I'm going to be buying a 5 gallon tank for flapjack(yay!!)and I wanted to know if its necessary that I cycle the tank? And if so, what would be the best way of going about with this?
Any tips on how to do this efficiently, and with as little time as possible( I know this process will still tank patience, though)would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!
Last edited by Scienceluvr8; 07-05-2009 at 01:52 AM.
I'm going to be buying a 5 gallon tank for flapjack(yay!!)and I wanted to know if its necessary that I cycle the tank?
Yes.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Scienceluvr8
And if so, what would be the best way of going about with this?
Any tips on how to do this efficiently, and with as little time as possible( I know this process will still tank patience, though)would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!
Best way IMO is to put a bunch of fish food in the tank, let it rot, and you have ammonia. Just be sure to vacuum it all out when the cycle is done. Or use live fish.
Do not try to go the fastest way possible. "In this hobby, only bad things happen fast."
Yeah, that's true. Thanks, I was researching this, and that seemed the most convenient way being that I have a new container of fish food that isn't going to be used. When I do this, is there a certain amount of food that I need to put in to reach the desired ppm, and when doing this is it true to only do one large wc once the cycle has ended?
To be honest, I don't think the amount matters. Just dont put so little that it doesnt make a difference. You will want to put more than you think is enough.
I dont do any WC's during the cycle until it is over, unless I am cycling with fish.
I think the best is to do it with live fish, although some people may think this is cruel. There are only a few types of fish that can live through a cycle. I dont know them so you will have to research them elsewhere, sorry. Otherwise you could put pure ammonia, make sure it's 100% pure, and this would quicken it up.
No, I'm going with the fishless cycling method, but thanks. I was going to do the ammonia, but I already have the fish food, so I want to do it that way. Thanks for the help guys!
IMHO, fishless is best. I've done it with fish and I'll spare you the boring details but I've got a lone zebra danio cruising my display tank. It looks totally out of place and I'll never be able to net it without breaking down the tank. Had I gone fishless I wouldn't be stuck with a small zippy fish who trys to school with the big dogs.
I'm glad your going fishless!
Haha, oh wow, how long has it been like that? Yeah, I never wanted to do the "fish" method of cycling, seems to risky, and as it being my first time, I don't want to put any fish in jeporady. Just a question, when trying to cycle with fish food how many days will pass until my tank shows an increase in ammonia?
It's been a YEAR since I've had that lone danio. A YEAR! I'm so embarrased by him that I don't even list him under my tank's occupants.
I have no idea how long it takes for ammonia to show up. I'd think you'd start seeing something in a week's time but someone else will need to confirm. Do you have a test kit so you'll know when you have your spike?
Yeah, I do but I haven't started yet. I want to to know what I'm doing first, before I start anything. Wow, that's a long time, why don't you add some tank mates along with him, or he is the agressive type? LOL, I find that so funny
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Cycling a 5 Gallon Tank??
)and I wanted to know if its necessary that I cycle the tank? And if so, what would be the best way of going about with this?
Thanks!
