I am getting ready to get a new 75gal tank and I was wondering what is the advantage of fishless cycling. I think i'm just going to add one or two feeder fish into the tank everyday. Will this work, also im going to add some gravel and mabye a filter for a little while that is from an established tank. ???
Advantge of Fishless Cycling?
- Thread starter Forum221
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I like fishless cyclign because i find it faster then when doing it with fish, that is if you add seed material first.
I also like it since you don't stress/kill any fish
Plus each time i do another fishless cycle i learn more about my tanks chemistry.
I also like it since you don't stress/kill any fish
Plus each time i do another fishless cycle i learn more about my tanks chemistry.
I tried it... got partially through, and switched to feeders. Ive been trying to get my tank going for over 2 months using fishless. I got the 1st set of bacteria after about 3 weeks, but the second set wasnt catching up. The thing about fishless cycling is that unless you plan to fully/overstock once the tank is cycled you end up producing WAY more bacteria than your bioload will support.
Fishless cycling is easier, cleaner, safer and faster than cycling with fish - IF you do it right. If you do not follow instructions well; or do not have ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, pH and KH kits and are not willing to buy them, then you will run into exactly the sort of problems that others have had.
But then you can run into problems with cycling with fish - fish death, permanent gill damage from ammonia, suffocation from nitrites, stress-induced disease outbreaks for which the treatment will set back or destroy the nitrification bacteria, etc.
Fishless has no risk of permanent damage or death to fish, allows for immediate full stocking without repeated mini-cycles as is the normal case for fishy cycling, and teaches the hobbyist how to read and interpret test results.
Personal choice.
But then you can run into problems with cycling with fish - fish death, permanent gill damage from ammonia, suffocation from nitrites, stress-induced disease outbreaks for which the treatment will set back or destroy the nitrification bacteria, etc.
Fishless has no risk of permanent damage or death to fish, allows for immediate full stocking without repeated mini-cycles as is the normal case for fishy cycling, and teaches the hobbyist how to read and interpret test results.
Personal choice.
Fishy cycling stress fish and takes longer. If you do a fishless cycle, like RTR said, its faster, cleaner, and safer- if you do it the right way. Mine took a little over a month to cycle. It finished last week and I was able to add about 15 fish to it in the first few days after it cycled because the tank had a big bioload. It could break down 5 ppm of ammonia and about 5-6 hours or so.
The problem with the "Fishy cycling stresses fish" argument is this: Are the feeders this person is planning to use to cycle his/her tank less stressed at the Pet Store? Have any of you'all ever taken a good look at those feeder tanks? They are jam PACKED!!! I think I did those poor boogers a FAVOR by putting them into my tank. My tank is a paradise compared to where these fish came from. With me they get fed regularly, there is no overcrowding. Currently my water parameters arent perfect... there is still a little Nitrite there but...come on!
Now... the argument that I may be opening myself up to the possiblity of contracting some disease/parasite by using feeders is valid. But stressing the feeders?
Forum221... What kind of and how many fish are you planning to keep?
Now... the argument that I may be opening myself up to the possiblity of contracting some disease/parasite by using feeders is valid. But stressing the feeders?
Forum221... What kind of and how many fish are you planning to keep?
Those feeders have it tough either way. They are jam packed in a tank, or they are put in a tank with comfortable space, but have very high ammonia/nitrite levels.
Exactly my point NJ.
Now its true that most people will not Fishy cycle the way I did. My feeders were never exposed to high ammonia levels. I did the 1st part of my cycle fishless. I only added the feeders after my ammo went to 0. They are however, exposed to high Nitrite levels though (currently between 2. and .5 ppm and have been as high as 1ppm). But there are additives out there that ease the High Nitrite stress... salts/etc.
Now its true that most people will not Fishy cycle the way I did. My feeders were never exposed to high ammonia levels. I did the 1st part of my cycle fishless. I only added the feeders after my ammo went to 0. They are however, exposed to high Nitrite levels though (currently between 2. and .5 ppm and have been as high as 1ppm). But there are additives out there that ease the High Nitrite stress... salts/etc.
We can argue all we want about whether the conditions in your tank is better compared to what the feeders are exposed to. In the end, one question reminds. Sure, your feeders survived through the cycling process, infact, they lived in conditions that were far superior to that of the LFS... but now that your cycling is done, what are you going to do with those feeders? Keep in mind, many fish keepers don't keep dozens of tanks... many only have a few, of which are stocked. The problem with using fish to cycle a tank is, after all is said and done, what are you going to do with these fish?
-Richer
-Richer