Fishless cycling

[SnailPocalypse]

So ima start fishless cycling soon and I will have plants and wood substrate is sand and im wondering if this will work.Fish food to make ammonia after about 2-3 days tetra safestart then let it cycle.Sound good or should I do liquid ammonia?If so which kind/brand with link if possible

 

[Toney]

Ammonia

 

[SnailPocalypse]

Ok casn you give me a link for which kind to use?

 

[Essjay]

There is a thread on ammonia sources http://www.fishforums.net/threads/ammonia-and-bacteria-starter-sources.427161/. You just need to go through it to find which brands are sold in your country.

 

[eaglesaquarium]

In the US, Ace Hardwaare has the stuff I used. You want the Janitorial strength, with no additives.

If you have plants, and they are sensitive, you would be best to modify the cycling directions to only add enough ammonia to get to 1 ppm, rather than 3ppm. If you have a lot of plants, test after a day to see how much ammonia the plants use.

Plants in sand substrate only will require you to add some ferts either as root tabs, or directly the water column. I've done both, and currently I use both at the same time. Some plants prefer to feed by roots, and others are fine in the water.

 

[SnailPocalypse]

Ok I have water wisteria for plants.And I dose it with seachem flourish will that be fine with the ace ammonia stuff?

 

[julielynn47]

I used Dr. Tim's
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B006MP4QG6/?tag=ff0d01-20

I had wisteria in the tank the whole time and it did fine. I also used the Flourish Comprehensive liquid and root tabs.

 

[SnailPocalypse]

I may order Dr tims then unlessz I change my mind

 

[StevenF]

I would recommend cycling the tank before you put the plants in The Ammonia levels you need for cycling may harm or stress the plants. Also with store purchased ammonia you want one that doesn't have any soaps or coloring added. Many have these and the label may not list them. You could shake the bottle. If foam appears don't use it.

I would go with ammonium chloride, the Dr tim's product. Its cheep and pure and people have used it successfully. You can also get some from a chemical supplier specializing in small quantities.
http://www.loudwolf.com/store/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=8

Also When you start your cycle I would put some flourish comprehensive in the water. Bacteria need other things than just ammonia to grow. Flourish should provide much of what is needed if it is't in your tap water.

 

[SnailPocalypse]

Ah so no plants with cycling?And will wood be fine in there too I would like for it all to be in there then cycle so I can get the fish in with already established plants/wood also it will have a rock

 

[StevenF]

The purpose of cycling is to grow bacteria that can process ammonia and nitrite. Plants will also feed on ammonia and nitrite.If you cycle with plants your water test may make it look like it is cycled but in reality it might have no bacteria. And if you add fish and then find you have problems growing plants, you could end up cycling the tank with fish in it which issn't good.

When plants grow they will remove all forms of nitrogen. But if they don't grow they will not. And unfortunately plant growth can turn on and off for reasons that can be hard to determine. Using flourish comprehensive fertilizer is will help but t is no guarantee. Note only use only flourish Comprehensive in the tank. Don't use Flourish Excel or other members of the flourish product line. Flourish Excel would actually slow and maybe prevent the tank from cycling.

By cycling the tank without plants you guarantee the needed bacterial will be present. Then when you add plants the bacteria and plants can work together to maintain healthy water chemistry. if the plants have problems the bacteria can then take over while you work out the issues with the plants.

Since the wood is not alive it can go into the tank when you start cycling it. Rock would also be ok to add now.

 

[SnailPocalypse]

Ok I have seachem flourish so would that be ok with the bacteria

 

[Toney]

Hey, I'm in stillwater oklahoma

 

[SnailPocalypse]

Im in Bethany

 

[Toney]

My sil lives there, I'm glad!