Just getting started - Thought I'd say hi.
- Thread starter nosuperstitions
- Start date
Welcome to AC 
I know a lot of people here prefer fishless, but ethics aside, personally I find that boring. Danios are a good fish to cycle with if you go that route.
I have successfully cycled several tanks with fish, just keep in mind that you want to keep the ammonia and nitrites around .25, or below .50 at least. Even danios can become stressed and die at higher amounts, and I'm sure you'd rather prevent that, especially since you're doing this with your kids, and I know they tend to become attached to the fish.
I'm not sure what kind of information your book has, but you can also "quick cycle" by adding established biomedia to your filter (filter media from an established filter, or gravel from an established aquarium with an undergravel filter). Just make sure to get the stuff from a healthy aquarium with no diseases present.
I have done this many times and I have not fully cycled an aquarium in many years due to having so much cycled media in my house. I really don't have the patience to wait a month or two for a full cycle, so established media is a great thing to have.
I know a lot of people here prefer fishless, but ethics aside, personally I find that boring. Danios are a good fish to cycle with if you go that route.
I have successfully cycled several tanks with fish, just keep in mind that you want to keep the ammonia and nitrites around .25, or below .50 at least. Even danios can become stressed and die at higher amounts, and I'm sure you'd rather prevent that, especially since you're doing this with your kids, and I know they tend to become attached to the fish
. I'm not sure what kind of information your book has, but you can also "quick cycle" by adding established biomedia to your filter (filter media from an established filter, or gravel from an established aquarium with an undergravel filter). Just make sure to get the stuff from a healthy aquarium with no diseases present.
I have done this many times and I have not fully cycled an aquarium in many years due to having so much cycled media in my house. I really don't have the patience to wait a month or two for a full cycle, so established media is a great thing to have.
Welcome to AC
I know a lot of people here prefer fishless, but ethics aside, personally I find that boring. Danios are a good fish to cycle with if you go that route.
I have successfully cycled several tanks with fish, just keep in mind that you want to keep the ammonia and nitrites around .25, or below .50 at least. Even danios can become stressed and die at higher amounts, and I'm sure you'd rather prevent that, especially since you're doing this with your kids, and I know they tend to become attached to the fish
I'm not sure what kind of information your book has, but you can also "quick cycle" by adding established biomedia to your filter (filter media from an established filter, or gravel from an established aquarium with an undergravel filter). Just make sure to get the stuff from a healthy aquarium with no diseases present.
I have done this many times and I have not fully cycled an aquarium in many years due to having so much cycled media in my house. I really don't have the patience to wait a month or two for a full cycle, so established media is a great thing to have.
Thanks for the advice. I can use all I can get.
I like the idea of adding established media to speed up the process but I have no other established tanks and no friends who have aquariums. Do you think I could purchase some established filter media from a LFS? Even if I could talk them into it would it be a good idea? It might be hard to know for sure how "disease free" the tank might be.
What are your thoughts on the quick start products fish stores recommend like Microbe-lift? I have found very little information here about these products.
BettaFishMommy
finkids make me happy :-)
i wouldn't trust media or filter squeezings from an lfs, especially when you are new to the hobby and are still learning what to look for when it comes to a well cared for store. the chance of introducing disease into your tank is too great a risk, IMO.
as for the 'starter' bacteria you can buy in bottles at the lfs, quite often those products are not shipped or stored properly and are not effective at all (most, if not all, need refrigeration and quite often in the shipping process they are not kept cool. as well, stores may not keep it properly in a fridge in the store).
as for the 'starter' bacteria you can buy in bottles at the lfs, quite often those products are not shipped or stored properly and are not effective at all (most, if not all, need refrigeration and quite often in the shipping process they are not kept cool. as well, stores may not keep it properly in a fridge in the store).
Most of those quick start products work inconsistently. You could try adding some, but don't necessarily expect it to work.
As far as getting media from a LFS it really depends. There are some where I'd trust media from their larger display tanks, the ones that have fish but not generally for sale, but not their system/racks, where they're adding fish every time they get an order without quarantine.
If you have a local aquarium society you could try seeing if any members have cycled media from a healthy tank.
