Advice on cycling approach

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Andrew waterson

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Hi All,

My 3rd subject!
1st a big thanks to the community on this site, the advice and expertise is amazing!

My new aquarium arrives tomorrow so I'll be starting the step up and cycle fairly soon (after building the cabinet and preparing the gravel\lava rocks ... etc)

I was planning on doing a fish less cycle (as per the brilliant step by step guide on this site)
but having read lots of threads and other sites I have a few questions on it this is the best approach and a few specific details

I'm planning on a moderately planted tank, with the plants making a nicer environment for the fish (breaking lines of sight, hiding places ... etc) and to provide a bit of support with cleaning and oxygen.
Moderate probably isn't a great measure, but I think 8 ish plants (variety tbc), but certainly not a fully planted tank

Tank 160 litres, to be setup as a tropical community tank (exact fish tbc in another post, but rainbows, mollies are the most likely)
Moderately planted, with lava rock as structure\decoration and 2 filters (one with the package suggested to be too small)
Hard Alkaline water area, tap water readings
- PH 7.6-7.8
- Hardness
268 ppm Calcium carbonate(CaCO3)
Degrees German(DH) 15
- Ammonia 0
- Nitrite 0
- Nitrate approx 30ppm

Questions (so many questions)!
1. Is a fish less cycle the best\safety option vs a fish in cycle? I'm a novice so not going to put a huge amount of faith in my ability to manage a fish in cycle with correct planting\fish selection
2. I have bio media (ceramic rings) from a established small cold water tank filter (ammonia and Nitrite 0, Nitrate a bit over the tap water level due an over-sized gold fish, doing more regular partial water changes now). Should I use this to in the new filters to kick start the cycle process? I'm fairly certain its yes, but just wanted to check the cold to tropical change isn't a problem
3. The setup comes with Interpet filter start, should I use it? I've seen a generally negative view on these kind of products.
4. If I do a fish less cycle should I add plants at the start, end or somewhere in between? I've seen lots of contradictory info on this saying plants help with or will be damaged by the cycle, but most of this was based on a planted tank which I don't think mine is

Any help much appreciated
Thanks
 
If you set up the new tank and get it running, you can take some of the filter media from the goldfish tank and put it in the filter on the new tank. Then add a few fish and watch the ammonia and nitrite levels over the next few weeks. If you use some of the filter media from the goldfish tank, it will have beneficial filter bacteria on it and you should be able to bypass the fishless cycle and just add fish and filter media. Then you keep feeding down to a little bit every second day and do a 75% water change if you get an ammonia or nitrite reading.

I assume the Interpet Filter Start is liquid bacteria in a bottle. If yes, I double dose them every day for a week and then stop using it. Add if to the aquarium near the filter intake so it gets drawn into the filter.

You can also cycle a filter in a tub of water instead of the aquarium. Fill up a 40 litre plastic storage container, add a filter and ammonia and let it run thru and cycle. When it's cycled you move the filter onto the planted tank and add fish.

-----------------------
Personally, I would add some more filter media (sponges) to the goldfish filter. Set up the new tank and add plants. Let the filter media live in the goldfish tank for a week or so. Then move the filter media (ceramic rings & new sponge) onto the new tank and add fish. Keep the feeding down and do water changes if you get ammonia or nitrite readings. :)
 
Thanks Colin, that is a great help:)

In terms of stocking which would be the best hardiest option to start with (I'll get 1 species until the tank is a bit more established)
6 Mollies (Poecilia sphenops) - all male if possible
6 Dwarf Rainbowfish (Melanotaenia maccullochi)
 
Melanotaenia maccullochi are not that colourful. M. praecox are nicer. But if you want a striped rainbowfish, then M. maccullochi, M. sexlineata or M. papuae.

Rainbowfish are tougher than mollies.

To sex mollies or any livebearer, look at the anal (bottom) fin. Female livebearers have a fan/ triangular shaped anal fin. Males have a long straight anal fin called a gonopodium.

If you get livebearers (mollies), treat them for gill flukes and worms as soon as you get them. Use Praziquantel for gill flukes and tapeworm, and Levamisole or something similar for thread/ round worms.
 
I copy & pasted the wrong rainbow from my research list:D
That is the one I meant, dwarf neon rainbow not dwarf rainbow!
They are top of my list so this is very good news!

I'm leaning away from mollies\live breeders, its sounds like avoiding mass over population is going to be difficult (I don't really trust the local store to give me all males, so will have to be careful to identify them!)
I don't think I have the heart for culling them:eek:
 
Livebearers are easy to control. Keep females or males but not both. After 6 months the females will have used up all the sperm packets they are carrying and no more babies. And if you have rainbowfish in the tank, they will deal with most of the babies.

The next time you are at the petshop, look at the anal fin on the guppies, platies mollies and swordtails. It's really easy to tell the difference. Male guppies also have the big tail so you can see them and then look at the females and check their anal fin.

Male swordtails have the long filament growing from the bottom of their tail, females don't.

Male mollies usually have a bigger dorsal (top) fin than females and most male black mollies have a yellow edge to the top of the dorsal fin. But check the anal fin and if it's fan or triangular shaped it's female. Long and straight is a male. :)
 

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