Almost fill time

[xDestro]

I'm planning on filling my 55 gallon tank up tomorrow after a quick trip to LFS, I already have prime to make my tap water safe, but I'll be picking up a master test kit, api quick start, stress coat, and ammo lock. I plan on using quick start to start my cycle until I get a few baby tetras from a friend in a week or 2. Stress coat wen I add fish and ammo lock for emergencies. Am I doing this right lol? I also read I could use fish food to create ammonia to feed bacteria? Is this true / good idea and if so just use flake food or what? My tank has a 60 gallon sponge filter and a 90 gallon canister. ( air pump will be here in a week so sponge won't be running off the bat). I'm using natural driftwood as my ph is a bit high where I live. I plan on doing around 30% water changes weekly after my tank is cycled and I start adding the fish I want.

Fish list as of now:
• 1 gold gourami
• 1 pleco
• 3 rose line sharks
• 1 bumblebee catfish
• 1 banjo catfish
• 1 electric blue ram
• 1 farlowella catfish
• 2-4 corys

 

[tlindsey]

Yes some use fish food, raw shrimp, or pure ammonia to help start nitrifying cycle. My advice is please be patient and allow the aquarium to completely cycle, you must have the test kit. I would not add the Cory or Rams until I know parameters are stable ime these 2 species are sensitive. Do you know anyone that would give you a little bio material from their filter?

 

[duanes]

Agree with tlindsey, it sometimes takes 2 months to properly cycle a tank.
If you can get some fresh filter media or substrate from another tank, it can take only a short time,but you still need to add fish gradually, adding a lot of fish at once, is a sure way to kill many when nitrite and ammonia spike. And sensitive fish like cores, rams and maybe others on your list need pristine water from the get go. Some species of Gouramis might be a good starter fish, with their ability to take in atmospheric oxygen, and because they are endemic rice paddies and ditches where water quality is sometimes less than perfect.

 

[xDestro]

I don't really have anyone to give me bacteria but this being my first real aquarium I am being patient and with some fish on my list being sensitive and some a little expensive I don't really plan on failing lol. I was thinking about getting the gourami while my tank is still cycling since their very hardy and it should produce more waste for the bacteria to grow, bad idea or no?

 

[duanes]

If you are in mid cycle, and the gourami goes from 0.00 ammonia to 3ppm you may see a dead fish no matter how hardy, always best to cycle completely.
You may want to see if there is a local aquarium society in your area, and talk to someone there, I find there are always people willing to help.
Beside the Milwaukee Society that was near my home, I would at times drive 2 hours to the Chicago club for meetings.

 

[skjl47]

Hello; I believe this may be the third time I and others have responded to your thread about starting up a new tank. For more detailed information about cycling, I suggest again that you go back to and study the link I provided in the prior threads.

That you have the materials listed is good. I have not used the api quick start you mention so have no experience. I have read in threads about these commercial cycle additives. It may be to your benefit to do a few searches in this sites forum.

you seem set on adding live fish in about a week. Has the tank been up and running for a while already or not yet filled with water? I ask because to cycle a tank without fish is possible, look up fishless cycling. Fishless cycling can take a while, up to several weeks. I believe this is what others are talking about with the suggestion of adding fish food.

As others have stated some solid material (seed material) from an old established tank can speed things up with a cycle. Seed material being something with beneficial bacteria (bb) on it surface. This can be most anything solid including a handful of gravel or sand, live plants, fake plants, rocks or other decorations, live snails, old filter media and so on. Just keep it wet and do not wait too long before adding it to the tank.Is it possible that the friend who is to supply the baby tetras might also be able to throw in a hand full of gravel or sand or such. If not let me next talk about the baby tetras next.

If you set up a new tank and add a few baby tetras without some sort of bb seed material then it is likely they will load the tank with ammonia after a while. They may have some health effects from the ammonia exposure. Tanks will eventually be colonized with bb, but the first fish may become a sacrifice to this type of cycling.

This is where my lack of experience with the commercial quick start shows up. I do not know if the stuff will save the first fish. I also believe this is why several have suggested you add only a very few fish at first and i agree. Add one or two fish and then slowly add one or two more over several weeks with perhaps a week in between.

good luck

 

[Fish Eat Fish]

Throw away all the additives and go pick up a little product called "knowledge and patience". It is the only way to be successful in this hobby. If your tank isn't filled do that first. I do fish cycles so I would wait two days after the tank has been filled (just tap water with filters running) go pick up a few dozen guppies and put them in with a net. I always avoid putting LFS water in my tanks. Then make friends with a fish keeper and convince them to loan you some filter media. This will do two things. 1 Allows you to speed up your cycle. 2 helps you to polish up your social skills. I would add the media after you have had guppies and you can read ammonia on your test kit. This means that there will be food for your bacteria! Add the bacteria and just keep feeding normally and measuring your levels until you read zero ammonia and zero nitrite. Also make sure to do 10-20% water changes (let water sit a day or two to remove chlorine...or use a product if you must) weekly during this time. Now that you are zeroed out with ammonia and nitrite you just have to make sure your nitrate levels are not out of wack after the cycle. If they are high do 30-50% water changes weekly until they are near zero. Now you can start slowing adding your fish.