Fishless and fish-in cycling are two methods for cycling an aquarium. Fishless cycling is a beginner-friendly and harmless method, while fish-in cycling is recommended for experts due to potential harm to the fish. To cycle a fish tank with fish, feed them sparingly to prevent food from sinking to the bottom. Replace 10-25 of the tank’s water with fresh, filtered, and dechlorinated water every few days. Test kits should be used to monitor the cycle.
Cycling a freshwater aquarium involves adding ammonia to the water and allowing it to break down naturally. Over time, beneficial bacteria form in the tank. Fill the tank with clean and de-chlorinated water and heat it to above 70°F. The maturation time of the tank lasts 2 to 8 weeks, with factors such as tank size, pH, and temperature affecting the timing.
For fish-in cycling, only feed the fish one eyeball pelleted food every two days for two weeks. When setting up the aquarium, add a few fish at the start and gradually increase the amount over the next four weeks. Before cycling, set up the tank with filtration, proper lighting, decorations, and fill the tank.
To start a cycle in a new tank, put media from the old tank in new filtet and some substrate. Fish tank cycling is crucial for establishing good bacteria and bringing the tank water conditions to a safe, healthy level for fish. To cycle, an aquarium must first have water and a filter, and ensure a dechlorinator is used to remove chlorine and chloramine from tap water.
📹 HOW TO#CYCLE YOUR AQUARIUM WITH FISH
Your #NATURALAQUARIUM cannot #cycle until fish are in it. Put a few small fish in your tank as soon as it is set up. BUT only …
How long does it take to cycle tank with fish?
Plant cycling is a natural method of introducing good bacteria to tank water, but it takes about 6 weeks to complete. Introduce live aquarium plants before adding fish, promoting the growth of good bacteria and creating a natural ecosystem. After 4-6 weeks, the nitrogen cycle should be complete, allowing for the introduction of a few fish. Once the cycle is complete, the plants start producing new growth, converting toxins into new leaves. To introduce fish, follow the same steps as in-fish cycling, feeding them sparingly and testing the water for low ammonia and nitrite levels.
How to cycle water in an aquarium?
Aquarium cycling is a crucial process in creating a biologically safe environment for fish in a new tank. It involves introducing nitrifying bacteria into the aquarium to regulate the nitrogen cycle, which is the process of converting ammonia into nitrite and nitrate. This process is essential to prevent ammonia buildup caused by fish waste breakdown.
The process of aquarium cycling is often overlooked by beginners, but it is essential for creating an environment for happy, long-living fish. It is essential to ensure that the biofilters in the tank can handle the volume of ammonia produced by the fish. If the fish are introduced too quickly or too many at once, the biofilters will not be able to keep up with the amount of ammonia produced.
To cycle an aquarium properly, it is best to introduce the fish one at a time to ensure the tank is biologically prepared for more fish. By following these steps, you can create a healthy and happy environment for your fish.
What happens if you don’t cycle your tank?
Aquarium cycling is the crucial biological maturation process before adding fish to a tank. It involves the use of a filter and a dechlorinator to remove chlorine and chloramine from tap water, which are powerful antibacterial agents. Once chlorine is removed and the filter is in place, cycling can begin.
The filter is sterile and lacks beneficial bacteria. Live nitrifying bacteria convert fish toxic waste, ammonia, to less toxic nitrate, part of the nitrogen cycle. This process is part of the nitrogen cycle, a naturally occurring process where nutrients are continually cycled by bacteria, fish, and plants, keeping water pollution-free.
Fishless cycling is another option, where the aquarium is cycled and matured before adding fish. This process can take six weeks, but ammonia and nitrite levels can climb dangerously high during this time, while the Nitrogen Cycle is still incomplete.
What helps cycle a fish tank?
To cycle an aquarium, it’s essential to have water and a filter. A dechlorinator is used to remove chlorine and chloramine from tap water, which are powerful antibacterial agents. Once chlorine is removed, the filter can begin cycling. Live nitrifying bacteria convert fish toxic waste, ammonia, to less toxic nitrate, part of the nitrogen cycle. This process helps keep water pollution-free. Fishless cycling involves the aquarium being cycled and matured before adding fish.
Some beneficial bacteria cultures dictate adding a few fish on the same day, while others should be added before fish. Cycle time can take six weeks, but ammonia and nitrite levels can climb dangerously high during this time, while the Nitrogen Cycle is still incomplete.
How can I speed up my aquarium cycle?
To set up an aquarium, start by adding a few fish at the start, choosing the hardiest species you plan to keep. Feed the fish lightly at first and gradually increase the amount over the next four to six weeks. The beneficial bacteria feed on fish waste, but don’t overfeed until enough bacteria have grown to handle their waste load. To speed up the aquarium cycling process, add beneficial bacteria from the onset and transfer used filter media or substrate from an established tank to your new one. You can also buy live nitrifying bacteria to help speed up the cycle.
Measure water quality using ammonia test strips and multi-test strips every day or two at first. If detectable amounts of ammonia or nitrite are present, do a partial water change to remove toxic compounds and provide clean water. The cycle is considered complete when fish can feed normal amounts of food for a week, with ammonia and nitrite levels staying at 0 ppm and nitrite levels above 0 ppm. Slowly add more fish and wait for nitrate levels to be lower.
