new tank owner- can i skip the cycle?

[Gentleg]

Hi guys, im new to this whole thing and i have some questions.

I have read all the media i can on cycling, but it doesnt really talk about chemicals.

First off, I have a 72 gallon bowfront, freshwater, and we are going to raise mollys, platys, etc.

Now, we have had the tank up and running 5 days now, nothing in it for 2, we bought some gourami and platys based on an aquariums advice, then when a gourami died overnight, i went to a local petco with a really good aquatic dpt and they told me i should have a few tetras for the cycle, not the others, so i now have 3 gourami, 6 platys and 8 smaller breed of tetra, in the tank.

there doing great, all the chemical balances seem perfect, except alkalinity which is a little low, and i have my tank at about 79 degrees. before we put fish in we used Wardleys 3 in 1 and another chemical to start the tank, and we used a filter that already had bacteria in it, from the pervious owner. Everything seems fine.

My question is, do i need to cycle? or can i just start putting fish in. I am goign to take a water sample to the pet shop and see what they say today.

 

[Dangerdoll]

Well, it's obvious at this point that you have no choice but to go through a fishy cycle. Your saving grace is the bacteria filled filter so you won't need to go through a full cycle, maybe just a mini one, definitely one shorter than 6 weeks. The most important thing you need to concentrate is keeping the ammonia at 0. Not .2, not.25.... 0. Once your water stabilizes with 0 ammonia and nitrites with about 20 nitrates within a 24 hour period for a week or so, you are fully cycled. With fish in the tank though, your testing should be more frequent than once a day.

 

[J double R]

what was the 'other chemical'? there is really only one additive that will help you cycle a tank immediately, and that is a product called BioSpira.

if you have fish in the tank, the tetras arent going to cycle it 'faster' or 'better', the lfs was probably recommending them because they arent as sensitive to cycles as the gouramis and platys, which isnt necessarily true in itself depending on what kind of tetras you have.

what are your chemical balances in the tank? and what are you using to test them with?

 

[Gentleg]

thats the thing, they are currently zero, will they spike in a couple days?

 

[J double R]

they very well may, and if they do, make sure you do water changes to keep the ammonia and nitrites down. when ammonia and nitrites start staying at 0 constantly, and you see a rise in nitrates, your cycle is complete. be patient though, it could take up to a couple months for this to happen.

 

[Gentleg]

stress zyme was the other chemical, and we are using 6 strip quick dip things.. Nitrate NO+3 is near or 0, as is nitrate-2, water is a little hard, no chlorine, low alkalinity, and somewhere between a slightly acidic and a nuetral PH.

 

[Gentleg]

So i went to the store, like ithought, it all tested good.. sounds like its just some of them dying due to stress, and my tank will still cycle. We will see how it goes.

 

[Weezer]

Good luck on your cycleing.......

 

[Coler]

Now, we have had the tank up and running 5 days now, nothing in it for 2, we bought some gourami and platys based on an aquariums advice, then when a gourami died overnight, i went to a local petco with a really good aquatic dpt and they told me i should have a few tetras for the cycle, not the others, so i now have 3 gourami, 6 platys and 8 smaller breed of tetra, in the tank.

My question is, do i need to cycle? or can i just start putting fish in. I am goign to take a water sample to the pet shop and see what they say today.

Well, you put the fish in anyway, so as Dangerdoll says, you are now in a fishy cycle. BTW you don't have a choice as to whether a tank cycles, it will cycle once there is a source of ammonia in there - the choice is about how to cycle it, not whether.

1. You are in a fishy cycle. Check out the sticky on cycling. In a nutshell you must now do water changes whenever Ammonia or Nitrite hit .25 ppm concentration. You are cycled when Ammonia and Nitrite stay at 0, and Nitrates are increasing.

2. You'll only know when this happens if you buy a good liquid drop test kit. Forget about the paper strips; they are hit and miss at best.

3. Do the water changes as dictated by your test readings. As many as necessary. You can do 50% changes back to back if you have to, to keep ammonia & nitrite below .25 ppm.

4. Seachem Prime dechlorinates and has a detox effect on Ammonia, You must use a dechlorinator when changing water and this one is highly reccomended. You will find that this is often the only chemical experienced aquarists put in their tank, unless they are medicating. I would use Prime even if you say your tap water has no chlorine (what are you testing with ?) as there may be heavy metals or chloramine in your tap water which Prime will also detoxify and which could otherwise kill your fish.

there doing great, all the chemical balances seem perfect, except alkalinity which is a little low, and i have my tank at about 79 degrees. before we put fish in we used Wardleys 3 in 1 and another chemical to start the tank, and we used a filter that already had bacteria in it, from the pervious owner. Everything seems fine.

5. Don't worry about alkalinity - least of your concerns at this point. When you say the filter had bacteria in it, this should in theory alleviate your cycle. However, how long was it since this filter was in a tank with fish ? The bacteria die off without a food source, pretty quickly. Also how did you transport it to your tank ? In a bag of tank water and quickly would be the only way to ensure the bacterial colonies survived. I hope you didn't rinse out the filter media in tap water. Depending on how the bacterial colonies were preserved you may be in a full blown fishy cycle. Also, the only chemical which I have seen consistently good reviews as regards kick starting or 'instant' cycle is Biospira. Anything else is likely snake oil.

So i went to the store, like ithought, it all tested good.. sounds like its just some of them dying due to stress, and my tank will still cycle. We will see how it goes.

6. If they're dying everything is not fine. If they're stressed there's a fair chance that the stress is a result of ammonia/nitrite levels. You can exclude this possibility by using a good liquid test kit to check on the levels. Why rely on a trip to the store anyway ? Its peace of mind if nothing else to test your own water. If your water is OK we can look more closely at why your loosing fish.

Hope things go a bit more smoothly for you and enjoy your tank

 

[Derringer]

the lfs was probably recommending them because they arent as sensitive to cycles as the gouramis and platys, which isnt necessarily true in itself depending on what kind of tetras you have.

Hopefully you got bleeding hearts, black skirts, or another hardy species of tetra. You said 'smaller breed' so surly hope they didnt give you neons. Do you know the name of the species you have?

You WILL cycle weather you fully stock the tank or not; its a natural process the tank goes through. It's just a matter of how "potentially" cruel you want to be to the fish. Thats why some recommend a fishless cycle.

Since you seeded from an established tank the process shouldnt take as long - just keep testing and when you see 0 ammo, 0 nitrItes, and X nitrAtes you are cycled. Then you can complete your stocking plans.