Is This Fishless Cycling

[Irf]

Hi all,

I'm setting up my small growing tank for platy fry. I've had the new filter running in my large main tank for almost two weeks now, and it's been building up gunk nicely.

I have set up my small tank, and filled it with dechlorinated water. I've got the temp up to around 28 Celcius. I was going to put the filter into the new tank and then realised that thre would be no ammonia for the bacteria. So I've dosed up the water to around 6ppm with household ammonia. Then I was going to put the filter in and check the ammonia levels regularly. Then look for the nitrite spike, etc. as per the fishless cycling article.

Does this sound OK? Or have I completely misunderstood?

Thanks.

Irf.

 

[Bloo]

Why didn't you just leave the spare small filter in the main tank and just move it straight across when you are realy to use the small tank and can add fish. That way you will have an instantly cycled filter with nicely mature bacteria and don't have to bother with ammonia at all

Ps: that would be what I call cloning. You really have no need to do a fishless cycle if you already have a large mature tank in which you can run your smaller filter until you need it (though giving it 2 weeks to settle and mature would be best as you have done ).

 

[Irf]

OK, thanks Bloo... that's helpful.

I just wanted to use the ammonia to be sure that the filter had cycled nicely. If it has, I gues that the ammonia should disappear slowly after I add the new filter and the bacteria process it?

I guess there should be no nitrite then? Just a build-up of nitrate?

Irf.