How can I speed up my tank cycle?
To set up an aquarium, start by adding a few fish at the start, choosing the hardiest species you plan to keep. Feed the fish lightly at first and gradually increase the amount over the next four to six weeks. The beneficial bacteria feed on fish waste, but don’t overfeed until enough bacteria have grown to handle their waste load. To speed up the aquarium cycling process, add beneficial bacteria from the onset and transfer used filter media or substrate from an established tank to your new one. You can also buy live nitrifying bacteria to help speed up the cycle.
Measure water quality using ammonia test strips and multi-test strips every day or two at first. If detectable amounts of ammonia or nitrite are present, do a partial water change to remove toxic compounds and provide clean water. The cycle is considered complete when fish can feed normal amounts of food for a week, with ammonia and nitrite levels staying at 0 ppm and nitrite levels above 0 ppm. Slowly add more fish and wait for nitrate levels to be lower.
How do I know if my fish tank is cycled?
During the cycling process, ammonia levels increase and then plummet as nitrite-forming bacteria take hold. Nitrate-forming bacteria appear when nitrite is present in significant quantities, leading to a skyrocket in nitrite levels. Once nitrate-forming bacteria take hold, nitrite levels fall, nitrate levels rise, and the tank is fully cycled. To determine when the cycle has completed, buy appropriate test kits or bring water samples to a fish store.
This process typically takes 2-6 weeks, with longer times at temperatures below 70F. Nitrifying bacteria grow slowly, taking up to 15 hours for a colony to double in size. Sometimes, it is possible to speed up the cycling time.
What is the fastest way to cycle an aquarium?
To set up an aquarium, start by adding a few fish at the start, choosing the hardiest species you plan to keep. Feed the fish lightly at first and gradually increase the amount over the next four to six weeks. The beneficial bacteria feed on fish waste, but don’t overfeed until enough bacteria have grown to handle their waste load. To speed up the aquarium cycling process, add beneficial bacteria from the onset and transfer used filter media or substrate from an established tank to your new one. You can also buy live nitrifying bacteria to help speed up the cycle.
Measure water quality using ammonia test strips and multi-test strips every day or two at first. If detectable amounts of ammonia or nitrite are present, do a partial water change to remove toxic compounds and provide clean water. The cycle is considered complete when fish can feed normal amounts of food for a week, with ammonia and nitrite levels staying at 0 ppm and nitrite levels above 0 ppm. Slowly add more fish and wait for nitrate levels to be lower.
How to do a fish in water cycle?
Fish-in cycling is a simple method to maintain a healthy aquarium. Start by feeding the fish one eyeball of pelleted food every two days for two weeks, gradually increasing the food level to one eyeball a day for two weeks, and finally two eyeballs per day. For six fish, the amount of dry fish food should be equal to the volume of their twelve eyes combined. Avoid feeding more than the fish can consume in one minute per day, and do not change the water. In six to eight weeks, the aquarium will be “cycled” and the fish will be fine.
What are the 5 steps to cycling a new aquarium?
Cycle a fish tank is a crucial process for maintaining the health and wellbeing of your fish, snails, crabs, plants, and coral. It involves setting up the tank, introducing livestock, limiting ammonia production, reducing pollutant levels, and monitoring cycle progress. This process ensures that the water in your aquarium is a safe environment for your fish, snails, crabs, plants, and coral to live in. By encouraging new, healthy bacteria to grow in the tank, the water goes through the nitrogen cycle without endangering your livestock.
Once the initial aquarium cycle is completed, you can leave the tank to cycle on its own, with the new bacteria colonies working hard to keep your tank safe without constant monitoring. Aquacadabra experts are ready to guide you through the process step-by-step, making it a simple yet essential step in creating a happy and comfortable home for your new finned friends.
Will a fish tank cycle on its own?
To start the nitrogen cycle in your new fish tank, create the necessary conditions and maintain manageable ammonia and nitrite levels. Change 10-25 of the water daily with clean, dechlorinated water to dilute pollutants. Keep the tank safe for your hardy livestock by monitoring the nitrogen cycle progress with a water test kit. These kits can determine the phase of the nitrogen cycle and measure the concentration of ammonia and nitrites in the water, ensuring they remain within survivable levels for your fish. Aquacadabra offers a wide range of test kits, including individual tests for ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate, and water test kit sets. Choose the test type based on your preferences and budget.
📹 Best Nitrogen Cycle Guide for Beginners (Different Methods Explained)
WHO WE ARE ———————————————— At Aquarium Co-Op, we focus on your aquariums. We specialize in freshwater …
I have nearly 70 years of fish keeping. Entire rooms filled with fish to breed and sell. Over all those years I have never intentionally cycled any freshwater tank. The main issue with fish is ph. As long as it’s in the proper range for the variety and you have good filtration on the tank the fish should be fine. If there appears to be an ammonia issue a good partial water change will often take care of it. If you have other tanks or a friend does and you want to make it easy then put a new sponge filter in the old tank and run it for a week or so and then transfer it to the new tank. Even some gravel from an old tank is enough to seed the new tank. That said most fish if properly cared for will cycle a new tank without issues or work on your part.
