You can!Yep, would be nice to be able to see ammonia or nitrite...but that's usually not the case.
When you test. :22_yikes:
Filtration question for the old timers
- Thread starter dhvService
- Start date
When you test. :22_yikes:
My first tank in 1983 was SW, a 50g custom. No one talked of any biological action outside of "beneficial algae.". Hmmmm. Several years later the 40g FW was launched. UGF & HOB with plants. I was given a gallon of tank water from an established tank with the proviso that adding it would make the fish happy. It has only been in the last decade I have really heard much about cycling the tank first. Now it is standard practice for me in an abridged form. I always have a planted tank, so add my substrate (no UGF for me these days...), a few pioneer plants, water, conditioner, and find someone with an established tank and get a donation of a used filter bag at changeout.
A week later, it's fish time!
Perhaps I have been lucky...
A week later, it's fish time!
Perhaps I have been lucky...
Is this right? (I ask as a true noob.) Will live plants really eliminate any cycling issues? Or do they just help as part of the equation?
Really just part of the equation, but it can work if you know what you're doing. Plants will uptake ammonia and nitrate to varying degrees and they can be a source of bacteria inoculation as well. But it isn't always that easy. It takes a lot of plants (ideally quicker growing stem plants) and low/slow stocking. I'd look for information on "silent cycling" or "Natural planted tanks" or "Walstad method" if you're interested.
As I've said once before, Josh, it's always nice to see you posting well thought out, very apropos comments. Forgive me if you feel I'm being too gushy - lol - but I mean it !!!
Thank you very much Paul, I'm flattered! I've got to give the AC community a lot of credit though, most everything I have learned has come from here. Just trying to give back
Very interesting question!
Looked through some stuff from the 60s, didn't find any mention of biological filtration, nitrogen cycle or bacteria.
Moving to 1975, in a little booklet titled Beginner's Aquarium Digest-The Magic of Aquariums (Tetra Press) written by some unknown by the name of Dr. Ulrich Baensch (Ha! ) which was given away with tanks at that time, I have found the following tidbits.
"...major objective of all filtration systems is aeration..."
"...amount of dissolved nitrite and nitrate in the water is a direct indication of the level of water pollution..."
"...can avoid potential problems from the Nitrogen cycle by introducing a few hardy fish in the new aquarium to start the cycle..."
It talks about ammonia to nitrite to nitrate. And water changes to remove nitrate buildup after the cycle stabilizes. And finally...
"...technical aspects of water quality are of interest primarily to more advanced aquarists..."
I think going through older issues of Tropical Fish Hobbyist or the magazines might reveal more info. I wonder if the public library has any early issues? Hope this helps.
Looked through some stuff from the 60s, didn't find any mention of biological filtration, nitrogen cycle or bacteria.
Moving to 1975, in a little booklet titled Beginner's Aquarium Digest-The Magic of Aquariums (Tetra Press) written by some unknown by the name of Dr. Ulrich Baensch (Ha! ) which was given away with tanks at that time, I have found the following tidbits.
"...major objective of all filtration systems is aeration..."
"...amount of dissolved nitrite and nitrate in the water is a direct indication of the level of water pollution..."
"...can avoid potential problems from the Nitrogen cycle by introducing a few hardy fish in the new aquarium to start the cycle..."
It talks about ammonia to nitrite to nitrate. And water changes to remove nitrate buildup after the cycle stabilizes. And finally...
"...technical aspects of water quality are of interest primarily to more advanced aquarists..."
I think going through older issues of Tropical Fish Hobbyist or the magazines might reveal more info. I wonder if the public library has any early issues? Hope this helps.
Loved reading this thread. My dad and I had a bunch of tanks back in the 80's and never heard of it either. I just recently learned of the process when getting back in and setting up a used tank from C list...
Great thread.
Great thread.
A buddy got me interested, in 1968. I was 15 years old. He had TWO 10 gallon tanks, and a copy of the Innes book "Exotic Aquarium Fishes".
I was HOOKED! I soon got my first tank. It was a Metaframe 10 gallon, with an incandescent hood and a clear light bulb.
I knew nothing of the Nitrogen cycle, nor did the LFSs. The only advice given was to add fish slowly, not to buy them all at once.
Also to use Dechlor, usually a small pricey bottle, with a teaspoon for 5 gallon dosage!
I bought two Silver Angelfish and a Leopard Corydoras! Those first few weeks, I think I did about 4 100% water changes, along with washing the gravel in a bucket! Surprisingly, the fish survived.
