[Pogthefish]

I want to buy some fish because i have a coupon, and I have been putting off buting a tank since easter, and now the coupon expires tomorow, i have all my stuff, just neeed a tank!

depending on the fish I get, i might put them in the community tank, might not. untill new tank is done cycling. other options?

how to speed up cyclign process?

how long does it take if you use old aq water and decor and gravel?

ideas for fish?

 

[wystearya]

You can just do a 'fish in' cycle. Though, you will want to have a good test kit and keep track of your ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate levels so you can do water changes. If your willing to keep up with the needed water changes, a fish-in cycle doesn't have to be a bad thing. It can take longer to finish, since you need to keep the ammonia/nitrite levels lower, but it can be done without harming the fish.

 

[Pogthefish]

it will be easier to cycle without fish.. but ok other ideas? lol imz buy fishies laterr but still..

 

[Olympia]

Fish in cycling depends on the species.. with betta it is easy but other fish will drop much quicker than betta.
What size tank is it?

 

[Bombalurina]

Using the old water won't make much of a difference, but cycled gravel and decor will help. Cycled filter media is particularly effective, if you have any.

 

[Olympia]

Just cut out 1/4 of your filter cartridge and add it to the new tank.. Don't stock it heavily though and watch the levels.

 

[Thunderloon]

Most the bacteria quick-starts work just fine now. Remember to feed the imaginary fish for one with ONLY the biological media in place then squirt in the bacteria culture.

Should be fish safe for a low load within 24 hours.

Don't rush it at the last minute.

 

[Pogthefish]

ok

 

[Kim]

What size tank were you planning to get? My thoughts are that you could do one of several options:

1) Just use your coupon to buy your aquarium supplies and buy the fish later after cycling the tank. My thoughts on this are that a couple bucks extra for the fish are more than compensated for by the peace of mind gained by fishless cycling.
2) Run your new filter on your established tank for several weeks while keeping the betta in the new tank and doing water changes as you would for any uncycled tank. After the filter has run on the cycled tank for several weeks, you can switch it over to the new tank and it should remain cycled for the relatively small bioload of one betta. Of course, the praticality of this idea depends on the size of the new tank. Obviously it wouldn't be practical to try and do 100% water changes on say a 10 or 20 gallon tank, but something in the realm of 5 gallons should be do-able for a short period of time. If you have a smaller tank/container that you can heat for the time being you could use that instead.
3) This is probably the easiest option and will work well if you have an established tank and the new tank will only house one betta. Just put an old filter cartridge from your established tank into the filter of the new tank and you can add the fish immediately. Just remember to check your water levels frequently at the start. I have done this several times and as long as the bioload in the new tank will be small (which is why I recommend this for only one betta in the new tank initially) you should be fine. I never had any problems with the tanks I started this way.


Have fun setting up your new tank!!

 

[Pogthefish]

ima wait till its cycled the amonia in the tank is way up rite now an i exchanged the coupon for one that expires the 15ht, and theyre ordering the fish i want now, i will put the cardinal tetras in the community tank untill the other tank is cycled.