Finally someone else on the same page when it comes to feeding, this article has been very reassuring even with being in the hobby for over 10 years other fish keepers will try to make to feel bad if you don’t follow the norm. Everyone please listen to father fish, he’s got it right. Keep up the good work!
I feel you are bringing more than fish to individuals. You are bringing life to the planet, one fish owner at a time. From a biblical standpoint Father Fish is giving the caretaker role back to the human being and taking it away from the commercial ventures who are only out to get one more dollar for one more piece of earth destroyed.
a few months ago i experimented with bottled ammonia and the tank got “cycled” in 7 days. I was really happy with the test readings and the ammonia was processed really quick and the water looked great. I put in some guppies. 4 out of 5 died within a week with no ammonia spikes. I am happy i tried it and it gave me a great insight into what is going on with ammonia, bio load but from now on I’m going back to the natural way: dirt, sand, dead leaves plants plants plants and fish from the get go. There is no other way.
I have been keeping aquariums since I was seven or eight years old, which was about sixty years ago. I was made aware of how we should cycle our tanks, and measure ammonia, nitrate, and nitrate. I must agree with what you are saying about adding fish, and slowly increasing the bioload. I’m sure there are people who take bits and pieces of information that you give, but have not had a concept of the big picture. Thank you for sharing your knowledge.
I’ve always said that fish are predatory creatures. In nature they hunt their food. So I don’t feed my fish everyday. I might feed them 1 time every couple of days. Most of the time I mix up the amount of times I feed them over a weeks time. Like Father Fish said they are then more likely to search the tank for food. I learned this from a more experienced fish keeper when I began the hobby.
I really enjoyed today’s sermon, Father Fish. Preach it brotha!!! I read “A Fish Out of Water” as a kid, where the fish doctor said to only feed ‘just a spot’, and when the kid overfed his fish it grew to monstrous proportions, and the problem got way out of hand, and I am afraid our protagonist was in quite over his head, before he learned not to overfeed his pet fish. It is actually very challenging not to overfeed. I like to look at the food floating at the surface from below to give me an idea of how much I put in there, but even still it is hard not to overfeed.
Hey father fish, after perusal a handful of your articles I’m convinced, I’m about to set up my first father fish method tank! Been keeping shrimp and betta for a few years with heavily planted active substrate tanks after being scared of a totally natural tank.. Thanks for the courage to give this new tank adventure a go 🙂 ❤
Thanks for sharing this information. We recently went to a pet shop “just to look around”. After seeing the conditions of some of the fish I agreed with my son to “save just one”. we got our tank, followed your setup advice and put him in right away. I understand its risky but the outcome for him at the store would have been much worse. Day 5 and so far so good.
I remember when I was still a kid, I used to catch small fishes like clownfish and others on the shore and keep them in a fish tank. Since I was little I didn’t even know about those nitrate/amonia stuff plus It has no filter/aerator, but my fish survives for many months just by changing water from time to time. The only reason they died was because my little brother feed them a whole lot of bread when I was in school. Since then, I did not try to keep any fish again until now.
I been told to put food inthe tank for a month, then test if every parameter are good. If they are, add fish. If they are not, keep adding food. This make a very boring tank for quite a long time. I just bought a 55 gallon to replace my very old 20 gallons and I have like may be 15 to 20 platies. Since I have so few of them, I may start to move them. Would be more fun to watch with very little fish then none at all. Anyway, it’s will be there new tank, later I want to add angelfishs and plecos that stay under 5″ (clown pleco, they are so great!). Thank you for your advice.
I just found you today Father Fish and I wish I found you when I started this, also not sure how many of your articles I have watched now. You are incredible and thank you for your wisdom! Subscribed, hit the bell and waiting for more articles! I wish there was one of you starting a new tank from start to finish for me to copy!
Lol, makes sense why I keep having ammonia now. My tanks are over stocked, so I’m always adding just a smidge more food than I probably should be, trying to make sure everyone gets some. I’m especially bad with my tiger barbs and German blue ram, but it’s so much fun perusal them… Like a school of little piranhas when they eat lol, and the green tigers make it better with them actually looking a lot like mini piranhas.
Hello,I don’t have a fish store no where near me and I have to travel to get fish,I do have 3 black moors that I want to put them in a 55 gallon tank from their 20 gallon tank.How can I cycle my tank without using fish to do it?I don’t want to use my fish because I would worry something may happen and I have had these fish for a long time lol.I heard I can squeeze sponge filters in the new tank to put the BB in the new tank but I would love to hear from you on what you recommend
I use guppies to season all of my new tank setups, I just stick them in 24hrs after the tank is up and running. The amount I use varies with the size of the tank, a small tank (10G) only need a couple maybe three and obviously more with larger tanks, then I keep adding a few more every 3-4 days to gently increase the bio-load in the tank. Guppies are great as they will forage the whole tank for a mere morsel of food, whether that be an uneaten scrap, algae or browning leaves they’ll find food somewhere in the tank and keeping them hungry serves the tank cycling system very well. I’ve never lost a tank yet, never sustained a crash in any of my tanks and once fully cycled they are rock solid as long as you keep an eye on the ‘balance’ of the tank (food in, fish count, plants and oxygenation), it’s hard for new fishkeepers to understand but over feeding causes more problems than any other factor in this hobby and it takes a good while for any newbie to understand this properly and act accordingly. Some great information there FF, great to see all natural tank environments being promoted properly and correctly, keep up the good work buddy, it’s invaluable information for those new fishkeepers !
