Freshwater cycling
- Thread starter Rbishop
- Start date
I was talking specifically in regards to newer aquarium owners so I apologize for the rough draft on my previous post. However I totally disagree with any method of adding ammonia unnaturally as the work load for the newer owners out there would be too much. Adding ammonia then testing then adding more then testing again....not to mention the almost 95% water change afterwords and another 50% after that is just too much. And I was referring to the common misconception that alot of LFS and some people here have told people that cycling a tank <Sigh> requires 1-2 weeks of just sitting there...it's on here look around.
For the new hobbyist the easiest, fastest and safest way to cycle a tank is the fish in method. Not just an opinion but fact. While we all have our favorite ways and the ammonia way being the most work intensive method they all do work. The only method I'm referring to that doesn't do squat is the "Let the tank stand for 2 weeks to cycle it" method.
And no my information is quite up to date and in no way false. I just went to the podium and rambled on about the method that doesn't work using no fish. The ammonia method works great it's just as I said a little to intensive for the beginner though not at all beyond their capabilities. Unfortunately the fish in method is what usually occurs but done so without knowing the proper method of doing so.
Fish in method is tried and tested true as long as it is done correctly and is in NO WAY outdated or UNSAFE. And I know many breeders including myself who do have aversions to adding anything but water to our tanks and that does not make us wrong either.
But I do apologize for the rant earlier I was referring to the other fishless method and shouldn't have lunged at the poster. Sorry bout that my passions do get me carried away
For the new hobbyist the easiest, fastest and safest way to cycle a tank is the fish in method. Not just an opinion but fact. While we all have our favorite ways and the ammonia way being the most work intensive method they all do work. The only method I'm referring to that doesn't do squat is the "Let the tank stand for 2 weeks to cycle it" method.
And no my information is quite up to date and in no way false. I just went to the podium and rambled on about the method that doesn't work using no fish. The ammonia method works great it's just as I said a little to intensive for the beginner though not at all beyond their capabilities. Unfortunately the fish in method is what usually occurs but done so without knowing the proper method of doing so.
Fish in method is tried and tested true as long as it is done correctly and is in NO WAY outdated or UNSAFE. And I know many breeders including myself who do have aversions to adding anything but water to our tanks and that does not make us wrong either.
But I do apologize for the rant earlier I was referring to the other fishless method and shouldn't have lunged at the poster. Sorry bout that my passions do get me carried away
Yes Rbishop I apologize as the Fishless method I was referring to was the common misconception to let it stand for a dozen weeks and hope and pray the bacteria culture will appear lol. The ammonia method is great unfortunately I think for a newer owner it might be far to intensive of a way to begin but I agree the results would be well worth the extra effort. Sorry about the rant.
No worries...you just implied in your post that the sticky should be dropped, implying I recommended a fill and wait method, which I didn't. I believe the ammonia method is much easier for a newbie to handle vice the misconceptions of add "this instant" start and you are good to go.
well..doing a fishless definitly does have the advantage of not having to change 50% of the water every day 
Nice article! Not as detailed as some, but definitely covers the basics. 
fishless cycling is definitely the way to go. Your making this home for them... It helps if they're able to live in it with minimal risk, which fishless cycling provides. If you so much as skip a water change during fish-in... Your whole stock is put at stake. it takes much longer to fish-in cycle then fishless anyways.
fishless cycling is definitely the way to go. Your making this home for them... It helps if they're able to live in it with minimal risk, which fishless cycling provides. If you so much as skip a water change during fish-in... Your whole stock is put at stake. it takes much longer to fish-in cycle then fishless anyways.
I totally disagree that a fish cycle is easier for a new person to handle and it is debatable at best to say that it is any quicker as the cycle is technically not finished until stocking is finished.
Rather than adding X amount of ammonia (which is rather easy to handle) and testing to bring it to X ppm you have to worry about more constant testing AND water changes to make sure your fish are not subject to ammonia or nitrite. Regardless of whether the fish survive or not it is a FACT that ammonia is an irritant to their gills and that nitrite inhibits hemoglobin from binding to oxygen, converting it into methemoglobin which cannot carry O2. How is that the safest method...or the easiest?
You may not agree but you will find that the majority of the members here do not agree with a fish-in cycle unless absolutely necessary and it is hardly recommended to a beginner. I would also be interested in knowing where you have seen anyone suggest a "wait-and-see" method...I've yet to see anyone with any knowledge of the nitrogen cycle at all tell someone that it would work...
Rather than adding X amount of ammonia (which is rather easy to handle) and testing to bring it to X ppm you have to worry about more constant testing AND water changes to make sure your fish are not subject to ammonia or nitrite. Regardless of whether the fish survive or not it is a FACT that ammonia is an irritant to their gills and that nitrite inhibits hemoglobin from binding to oxygen, converting it into methemoglobin which cannot carry O2. How is that the safest method...or the easiest?
You may not agree but you will find that the majority of the members here do not agree with a fish-in cycle unless absolutely necessary and it is hardly recommended to a beginner. I would also be interested in knowing where you have seen anyone suggest a "wait-and-see" method...I've yet to see anyone with any knowledge of the nitrogen cycle at all tell someone that it would work...
Either method works just fine it usually comes down to preference.
As for the wait and see method hehehe look around I swear whoever began that advice was a complete twit. I have read that insane advice in other chat rooms and in websites though I think now that were onto them they seem to have settled on 1 or both methods we have been discussing here. Just google Tank cycling and surely that method will pop up somewhere in there.
At any rate my rant was misplaced on RBishop and I apologized so I'll end it there, and remember people were long keeping, breeding and successfully enjoying fish long before anyone ever thought to dump a cup full or more of ammonia into the tank.
As for the wait and see method hehehe look around I swear whoever began that advice was a complete twit. I have read that insane advice in other chat rooms and in websites though I think now that were onto them they seem to have settled on 1 or both methods we have been discussing here. Just google Tank cycling and surely that method will pop up somewhere in there.
At any rate my rant was misplaced on RBishop and I apologized so I'll end it there, and remember people were long keeping, breeding and successfully enjoying fish long before anyone ever thought to dump a cup full or more of ammonia into the tank.
