Cycling Question

[myersdj]

Hello again all,

First of all, thanks to all for the responses to my tank leveling questions. I've begun to stock my 55 gallon tank and had a cycling question.

Last night, I added 4 long fin zebra danios to my otherwise empty (save for the decorations) tank. I had read danios like to be in school sizes of 6+. The girl at Petsmart said that putting more than four of these great fish into my tank at first would risk spiking ammonia levels too high, so I only got 4. They are in the tank now.

Reading up after getting these fish, I'm wondering if I should add two more today to give them a school of 6. However, I'm also worried that adding 2 more danios a day after adding 4 would be problematic. I want there to be enough to be happy, but I don't want to hurt the fish.

So, any thoughts? Should I let the 4 sit for a cycle then add 2 more or go ahead and get the 2 additionals in today?

Thanks all!

 

[ROLLIN]

Here's what I would do. I'd go and get a couple more so they have a bigger group they that prefer. But also while I was there I would ask them nicely for some gravel out of one of their healthy aquariums to help speed up your cycle. Or maybe get them to shake a few filter cartridges into a bag of water, then take that "goup" home and dump it in the tank. Make sure the aquarium is healthy, no dead or sick looking fish. If the tanks aren't all seperately filtered I would be even more cautious. If a friend has a healthy aquarium it may be better to borrow some bacteria from them.

 

[bigscout]

Last night, I added 4 long fin zebra danios to my otherwise empty (save for the decorations) tank. I had read danios like to be in school sizes of 6+. The girl at Petsmart said that putting more than four of these great fish into my tank at first would risk spiking ammonia levels too high, so I only got 4. They are in the tank now.

Kudos to that Girl, more is never better when Fishy Cycling. 4 or even 2 will keep the workload reduced and cycle the tank just fine. Once the cycle is estabilished, then you can add a few fish at a time to biuld up the bio-filter as you go.

The addition of bacteria will help and speed the process, Mulm or media from the LFS will work if you trust them to have disease free tanks.

I do not even at my favorite LFS. That's up to you of course, but I generally never add anything from the fishstore without quarantine.

For more info check this article Cycling a tank

Go directly to the section on Fishy cycling first since you are already into a fishy cycle.

HTH
Bigscout

 

[sophiecat22]

I doubt that you could get gunk from the filter media at petsmart as they use a gigantic filter system that takes up almost an entire room. It doesn't use individual filter cartridges but huge 18" by 18" filter pads. I don't even know what all the different parts of this contraption does. It's truely an amazing piece of machinery. I'm sure Petsmart would be more than willing to give you some gravel though. Would the gravel from the plant tank work even though there aren't any fish in it?