Hi Father Fish, Lovely to see the new style articles. Always nice to hear your wisdom and tank approach❤ Would love to transfer my small tank one day over to a true food web style tank. Without filter etc, just to see what happens. For now the tank is over a month old with a new, fresh soil layer and only last week I did my first water change😮 The trumpet snails from the existing sand were handling the bioload for me. I put in a tiny amount of food in about twice or so. I hope the tank is now ready for my shrimp to reintroduce. A few weeks after that I will look into small nano fish, since I wanted to look at something else then guppies for over a year straight🤫
1. amazing article. 2. Just set up my first 10 gallon fish water tank with a filter, water heater to keep temps 75 degrees celsius, I just have a betta fish in the tank which has been in there for one day, 3. I would like to add a school of Neon Tetras but im unsure when I am safe to put a school of them in the brand new tank, I’m new to all this? 4. Do I have to wait 3 weeks of my betta fish in my 10 gallon tank for the tank to cycle and have the good bacteria present to break down the ammonia in the water? I’ve never cycled fish water before and I don’t have a way to test ph or ammonia levels at the moment. 5. How resilient to anew unicycled tank are Neon Tetras? 6. Could you put them in the new tank to let them help them betta cycle the tank? 7. how many neons could I safely put in the 10 gallon tank? it feels like a lot of space for them, I read the more neons together the more happy they are but I don’t want to overcrowd the tank. I was thinking 8-10 tetras and my 1 beta is this ok? 8. should I just go and add 6 neon into the tank in a few days so there is still a school of them but them ammonia levels don’t spike as much let them help it cycle and then pick up a few more later?
hello I have just discovered you and i have had a 99 gal tank running with only five salt water fish for 25 years. I wish I could learn more about marine tanks! I have a 16 yr old foxface that has some sort of bacteria and pop eye on it. he is all spotty and hanging around on the bottom of the tank. HeLPPP! I dont want to lose him!
Good morning. What would you say about setting up 2 gallon and 1 gallon betta bowls. I have 1 inch babies and was planning on putting in 50% established lava rock from a sump along with pea rock and maybe sand and cattapa leaves with paramecium poured in. What do you think? Would it help to squeeze a dirty sponge filter in? Unergravel or not? You must be reading my mind of what i was thinking about.
With a new setup I usually find the cheapest fish I can n put a couple in . I’m talking about feeder fish @ .15 cents each. They’re literally the sacrificial fish as I’m quite certain they’ll die regardless how well I’ve prepared the tank. Besides, I’d rather lose a .15 cent fish instead of an $8 fish. It usually works very well for me.
Hello I am in love about your articles, but with this one I got a bit confused… you mentioned that you’re used to out the fish in the tank the day number 2, perfect… but you mentioned that you let the Filter work for those 2 days… I really thought you never used filters… Is it needed to use filters or you just let mother nature do her job? I need a clarification on this one please
I want to start a fish in cycle.. I have my 5 gallon tank set up with natural looking gravel, and real plants, with a mini sponge filter as well. I also have some Catappa leaves in the tank because of their health benefits to fish. Anyways, I have a pond full of Mosquito fish, and I’m gonna put 2 little babies in my tank – they are really tough fish. ..And I will only feed them the tiniest bit of food a day. I’m gonna let my tank cycle for at least 5 weeks with the fish and let it get good and established with beneficial bacteria before I ever think about getting a betta for it.. When I do, the 2 Mosquito fish can go back into the pond with the millions of others.. LoL.
What can be hardes part is when feeding ypu can have some aghressive fish who hog it all and eat most of it before others get a chance . I do use squared off feeders 3 in a 39 gallon tank .Bit some seem to be slow still gettimg there . I am up to 16 fish in there and 2 being dwarf goramis i call them pigglets . Next to that are plattys and few mollys pigglets x 2 and 2 angle amd a male betta . The betta is onethe slowest
Hello Father Fish, love your articles! I have a beta fish in a decorative gallon container, I bought him on a whim (my bad), and have had him a week. I bought a 5 gallon tank & set it up 2 days ago for him. I was told to wait at least 5 days before I put him in the new tank. I just have gravel in the bottom, some silk plants and a betta silk leaf hammock. After perusal your articles I think I need to add sand, is it too late to do that? The five gallons of water has been cycling for 3 days already. Will adding sand screw up the cycle? And when can I add my poor betta who is currently still in his 1 gallon bowl? I know this is a lot to ask, if you have any tips and are inclined, I’d love to hear them! Many thanks for all of your articles. I wish I had watched your articles before I set up this tank.
I just found out your website and I’m so happy! 😄 I want to start a new 75 gallons tank for my 2 severum turquoise (6 in), Weather loach (8 in), and a botia almorhae (4 in). I didn’t plan to put plants in it as my severum will eat them. The substrat will be pool sand. Which one can I put in the thank at day 2? Thank you so much!
