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info about cycling my tank

2K views 53 replies 15 participants last post by  prodrumernate 
#1 ·
i cleaned out my 10 gallon the past week.making sure to kill off anything in it and start new..im trying to decide how i want to cycle it..i thought about buying feeder fish from a local pet store.maybe comet goldies or rosy red's...i do want to keep the fish if they survive.but since they are cheap.i thought it might be a good idea.i cant afford shrimp or anything.i have a lot of food.well flakes.but im not sure i want to use it because i dont want the food sitting at the bottom and have to vacuum it up all the time.and some of it getting down in my gravel..

i also have a 2 gallon that has been setup for months and do weekly water changes.non filtered.i was also wondering if that tank though not filtered has the BB in it and could use some of the water from it when doing water changes..it houses my female betta.

im not so much trying to hurry and do it.but making sure its done correctly and if possibly as quickly as possible.i want to move my male beta from my 1 gallon hospital tank into my 10 gallon..

any ideas about using water from my 2 gallon?and feeder fish?

thanks :)
 
#2 ·
You could use Guppies. Or even Pure Ammonia. I guess you could use the water from the 2 Gallon. You could get it when you change the 2 Gallon's water.
 
#3 ·
i thought about using pure ammonia as i read in the cycle process on here.currently dont have much money.just some loose change..only pure ammonia i could find was at a dollar store and im not too sure about using something cheap like that.its why i was thinking about using goldies or feeder fish.i can get a few with the money i have..though i mite be able to afford a guppy.i dont think i can afford 2..

i have another 20 gallon long and a 15 gallon hex..so i could put any gold fish or anything in it later..though the pure ammonia is like a dollar for 64 ounces.which really isnt a bad price.and would be a lot better than sacrificing any fish.though i know the rosy reds normally wont live long but are hardy enough for it.

i need to do a water change in my 2 gallon today.but i do like the ammonia and guppy idea :)
 
#4 ·
well the guppy or ammonia.i didnt mean both of them combined
 
#6 ·
i think ill go with the ammonia..i like it better and will save a lot of fish,time and money :) thank you LebronTheBetta
 
#7 ·
Just so you know, if you were interested in the shrimp method, you only need one shrimp, and if the fish guy at your grocery store is nice, he might just give you one ;)
 
#8 ·
i originally wanted to do the shrimp method..but didnt want to have to spend a fortune on shrimp.i dont eat it nor does any1 else here..but never thought of that :) thank you finnfinnfriend
 
#9 ·
If the only fish is going to be the Betta.....cycle with him....you can safely cycle with a healthy Betta-provided that you make the needed water changes...with or without testing products.....

The beneficial bacteria that you want to colonize are self limiting.....meaning.....that they are limited to surface area, oxygen and food source....If the finial stocking plan is just a single Betta....any extra BB from either fishless cycling or use of other fish will die/consume themselves due to limited food source/bioload.

Fishless cycling was started with the intention of being able to fully stock the community tank once the process was completed.
 
#11 ·
I would advise against the shrimp method, as I've been trying to do that and it's really hard to keep the ammonia under control. I've ended up with too much twice already.



You know, I'm glad to read this. I doubt my one little betta can produce as much ammonia as I'm trying to build up the bacteria for. Once the parameters are back under control (and Lucky's feeling better), I think I'll just move him in rather than making things so horribly complicated for myself.
 
#10 ·
that was also something i thought about doing is just putting him in there..but am a little hesitant because i had 5 girls die in there(i learned from high ammonia and no properly cycling in he first place) then i put him in there.he got popeye..i noticed it quickly enough to take him out and treat him.he is fine and happy now.even trying to catch a glimpse of my female behind some paper i put to hide them from each other.

i want to put a few more fish.i do want some rosy reds..i also wanted to cycle with them as a means of testing my tank to make sure there is nothing in there to harm my betta.i know it sounds cruel.but its the only way i can test the tank.

i couldnt find any pure ammonia nearby.they all had other chemicals in it.my local Ace has it,but its more than i can afford.
 
