless cycle. I did it on my last tank and i'm doing it right now on my newest. Last time it took 12days.

IMO it is way better. You get it done faster and can add more fish at the starting.Plus you don't kill/hurt little fishies

I third the fishless cycle. I just don't see the need to subject fish to unnecessary hardship. It's easy to do, it cost virtually nothing, and you don't run the risk of killing fish.

Sort of. If you're adding media from another tank, you're not really cycling per se. You're merely bringing in appropriate bacteria necessary for handling the nitrogen-based products. Which means you may not have to do anymore to the tank at all, depending on the bioload that you introduce (and even then you could experience a slight ammonia spike). Typically, a pure fishless cycle will involve adding ammonia to the tank. However, including used media during the process can drastically speed things up, especially if you're wanting to load up the tank quickly with fish.


What exactly do you mean by you "dropped in an old filter from my 75g"? What did you drop in? What kind of fiter do you have on the 29g? The time between adding used media to a new tank and adding fish is not really the question. IMO, it's more of a question of how much used media has been added and whether it's enough to handle the bioload immediately.

I think you're on the right track by putting in used media and there just may be enough in there to support the fish you're planning.

Weasel6:

what you are doing is just fine.

I have done similar things for most of my tanks.

You really should have no problems at all.

4 fish. Especially Juveniles will not produce enough waste in a 29 to cause any significant problems. Just be careful, and keep an eye on the the water specs and you will be fine.

I have seen the the cycling debate so many times that it would make your head spin. Both are acceptable ways of doing it. It is up to the individual person whether or not to go with fish or fishless.

I personally have always done it with fish. Have been for 20 whatever years. Hey I perfer it.

Some don't that's cool. No problem.

I am curious about the whisper filter choice though?

Not that there is anything wrong with them. I just have found the aquaclear series a much easier filter to maintain on smaller tanks.