Hello! thank you very much that you share with us the precious knowledge you have! I used to have an aquarium and now i want to have again something correct and nice. In about 2,5 months after i get ready what it is needed i will make a 300lt (90 gallon) aquarium biotopic from Orinoco river from South America area with my favourite fish microgeophagus german blue some big number of cardinals some shrimps red cherry and i hope they could stand the temperature of 27-28 degrees Celcius 15-18 otocinclus some number of woods, leaves and from plants egeria densa and keratophyllum demersum cabomba aquatica echinodorus sagittaria subulata pistia stratiotes for the surface or something else and some others of the Orinoco area and for the substrate i am thinking of putting for first time compost fine gravel and above fine sand i want to make it this time with no filter my filter to be the plants what do you suggest to me doing? May i add from the second day what from these i intend to put and how many of them? The light i am thinking to be strong so it reaches from the surface plants to the bottom. The dimension of the aquarium will be 121x51x51 with 10mm glass extra clear diy construction! Thank you very much for your time! I am waiting for your answer!
Other than a couple failures as a kid, I’m brand new to the whole fishkeeping thing. I set up a new tank 5 days ago to start “cycling it” as I’ve read a ton of places to do to prep for a Betta fish. Then I was pointed in the direction of your articles. I’ve watched a few so far but I’ll be honest, science was always my absolute worst subject and I’ve never had an easy time understanding this kind of stuff. But I’m trying to follow along with this natural method because I’m unbearably anxious staring at an empty tank and just want to get my fish. I’ve ordered live plants and am waiting for them. I collected a few rocks and a twig from the local river but I’ve read everywhere to boil them first so as not to introduce any parasites or anything.. or snails. I don’t want anything that will harm the fish and I just plain don’t wanna deal with snails. So do I just stick them in the tank without even rinsing them off? What happens if parasites come with it? Does the ecological system in the tank with the plants and everything just naturally fight them off? Sorry, I probably come across incredibly stupid and naive. I definitely prefer a more natural approach with things rather than chemicals and wasting money. But I also don’t want my fish to get sick from too much ammonia cause I didn’t “let my tank cycle for 6 weeks”
Hello Father Fish. followed your advice on setting up my 55 gallon tank to the letter . bought plants (that 15 species set ). introduced 5 ZEBRA Danios to my tank and they died within 12 hours. i took water to pet store for testing and it turned out that everything was perfect with my water so i bought 5 minnows . 2 days later all fish are gone. what am i doing wrong ??? What else can i do ?
I wish I knew what I was doing, a former roommate stuck me with a Betta in a tiny little container and for sure he got fin rot/ammonia poisoning so I’m a beginner fighting an illness and come to find out that these test strips I got seem to not be working properly. Test brand new water with nothing in it (declorinated overnight) and it still says it has 3-6ppm of ammonia so now I gotta get the drop test since apparently that’s more accurate SMH
Do you put anything in to control ammonia? Do you check ammonia/PH/nitrite/nitrate? I’ve had tanks since 2019, and honestly, they’re not as successful as they should be. I’ve followed advice from various groups, and all say to cycle for at least 2 months without fish. I got a 30 gallon tank this weekend, and I want to make sure it will be done right. Also confusing is using sand. Some say to stir it up so there are no pockets of gas. Others say don’t touch it. It’s confusing lol
Hello father fish, I can see you have 2 betta fish in the background. I have 3 10 gallon tanks, each with a single betta. Do you think that I could save up for a 55-gallon and put them in together? They are 1 male and 2 females. They seem so much more active with the extra space, and they are not fighting at all.
Father fish. My koi went from a crashed 90 gallon with a ph of 4 to a 400 gallon with mechanical filtration a tablespoon of aquarium salt every 10 gallons. ph of 8 stable. I also hooked up a cycled canister filter with two cycled sponges.They have been in there for 3 days the water is almost clear. One of the koi is bound to the bottom. My nitrites are high but I am making nitrates. I did a 30% change and detoxed the nitrites. Please tell me what I am doing wrong. What can I do to get the nitrites down faster? I’ve had these guys for 4 years and they are 25 inches.
I just starting my research, your info is quite different than what I see on the other popular fish YouTube websites. I think what I’m understanding them saying is that even if you use just a few fish that you are burning their delicate gills etc. with Ammonia and nitrates and it’s cruel? You are saying that that isn’t the case and if you just put a few in at the beginning, the water quality isn’t all that toxic and it’s primarily just clean water that’s been dechlorinated and there is t this terrible cruel stress to the fish? I’m trying to get my head around all this. 🫣
Когда я запускал свой 100 л аквариум, я посадила 6 данио на третий день. Затем в течение двух месяцев добавляла по 2-4 рыбки в неделю. Получается, я сделала правильно 🙂 Я смотрю какие у Вас чистые аквариумы. У нас в России все заражено водорослью вьетнамкой (Audouinella investiens). Купить что-то не зараженное можно только из меристемы. Подскажите, есть ли у Вас секрет по борьбе с этой водорослью или Вы просто избегаете заражения?
Father fish, I’ve recently setup a 75g for tanganyikan cilchids (6 transcriptus 6 similis 8 cyprichromis) it’s been going for a week with just 2 bristlenose plecos in it. I’ve been dosing with prime & stability daily. Just starting to develop ammonia (1ppm) no nitrates or nitrites. Would it be okay to add the 6 transcriptus & 6 simillis in 2 weeks?