Back then, I was led to believe the charcoal removed all the nasties from the water, so the only water replaced was from evaporation, or when things got looking crappy.
I got a BIG 29 in 71, and had the good stuff! A Dynaflo 600, Magnus piston air pump, and my trustier Silent Giant!
I can look back now on a few fish losses I had in the 70s and 80s, and realize they were due to ammonia or nitrites.
In 95 or so,I was keeping a 65 full of African Cichlids, and a 50 with SA Cichlids. I had kind of let maintenance go a bit, and the new wife talked me into getting rid of them.
In about 99, i decided to try Discus again, and bought a 130 gallon aquarium. In the past my Discus would turn black after a few months and die. With a bunch of Internet research, it was obvious lack of water changes had been my issue. Also Nitrogen cycle was being discussed at length. Cycled this tank with Goldfish, and put them in my pond after. Not the best way to do things, but it worked out. Grew out some incredible Discus in this tank.
Took another hiatus from fish in 2005. In 2010 or 2011, got my 65 high back from my son and started again.
Cycled the tank with fish and killed several, playing with Ammo-Lock, and "nitrifying bacteria in a bottle" (don't waste your time IMO).
The last 3 tanks I have set up with a fishless cycle, and it has worked beautifully! So, 46 year learning curve, and still learning!
I was HOOKED! I soon got my first tank. It was a Metaframe 10 gallon, with an incandescent hood and a clear light bulb.
I knew nothing of the Nitrogen cycle, nor did the LFSs. The only advice given was to add fish slowly, not to buy them all at once.
Also to use Dechlor, usually a small pricey bottle, with a teaspoon for 5 gallon dosage!
I bought two Silver Angelfish and a Leopard Corydoras! Those first few weeks, I think I did about 4 100% water changes, along with washing the gravel in a bucket! Surprisingly, the fish survived.
Back then, I was led to believe the charcoal removed all the nasties from the water, so the only water replaced was from evaporation, or when things got looking crappy.
I got a BIG 29 in 71, and had the good stuff! A Dynaflo 600, Magnus piston air pump, and my trustier Silent Giant!
I can look back now on a few fish losses I had in the 70s and 80s, and realize they were due to ammonia or nitrites.
In 95 or so,I was keeping a 65 full of African Cichlids, and a 50 with SA Cichlids. I had kind of let maintenance go a bit, and the new wife talked me into getting rid of them.
In about 99, i decided to try Discus again, and bought a 130 gallon aquarium. In the past my Discus would turn black after a few months and die. With a bunch of Internet research, it was obvious lack of water changes had been my issue. Also Nitrogen cycle was being discussed at length. Cycled this tank with Goldfish, and put them in my pond after. Not the best way to do things, but it worked out. Grew out some incredible Discus in this tank.
Took another hiatus from fish in 2005. In 2010 or 2011, got my 65 high back from my son and started again.
Cycled the tank with fish and killed several, playing with Ammo-Lock, and "nitrifying bacteria in a bottle" (don't waste your time IMO).
The last 3 tanks I have set up with a fishless cycle, and it has worked beautifully! So, 46 year learning curve, and still learning!
What a great thread. And I do remember the box filter was all most of us used in the early 70's. Ssomething had UGF's, but not many. The really industrious folks even had air stones, with very loud pumps. A small pump was usually about the size of today's Whisper 600. It was about as loud then as my current commercial fish room pump.
I remember having to "activate" the carbon before use, and re boiling it when cleaning out the box. Ammo chips were not out yet then either.
The 'lazy' person who only did water changes by lowering the water to fish level, but not removing the fish from the tank, had the healthiest tanks(my way). "Fancy" guppies were more often the feeder type we see today, but with sword tails. Discus were still wild type color, some had brighter blues, but we didn't have the solid colors.
Neon tetras were the most colorful fish we could get, except for veil tail bettas. I remember breeding my bettas endlessly, only to have the fry die at the first tank cleaning.
And weren't those 10 gallon tanks with slate bottoms heavy!
I remember having to "activate" the carbon before use, and re boiling it when cleaning out the box. Ammo chips were not out yet then either.
The 'lazy' person who only did water changes by lowering the water to fish level, but not removing the fish from the tank, had the healthiest tanks(my way). "Fancy" guppies were more often the feeder type we see today, but with sword tails. Discus were still wild type color, some had brighter blues, but we didn't have the solid colors.
Neon tetras were the most colorful fish we could get, except for veil tail bettas. I remember breeding my bettas endlessly, only to have the fry die at the first tank cleaning.
And weren't those 10 gallon tanks with slate bottoms heavy!
