Freshwater cycling

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1oooop

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Jun 5, 2008
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ouch! that's a high nitrite level... nitrate is okay... PH is good... wheres ammonia...
 

pistolpete3521

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Mar 16, 2008
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I agree with ghostshrimp55, I used this exact method(or pretty close) and got desirable if not spectacular results. I have a 10g I was cycling and started it with two SMALL otos and a mystery snail named El Blanco. It took me a little over a week before I could add fish and three trips to lfs(s), but I got to watch my community slowly grow, back to this is a second. I have also tried fish less cycling and found it tiresome and boring, and stinky(especially prawn) because you don't feel as great of a need to do wc's as frequently for the simple fact that nothing visible is living in there. The main factor I think contributed to my overall happiness with my fishy cycle, was the fact that I could add two fish, wait, research, figure out what would best add to my tank and create diverse colors and interest, so that when I was done I knew it had all been thought out and it looked better that looking at 50 different tanks in the lfs(s) as opposed to seeing them all together in your tank and deciding the next step. I don't care who you are, you will get antsy to put more fish in there unless your take horse tranquilizers or you aren't interested in fish. Which neither should be around a tank holding water and it's creatures.

IMO, it just depends on what the heck you want to do and what your budget entails, I know spreading out the lfs visits on a 16 year old's paycheck helped me not only be cost effective, but decide what I really wanted at the same time because I had more money to do it.

Make up your own mind, no one can tel you what to do unless they physically walk to your house and commandeer your tank just to cycle it so make up your own mind even when some of us prefer a certain way.
 
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jpappy789

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Feb 18, 2007
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I have also tried fish less cycling and found it tiresome and boring, and stinky(especially prawn) because you don't feel as great of a need to do wc's as frequently for the simple fact that nothing visible is living in there.
Ummm, you shouldn't be doing water changes during a fishless cycle anyways:confused:
 

Rbishop

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Dec 30, 2005
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parts per million
 

1oooop

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say, I'm starting new tank :perv: it's a storage bin... LOL I know cheap plastic degrades... it's PP (poly-propylene[a type of plastic]) IDK does it degrade? I just wanted to ask anyway, I'm staring as soon as the stuff arrives... which I hope is soon
 

skiagram

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May 21, 2008
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Plants often come with the required bacteria, so in-theory, the cycling should be faster with plants added early. Without plants or an existing filter, it might be a longer wait for the right bugs to arrive and multiply. I'm told that plants don't mind the ammonia and nitrite either. I'm assuming that ammonia levels are not toxic, let's say at or below 5 parts per million.
 

beebow

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Jul 16, 2008
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Fry tank cycling established

i have an estableshed 45g tank. I wanted a fry tank so I bought a small
1 1/2gal tank, complete except I needed to buy a heater. I set it up with rocks on the bottom. I may have to replace the filter. I declorinated the water with stress less. I filled the small tank with the water from the 46g. tank. I put the pregnant Molly in the small tank and she gave birth that evening. There were 12 fry to begin witth. I checked the ammonia and nitrites and Nitrates level twice day. Witha nitrite level 0.5/1.0 I do a complete water change. I dip water out the the large established tank The levels in the 45g tank are ammonia 0, ntirite 0, nitrAte level 20. I was told this is a good way to establish the cycle in the fry tank. The fry are eating well approx. 4 times a day and growing very quickly. Is this a good way to establesh the fry tank? Is there something I more I should be doing? Two of the fry have died but the rest of them look great and a relly growing very quickly:help:
 
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