I need some advice because no matter what I do I cannot get my tank to cycle. The test results for nitrate and nitrite are 40 ppm and 2.0 ppm ammonia is 0.50 ppm. I do a water change everyday have been doing this for several months now I’m tired. These fish are not like the fish you buy from a store. I can pet these they don’t run to the bottom unless I have a net. I did loose 10 when I changed tanks then 3 more when the water got so bad . My mother died right after I was changed tanks so I didn’t give them the care they needed . I bought MicroBacterStartXLF to try today. I will also stop feeding them as much because I do feed them way too much. My brother was down when my mom died and he told me a healthy fish is a hungry fish. I thought he was crazy. I did have the water clearing up and gave them floating cichlids pellets and within a day it was cloudy again. They are spoiled and spit water at me somehow even with a lid when I don’t feed them. So every time I walk by the tank I get splashed until I feed them. They are right in the walkway… maybe I’ll turn the light off. So what can I do? Let me tell you about my tank I have a couple big rocks and some small marbles with a big castle decoration because it stops one fish from trying to keep the bottom half of the tank to himself. He now owns the bottom right side. And it looks so ugly with nothing in there. I was told cichlids don’t like anything in the tank. It’s 50 gallons and I have 31 big cichlids.
This method of feeding is going to require further research or my fish are going to hate my guts! So, what if i have only gravel? can i put sand underneath? because my plants are thriving and live bearers are breeding, but I do syphon off one third of the water periodically and remove dead plant pieces
Father Fish, Ive been feeding twice a week 2 times a day, is it better for the ecosystem ammonia spikes like such that will be controlled by the plants or is it better to spread it out even more and in less intensity? What would then be better a bioload that will spike from time to time or a more stable one?
😢Sir, please answer me. I have a 250L aquarium, yesterday I put 6 fish in it and in 12 hours they all died. Let me explain: When I replace 80% of the water, I add SEACHEM PRIME, one cap to 250L, then I start UV from the external filter and UV from the aquarium. I have not used SEACHEM STABILITY at all until now, I mention that I feed them twice a day. Yesterday I had 3 fish that I have had for 2 months, and also yesterday I added 6 fish, they all died. Please answer me, what should be done?
Hey father fish,ive just got a new tank setup and ive swapped my old filter from other tank onto it for the time being until i receive my new filter….i was thinking of putting a danio or two in the tank which are around 2″ but im concerned about a pictus i recently purchased that hasn’t made the best of friends with my jack Dempsey so id like to be able to put him in the new tank asap,what would you recommend i do?
Hello sir, I am perusal this article after I set up my tank. It’s been 2 weeks and I have only kept shrimps and snails in my 5 gallon tank. I tested the water and nitrites are at 1 ppm and no traces of nitrates is found. I was waiting to add fish after nitrites become 0 butt after perusal this article I am a bit confused. Won’t the fish die of there are nitrites in the tank? Is it safe to add chilli Rasboras may be 4-6 now? I have plants both floating and stem. The substrate is potting mix with river sand on the top.
Two questions for you: 1. What would you say is your favorite species or family of freshwater fish (if you can’t narrow down to one species). 2. My 30 gallon is mostly various cory species as well as a small school of zebra danios. What are your thoughts on these fish? ❤ I just want to know your personal thoughts; do you like em? Hate em? Neutral to em? If you read this, i appreciate your time 😊
Is it okey to put a betta fish in a 2.5 litter but after (substrate it holds less than 2 litters) planted glass vase that has a mini hob filter but no heater but we live in Bangladesh so it isn’t freezing cold even in winter lowest temp is around 10C highest is around 40c . Or should I put some guppies in it as they’re smaller.Thanks
What really helps in a new aquarium is when you can use plants that have grown in a cycled aquarium. Beneficial bacteria live on every solid surface, including plants. When plants spent a lot of time in a cycled aquarium, they have way more bacteria on them, compared to plants that were grown above water in the nursery and only spent a few days in the shop tank. Moss is especially helpful but other plants do the job too.
Honestly thank you so much iv just started at pet store and they made me the fish person with little to no knowledge! So now iv needed to do my own homework with no help and iv been trying so hard to find a article that dosent fuzz my brain out and yours has Honestly helped me so much you explained everything so well!! Thank you, thank you, thank you about to watch a lot more of your articles need to learn!
I’ve had to restart my aquarium, hobby from scratch four times, and this is how I did it… 1. Assemble all your hardware, run it for two days with no plants, animals, hardscape, or substrate, then do a 100% water change. This is just to ensure that everything is clean. 2. Add in hardscape, non-nutrient enriched elements like gravel but put them in a container and let them run for 5 days. 3. Buy all plants and invertebrates (snails, shrimp, crabs), put them in with your plants and Banquet Blocks and finely crushed spirulina. Run this for a month. Test, dose, and water change as needed. And tend that garden! 4. After a month your immersed plants are converted submersed, and the ‘melt’ phase is over. 5. Assemble your aquascape, add in invertebrates, wait two weeks. 6. Add in clean up crew (autos, hill-stream, etc.) wait a week. 7. Add in the center piece fish. Wait a week. 8. Add in schooling/shoaling fish. Note: If you are old enough to buy booze, the. buy the very best stock and components you can (other than the actual tank), and upsize them so when you’re ready to get a bigger tank it’s an easy transition. Your old tank is now your hospital tank.
to cycle my 210 gallon tank I used the seachem stability, prime, and plants for 1 month. I then added two corys, 4 otocinlus, and 6 blackskirt tetras. I watched the article from cory on the nitrogen cycle which also helped. I fed my fish every other day with just a little bit of food. After another month I started adding more fish and more plants. I really like the water sprite. In just 3 months it grew 24″ high with no co2 or fertilizer. Thanks for the article. It is really helpful.