#12 ·
i actually purchased a few rosy red minnows..i wanted to get some anyways rather or not the tank is cycled...since my betta was just recently sick.i didnt want to stress him or anything anymore than he already is.he is fine now.but dont want to take any chances...

i can also test my tank using these minnows.if they live.even better :) ..but i have 2 more tanks.and i think ill try the ammonia setup and then the shrimp once im back working again.that way i can learn myself and give each a try...

im glad Lucky is feeling better :) its great news to know any fish has recovered from any illness.

again thank you all.i debated on this for weeks.so hopefully i didnt upset anyone or offend anyone.for soon i will try the other methods as well :)
 
#14 ·
then using water from my unfiltered would somewhat help due to the fact im putting ammonia into the filtered tank..thats what my thoughts were before.. :) the cycle in my 10 gallon has tarted.cloudy water..now its just the waiting period..my API master kit is ready and have water sitting to dechlorinate and water conditioner..hopefully i get it rite this time :)
 
#16 ·
I just totally restarted a tank I was trying to cycle with the shrimp method. The shrimp "bag" got out from under the rock I weighted it down with and floated under the filter. Over night, the filter started sucking the shrimp out of the pantie hose and it was a black sludge... it went into my filter and I decided it was just too disgusting to be worth waiting for it to finish. I took the whole tank apart and cleaned it with vinegar, rinsed it a million times and let it sun dry.

... I think I'm just going to fish-in cycle as OFL suggested... Only reason I didn't to begin with was because I was paranoid about my first betta. This tank has been up and running for 3 months and has yet to cycle so I think a chemical got into it anyway.
 
#17 ·
How in the world are you going to spend a fortune on shrimp?! Their usually around 15 cent each!
Also, if you get goldies your going to have to vacuum the gravel anyhow.

Ditto to OFL
 
#20 ·
yes OFL...im actually thinking about creating a secondary filter using some old parts i have here.i really think my tank would benefit from it and i think it would help with the cycling as well..i just did a parameter check yesterday..and things are starting out great.

i agree with you Jessie1990 i was also paranoid myself.especially i lost 5 girls in my tank..but i then realized it was my fault.i over stocked.when i first started i had my female in there alone.she was doing great.and because i didnt have too much knowledge on the cycling.i put 4 more girls in way too fast.its why now im using cheap feeder fish though i read its not recommended.but this is to also tet my tank to make sure things arent infected with anything else.as a fish i had in there had ICH..i cleaned it out with vinegar and rubbing alcohol rinsing a million times and letting air dry then another quick clean out.

my filter in it now is just a regular fish filter,not the original that came with it.well the filter media..i have the original filter.but im using a sponge instead of the mesh and activated carbon..

where im living at FishyFishy89,not many local store sell it.atleast in my neighborhood.except the packages of frozen shrimp..and considering im not currently working now and way behind on bills.to me it is a fortune.i didnt grow up in a rich family.been homeless.the hole works. :)

i had asked in another post about using straws as media for the BB and asked about K1 but didnt get any replies.doing a little more research online.i could use straws.but have to keep in mind they might be biodegradable.for me.its more of a temporary filter until i can get back to work and but better media.like k1 or ceramic.
 
#22 ·
i was just at the super market a few hours ago.checked again and no shrimp.they have no seafood except in the frozen bulk section.
 
#28 ·
Anything that claims to instantly "cycle" a tank doesn't do what a real organic cycle does. It is basically a bandaid. Once it wears off the cycle starts/beneficial bacteria grows.
A cycle happens over the course of a month to a year. Possibly even more depending on the size/inhabitants of the tank.
 
#24 ·
im using feeder fish..they r doing great..i actually went and got a few plants yesterday because i had a coupon and with the plants i paid less than a dollar :) but i know plants help a lot so im going to throw them into my 10 gallon..

they dont have ammonia in ur town at any store even a hardware store moonsand0wls ?
 
#27 ·
i didnt think about that..my fish are small.they dont produce a lot of ammonia.so far the ammonia is been at 0.25 the pat few days.waiting for that spike.but the water just cleared up.fish are happy as can be.i thought of getting snails.even ghost shrimp.but didnt think they would work as good a fish..i wanted the plants since i know they help absorb the ammonia and you can use them in a cycle.im glad i keep getting replies here and ideas :)
 
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