Fish Cycling

[Harlock]

Oh, I would love for you to fishless cycle. You're inflicting your "drama" on an animal who has no choice in the matter. I am simply doing my best to ensure the animal remains healthy. Insisting to fishy cycle when you know a better, more efficient and safer way is just wasteful. I'm not doing it for you. I'm doing it for your fish.

 

[mishi8]

Thank you! You and Harlock seem to be the only people on this forum that haven't given me guff or pushed me to fishless. I just prefer to Use fish and have all the drama I wish people would understand that.

I personally don't understand the desire to have "drama" in watching fish suffer..."will they make it, or won't they?" I found it hearbreaking to see my fish suffer and die regardless of the care I took with careful, frequent water changes. The "drama" sounds sadistic to me.

mishi8

 

[Soulcoffr]

I'm not entirely sure she wants the "drama" in her tank. I think she wants less "drama" here. It's worded kinda funny...

Fishless is best, but many people still prefer fishy for their own reasons...

I have a good supplier of Bio-Spira (i.e. proper storage and proven effectiveness of the product) and I plan to use it in future tanks. Thus bypassing the cycle in the first place. Although I'll probably use Harlock's method of testing the Bio-Spira with 5ppm ammonia for a couple days, then adding fish.

 

[Ems]

When I started my first tank I used BlackSkirt Tetras, 4 of them.
That was a couple years ago.
They went through 2 fish cycles, a tank breaking, and another mini cycle when we got the replacement tank for the one that broke.
All 4 are still alive and kicking
But, to cycle now, I use established media from my other tanks.

 

[tornangel012]

This is not directed at you Ems.
See that's another thing I'm not clueless I didn't use all brand new things to start my cycle I took apart my already cycled smaller tank and put all those components into the larger 10 gal. I have my old Filter along with a new one. i use the old gravel along with the new one and kept all the same water in it in addition with fresh water with decholinater to fill it up. I check my water every day and do water changes as neccesary. No one had told me that neons were bad just more sensitive at the LFS and they knew I was cycling and how long my tank had been up and what not.

None of my fish have been having problems with exception of the one that got ich and then died over the course of one day. and I have been and still am doing the treatment from the first day I noticed it.

And YES it bothers me how many times people tell me the same things in the same post over and over again. You coud just day Ditto to the person before instead of saying the same thing if you own words.

 

[gsk177]

I didn't use all brand new things to start my cycle I took apart my already cycled smaller tank and put all those components into the larger 10 gal. I have my old Filter along with a new one. i use the old gravel along with the new one and kept all the same water in it in addition with fresh water with decholinater to fill it up.

IMO, you actually haven't done a fishy cycle. While your tank may still go through some cycling type issues, your tank is MUCH more stable than a completely new one.

If your new tank is similar to size of your old tank, Id assume that you could safely add the same bioload to your new tank as your old tank had. (IF that made any sense at all.)

Whichever the case may be, just keep a close eye on your testing and go slow with new fish additions.

 

[R.B.]

Torn I was told Tetras are hard to kill.I have 4 in my tank now & hope they make it but if they don't they aint quit making them

Gawd I'm evil.lol

 

[tornangel012]

Well RB from my reasearch It depends on the type of Tetra. I had Neons. I think black skirted are stronger and my boyfriend has Black neon and they're supposed to be stonger also.

Good luck. Hope your son is enjoying them

 

[nvan2]

Incase your still looking for ideas (the post is already 2 pages long) but i have a pair of balloon mollies to cycle my tank, and they are very very hardy fish.