If you are doing fishless cycling, specifically if you are adding ammonia: you need to make sure you watch your ph like a hawk. If it goes down below 7, then it will basically shut down the nitrification process. Thankfully the solution is rather simple, just add baking soda. How much will depend on your particular water chemistry so I suggest putting in a bit (like a quarter of a teaspoon) then retest ph and see if it moves. Then add more depending on how much your ph moved, hopefully towards 7.4 but def less than 8.5. All of this assumes that y out are going fishless cycling using ammonia. For example, I have to add about two to three tablespoons to increase my ph whenever it goes down below 7 ph. The other good news is that you don’t have to obsess about checking your tank every hour. It’s totally okay if your ph goes down below the threshold, the cycling will simply start up again where it was once you correct the problem so you’re not going to be starting from scratch even if you miss it going down the danger zone. In actuality, nitrifaction actually stops at around ph 6.8 to 6.5 ish, but 7 is a good cut off point to give you some leeway. i suspect that this is main reason why some of the peeps doing fishless cycling with ammonia seems like they are stuck.
Thanks a lot for providing an idea to cycle a new tank with used parts. I have a pond but didn’t know about fish cycling. After moving old intake sponge and some plants from our pond to our tank, it took a week for nitrate readings to appear along with 0 ammonia and nitrite. I wouldn’t have the patience to wait for weeks or months when I knew our two small black moors can’t live well with our comet goldfishes. Now they’re happy in our tank.
I have a method that I used for cycling a new tank, I set up my tank, then let it run for a few days to make sure the heater is maintaining a steady 71 degrees f, then I start with adding 1 or 2 hardy fish like platys, then everyday I test the ammonia level every day, for a few days it gets higher and higher, then after about 6 or 7 days the ammonia level drops to zero, then I know the tank is cycled. During the break in I only put 2 or 3 small flakes of food in the tank. After that I slowly add a few more fish, but never overcrowd the tank, that’s the key, and I to partial water changes every 2 weeks instead of monthly. All my fish have been living for the past 2 1/2 years now since setting up the tank.
the lady at my local aquarium suggested putting fish in the tank to help it’s bloom and tbh I have no idea where I’m at, I don’t have a test kit at home for my planted tank but it’s been 4 days and everything’s looking okay! Tbh I think I few a few beneficial bacteria from my plants melting? Cause there was alot of worms, tiny floating things I would see that would swim and skip around and such. I think. I’m still learning xD
I planted my first aquarium and put my betta in that night. The betta seemed to be lonely so I added 5 ghost shrimp, 6 rasboras, and 2 male fancy guppies two days later. I left for the weekend and lost a guppy (they were pretty derpy and swim nonstop against the current caused by my bubbler) Came back, did a water change and added a few doses of beneficial bacteria, and added 3 female fancy guppies and a little albino pleco. Had my water tested and it’s perfect.
So I guess great minds think alike. You use a similar method I started using as a teenager 25 years ago. Where I always have a small sponge filter as a secondary filter in my main tank. I don’t put the filter into a new tank but I take it out and squeeze the “dirty” water from it into the new tank once the water in it has been dechlorinated. Ready for fish same day.
I have cycled my tank with Dr Tim’s have 7 neons in my tank. I test water regularly but not getting any readings of ammonia, nitrates or nitrites I do have a java fern, Anubis and 3 moss balls but surly I should still be getting some readings my fish have been in for 13 days. Have a 90 litre tank I want to add 2 or 3 honey gouramis, 6 or 7 panda corys and maybe a single platty but I’m scared to add more fish in case somehow my readings are wrong.
😢im happy to learn about cycling the tank before i start getting fish but also sad..heres why, i have a 1000liter tank outdoors its currently just catching rain water but i see it gets green and milky and mosqitos love it..i live where malaria kills many people evey day..how would i turn this tank into a fishtank…what filters is needed and what pump and other things is needed to start a clean tank that is safe for fish and not algee and mosqitos😊
Do not beg other pet stores or fish stores for their filter media for beneficial bacteria they have a large amount of fish and sometimes you can get it or other diseases that can affect the fish or other species/animals in the tanks. I would just get pond water and grow it in a container with microorganisms and leaves dirt. Then use mud from outside water it and get the floating stuff out etc then pack it down and lay sand specifically pool filter black or white brown whatever color works for you. Then plant live plants in the mud with the sand over the mud. Make sure plants have access to the dirt to grow and soak up the nutrients. Add duckweeds too. Or lilys whatever you like. Add the fish. After a few days of cycling but you should have grown the jar of microorganisms for at least 2-4weeks before getting fish and tank but slowly set up tank in between getting fish and doing jar. Slowly introduce microorganisms and leaves etc with fish in over a 2 week period. It should all thrive you can feed the fish 2 flakes a day each. But no more. Everything will work out.
