How to Cycle Tank For the First Time

[adamsfishes]

I'd wait at least until you start detecting nitrite before adding the fish. Then at least you know the cycle is happening and we'll on it's way. Feed lightly at first until nitrite goes to zero. Of course test your water every day and do a water change if needed.

 

[The-Almighty-Zugs]

You will have to add a source of ammonia. A whole raw shrimp, fish food, live sacrificed fish or pure ammonia to get the Cycle started. I personally never used food or pure ammonia. I prefer adding a seeded bio media from another already fully Cycled aquarium.

I personally like to use a live fish, not a sacrificial fish per say but one I wouldn’t be butt hurt if it didn’t survive. Though mine usually do survive and just becomes part of the stock. Using live fish is a labour of love honesty bc you have to do daily water changes for about a month without missing any.

If you use raw shrimp or pure ammonia no need to rush and do a water change bc there’s no live fish.

I cycled a tank from scratch a few months back, a 180 gallon, although I 've set up many tanks over the years, I had always used seasoned media in the past.
For this new tank, it was set up and planted heavily. My first "sacrificial" fish were a couple dozen gambusia, which survived the initial couple weeks, although I didn't expect them to.

They were later eaten by the cichlids added down the road.
If small enough fish are added gradually , they may never produce a large spike in tanks this large, because the cycle is so gradual, as long as you have patience.
During initial set up time, I did small daily water changes.
It took about 2 months before I added my main focus fish, cichlids, but even then, the cichlids were small, only 2-4 inches.
My planting has remained heavy, and the tank has never been overstocked.

Although there is no "rule" of how long it takes to cycle, the process involves building up large populations of beneficial bacteria, and this always takes time. So if you start with too many, or too large fish, for that size bacterial population, your chance of success is greatly reduced.

The shot above was taken yesterday, after the tank went 2 months without filtration because our islands water plant went down. I believe because the tank was not over stocked, and heavily planted, are the reason there were no looses during the no filtration period..
If the tank had been over stocked, it may have only taken a few days for fish to start kicking the bucket.
.

I'd wait at least until you start detecting nitrite before adding the fish. Then at least you know the cycle is happening and we'll on it's way. Feed lightly at first until nitrite goes to zero. Of course test your water every day and do a water change if needed.

Well I want to do a full cycle for sure before adding in the fish. Just to be extra safe.
Do you know how often I would need to add flakes and how much? Would it be daily? If I want to do the fish flake method.

So lets say I add the flakes in at some predetermined interval daily. You're saying everyday for a month or so I have to do a 75% water change? Or do I do the water changes after something in my tank happens? Like when nitrates appear? Is there a checklist or something you know of or could you create one for me? That lays everything out in simple and detailed terms? I just want to make sure I am doing everything right and fully understand what I am doing. Hell, I'd even pay someone to do that for me just so I understand what I am doing.

Like:

1) Add certain amount of flakes to water

2) ?

3) ?

etc

 

[Niki_up]

Try this

Fishless Cycle with Fish Food -

Since not everyone has access to pure ammonia, cycling with fish food or raw fish is another way to do… Continue Reading

petfishclub.com

 

[adamsfishes]

You need to measure ammonia. I don't think you need to go higher than 2 ppm, so once you hit that, stop adding anything and wait for it to go back to zero.

 

[The-Almighty-Zugs]

You need to measure ammonia. I don't think you need to go higher than 2 ppm, so once you hit that, stop adding anything and wait for it to go back to zero.

So I am just trying to make a step by step list of what I have to do and what to look out for. Is this correct? Anything to add? Any specific levels of nitrates, nitrites or ammonia? I will be following this list to the T and as I have Aspergers I will take it literally. So any modifications will be appreciated.


Step 1: After tank is all setup add 16 pinches of liquefied fish food to the water.

Step 2: Wait for Ammonia to appear by testing the water everyday. (If no Ammonia appears then add more fish food after 3 days)

Step 3: When Ammonia appears, start adding more liquefied fish food EVERYDAY into the water but in smaller amounts than last time. Start testing the water for both Ammonia and Nitrite.

Note: Make sure Ammonia does not get above 6ppm. If it does, do a partial water change to lower it down. Do not vacuum gravel.

Step 4: Keep adding fish food to the water in smaller quarantines day by day. All while testing for Ammonia and Nitrite.

Step 5: When Nitrite starts to appear start to test for Nitrates. Now test everyday for Ammonia, Nitrite, and Nitrate. Continue adding in fish food everyday.

Step 6: When Nitrate appears, start testing the PH levels, Ammonia, Nitrite, and Nitrate everyday. If the PH level drops, do a water change.

Step 7. Keep adding in fish food everyday and test the water for everything. Once a reading of 0ppm occurs on Ammonia and Nitrite a few days in a row, the cycle is finished.

Step 8. Finally do a large water change to get rid of Phosphates and Nitrates. Also vacuum the gravel at this point.

Step 9: Add fish.

Step 10: Test the water for Ammonia and Nitrite every day. If there is an Ammonia or Nitrite spike do a large water change.

Step 11: Keep doing partial water changes every other day until things are stable.

 

[adamsfishes]

Should be fine, but I don't understand why you want to keep adding food. Just stop when ammonia hits 2 ppm. Also, once ammonia hits zero and you detect some nitrite, you may want to add a small fish and let it produce the ammonia to keep the cycle going. Just don't let nitrite get too high if you add a fish. You can manage the nitrite level with water changes.

 

[The-Almighty-Zugs]

Should be fine, but I don't understand why you want to keep adding food. Just stop when ammonia hits 2 ppm. Also, once ammonia hits zero and you detect some nitrite, you may want to add a small fish and let it produce the ammonia to keep the cycle going. Just don't let nitrite get too high if you add a fish. You can manage the nitrite level with water changes.

I am under the understanding that I have to keep adding food in order to keep the ammonia being produced to fed the bacteria.

 

[adamsfishes]

I am under the understanding that I have to keep adding food in order to keep the ammonia being produced to fed the bacteria.

It's going to be a month or more before you can measure ammonia reduction. If you keep adding stuff, ammonia is going to keep going up, which isn't what you want IMHO.

 

[The-Almighty-Zugs]

It's going to be a month or more before you can measure ammonia reduction. If you keep adding stuff, ammonia is going to keep going up, which isn't what you want IMHO.

So how many times and when should I add the food? Isn;t adding food the same as having small fish create waste?

 

[adamsfishes]

So how many times and when should I add the food? Isn;t adding food the same as having small fish create waste?

You already said you'll be measuring ammonia, so when it goes down, add more food, then keep adding daily until you put fish in. But I would not add more food during the weeks where your ammonia level isn't dropping.