"Cycling" with nothing

[Lady G]

Ok, this is just making things WAY more confusing then they need to be.

Plain and simple you can cycle your tank by getting Ammonia from the store. You do NOT need to add an outside source of bacteria, if you so choose to add something media from a established tank would be best. If you decide to get some from a creek or else where have it tested first.

Your tank WILL cycle by following the link I provided, and it WILL take longer that way.

Good luck and I hope like crazy all this did not confuse you so much your head is now spinning

 

[SchizotypalVamp]

It would be interesting to look at the difference in concentrations of pathogens, but I am willing to be domestic aquariums all have a similar range. Of course, I have no actual data to back that up, but the fact that some/most petstores filter all their water through one system without all the fish dying from various diseases is probably good evidence.

Regardless, many people here have done a fishless cycle without adding in bacteria first.

And I am sort of biased on the matter. Grew up in LA, where you can't trust any body of water,lol.