Fishless Cycling.

Thanks Flukes , done a water and took spray bar above waterline to aggitate water at surface , tested the day after and im starting to get nitrite readings. just another question after cycling has completed does the water added for the reduction of nitrates have to be aged or do i use straight tap water as was when starting the fishless cycling process.

Once the cycle is completed you relly want too use de-chloranated water, well you are just trying too get your nitrates down but if you decide to put fish in there then you will need too de-chlor it.

Remember to half the amount once you see the nitrite and also once the tank is cycled, you must add small amounts of ammonia too keep feeding the bacteria. Te day before you get your fish stop adding ammonia and change as much water as you can. Hopefully the nitrates will be gone and there will be no ammonia in the tank.

getting a few more tanks this wekend

guess i will be "cycling" soon

Good too see Ryan, once you learn the basics of how it works you wont go back. Its faster and best of all no harm too any fish (even if they are classified hardy)

i hate the hardier fish statment, would you say let a person with darker skin stay in the sun for 8 hours on a 40c day rather than a light colored skin person because they have less chance of burning??

Either person will feel discomfort and i wouldnt like this (Or ammonia poisoning) happen too anyone or any fish.

Why not just stick a dead prawn in the tank? Always worked for me.

James

it does do the same thing except for the fact you have a dead animal floating in your tank and it will tank 4 times as long

other than that they will complete the job the same in the end

Prawn works well for marine tanks. Must remember that prawn might carry something, its a long shot but could happen. Also a prawn wouldnt create near enough ammonia which its couldnt produce for ever.
With fishless cycling your controlling the amount of ammonia and pushing it too the limits because you are using a reading of 5ppm of ammonia there is more than enough bacteria created to compensate for the ammonia.
So after your cycle is completed you can stock that tank to the brim, just leave room so they can move their gills :wink:

I have always just feed the tank as much as i would fully stocked.
Let the food decompose abit and do water changes every few days.
Leave it for 4-6 weeks and then add stock.

Works for me.


Cheers
Brad

so here is my problem,

i think my new "tanks" are around 100lt each (2 of) plus sump

i have added 400mls of ammonia and still don't see ANY reading

the bottle say 40mls per 10ltrs to act as a cleaner

i am a bit sceptical now as to how much i need too add

i will retest later and post the reading but it has been hours now

how much should i use?

Iam trying to think i used to add about 3 capfuls, you might need a new ammonia test kit because iam sure with 400ml you would get a reading.