This is helpful. I have been searching to find out how to seed a new tank with no fish shop or fish friends. I do have a tiger salamander that lives in a large terrarium. She has a large bowl of water that hasn’t been changed or cleaned in years. I just add water. The philodendron that lives in the terrarium has grown roots into the water container. I plan to clean it while she is hibernating and use some of the gunk to seed the tank. I also ordered a bottle of bacteria but I suspect it isn’t a good alternative since most of the bacteria would be dead wouldn’t they?
Quick question. Im currently doing a fishless cycle in a 55g. Adding ammonium chloride to keep the ammonia up between 3-5ppm. Would it be safe to add plants? Or does ammonia hurt plants? Im dying to order some beautiful plants but a little gun shy as I dont want them dying and wasting money. Id truly appreciate your opinion. Ty
Got a great article idea for you. Can you cycle two identical tanks, seeding with ammonium chloride, so fishless of course. But with one tank turbo start and the other tank just let time take its course? Adding ammonium chloride (the same amount in each tank) when needed to keep the ammonia up. Would be interesting to see if fritz truly does speed up the cycling process
I had grandparente drop off an axolotl for mmy 9 year old daughter who isnt wualified to manage it and they just showed up with a 55 gallon tank, water cooler and new filter, and then just tossed the poor guy in, so unfortujately the cycling has been lots of work trying to keep him safe but its going well, wish people would do more research before jumping the gun but i guess its my job now, articles like this are still greatly helpful for understanding the process,
It’s a good article, but changing water just because you see trace amounts of ammonia will hurt the cycling, and some species. Better is to add a small amount of salt, meassure the PH, and water change only if your concentration is toxic enough depending on the PH. There are charts out there. For instance, 4ppm at 8 ph is as toxic as something like 150ppm at 7 ph, and the addition of salt helps your fish uptake more oxygen and protects from burns. Ofcourse, it depends on your species, but this holds true for most of them. But an airstone during this process will only ever help.
I’m currently cycling my saltwater tank with bottled bacteria and fish food. If I’m lucky, I could buy a fish or two to be my ammonia source but I’m preferring to buy the inexpensive fish so I don’t start crying how I killed them later. Usually it’s mollies which can be both freshwater and saltwater and when the cycle is complete, I would transition the mollies back to freshwater for safe keeping and for the next time I need to cycle.
I’m still all so lost. I’ve just received my first ever 5 Gallon tank. It’s for a single betta male, which I haven’t purchased yet. It’s a basic tank at the moment because money is tight. It just has a betta hammock and cave hide for now. Will be buying some silk plants and marimo moss balls when I have the money. I’ve put some fish food and left over mushroom scraps in the tank for a fish less cycle. Now I’m lost as some people are saying fish in is better. Others are saying fish in is cruel. Help?!??!
Something to add: In the event you can’t even get bacteria in a bottle take some soil from the garden or an old pot plant. River sediment is bad because you can get life that you don’t want in your tank (like ostracods) but many bacteria that live in general soil will happily live under water as well, but the larger organisms in said soil will not. 1 tablespoon of dirt mixed with the substrate is probably worse then bottled bacteria but it’s still better then nothing.
….sometimes I add bacteria in a bottle…… That’s a waste of money and a noobie move. Used filter media, used water from an established tank, etc….those are right moves. The bacteria in a bottle – just a waste of money. And if you do not have access to used filter media or an established tank it will just take a longer time to cycle. Often just a few days more.
There is more inaccurate or at the least incomplete information available online now than good. I hate giving advice, because it is so dependent on so many unspoken variables. For a new, first time owner… I suggest buying a tank, set it up, fill it with water and use PRIME & STABILITY for the first two weeks as directed. Start with a small number of fish, and then add over time. 20% water changes weekly using PRIME. You will be successful. You can add your fish day one.
Life needs death to survive. If you have a big enough tank and somewhere to house it..I can recommend if a relative passes away such as your mother in law then dump her body into tank to detoxify it. Leave it for a day or two. Check for any high levels of spitefulness that may have transferred from your mother in law to the tank. If levels are low enough..add some fish. Job done👍🏽
What’s my favorite way to cycle an aquarium? Not putting the substrate directly on the bottom of the glass. Use a plenum, instead. A plenum is a space between the bottom of the aquarium and the substrate. The substrate should be at least 3 inches. The plenum may be an inch. I could go on but I won’t. My nitrates are zero in a 40 gallon breeder going on 7 months moderately stocked. This article is fluff at best. Let’s see the parameters 7 months from now. I will show my water parameters.
Honestly, it’s hilarious that you folks cycle freshwater tanks. I wouldn’t even know the first thing to how to do this, but this is absolutel OVERKILL. Freshwater fish can survive through practically anything. When I started back in 2021, I put some fish in a bowl with no oxygen and they survived. Since then, I’ve learned so many different things, but still, with freshwater, I literally get a filter for oxygen, put the fish in and have some plants. They have never died. Cycling a tank if you have a planted tank, I guess….yes, but if you just have some guppies, two water plants, some oxygen, and you’re good.