22 Days Later I'm Getting Fish

[yardicus]

Decided I'm getting fish tomorrow as I am cycled I went to the LFS and had a chat with shop assistant.
He'd heard of the fishless cycle but didn't reckon it was a good idea, the more I explained it to him the more he came round to my way of thinking, but still had serious doubts. The owner arrived back to the shop so I suggested he asked him if I was doing the right thing. Wrong idea, The assistant came back to me and told me his boss Strongly recommended against it and in fact he said the next time I come to the shop Do Not mention it to him (the owner), to pretend I had a mature tank or he wouldn't sell me any fish at all.

So I got home pretty annoyed, as I like that shop and it's close to me and they seem to know what they're doing as they stock loads of marine fish that look wonderful. (marine seeming to me more difficult to keep)

I decided to phone another shop and ask them what they think, managed to get the owner who knew about fishless cycling, had a good long chat with him and basically he told me I've wasted 3 weeks, I should have added 4 fish a week and would of had 12 fish by now.

The shop I rang is a very well established shop in Northern Ireland who has been doing business for years, I would assume they know what they are talking about.

What to do?

Results

Tank at a constant 31ºc or 88ºF
Date - - - Ammonia Added - Ammonia Reading - NitrIte ppm - NitrAte ppm
07 sep - 2ml - - - - - - - - - - 1ppm - - - - - - - - - - 0ppm - - - - - - 0ppm
08 sep - 0ml - - - - - - - - - - 1ppm - - - - - - - - - - 0ppm - - - - - - 0ppm
09 sep - 0ml - - - - - - - - - - 1ppm - - - - - - - - - - 0ppm - - - - - - 0ppm
10 sep - 0ml - - - - - - - - - - 1ppm - - - - - - - - - - 0ppm - - - - - - 0ppm
11 sep - 1ml - - - - - - - - - - 1ppm - - - - - - - - - - 0ppm - - - - - - 0ppm
12 sep - 1ml - - - - - - - - - - 2ppm - - - - - - - - - - 0.25ppm - - -- 0ppm
13 sep - 2ml - - - - - - - - - - 2ppm - - - - - - - - - - 0.50ppm - - -- 0ppm
14 sep - 2ml - - - - - - - - - - 3ppm - - - - - - - - - - 1ppm - - - - - - 0ppm
15 sep - 2ml - - - - - - - - - - 5ppm - - - - - - - - - - 3ppm - - - - - - 0ppm
16 sep - 2ml - - - - - - - - - - 5ppm - - - - - - - - - - 4ppm - - - - - - 0ppm
17 sep - 0ml - - - - - - - - - - 6ppm - - - - - - - - - - 5ppm - - - - - - 5ppm
18 sep - 2ml - - - - - - - - - - 5ppm - - - - - - - - - - 5ppm - - - - - - 6ppm
19 sep - 6ml - - - - - - - - - - 3ppm - - - - - - - - - - 3ppm - - - - - - 8ppm
20 sep - 6ml - - - - - - - - - - 1.5ppm - - - - - - - -- 3ppm - - - - - - 15ppm
21 sep - 6ml - - - - - - - - - - 0.5ppm - - - - - - - -- 2ppm - - - - - - 15ppm
22 sep - 6ml - - - - - - - - - - 1ppm - - - - - - - - - - 3ppm - - - - - - 15ppm
23 sep - 6ml - - - - - - - - - - 1ppm - - - - - - - - - - 3ppm - - - - - - 15ppm
24 sep - 3ml - - - - - - - - - - 1ppm - - - - - - - - - - 3ppm - - - - - - 15ppm
25 sep - 3ml - - - - - - - - - - 0ppm - - - - - - - - - - 3ppm - - - - - - 20ppm
26 sep - 3ml - - - - - - - - - - 0ppm - - - - - - - - - - 0ppm - - - - - - 40ppm
27 sep - 3ml - - - - - - - - - - 0ppm - - - - - - - - - - 0ppm - - - - - - 40ppm
28 sep - 3ml - - - - - - - - - - 0ppm - - - - - - - - - - 0ppm - - - - - - 80ppm

 

[pauly]

know what they're doing as they stock loads of marine fish that look wonderful

he told me I've wasted 3 weeks, I should have added 4 fish a week and would of had 12 fish by now

I've come to that conclusion myself after trying fishless cycling. I really think its a waste of time and to a certain degree it's unnatural. That's just my opinion.

 

[scotslasszoe]

Before i started my fishless cycle on tuesday my LPS also said to me the fishless is a waste of time and to do the same add a few fish each week.

Started fishless, so prob better if i continue fishless?

Zoe

 

[flash22]

fishless cycling does work there 100's if not 1000's of tanks done this way. your only replicating the fish waste with ammonia at a higher dose than an in fish cycle IMHO I think the lfs's/lps's don't want you to do a fishless cycle because there loosing trade because you not killing/harming the fish and returning to restock = more money in there tills


Its not humane to do an in fish cycle IMHO if anything a fishless cycle makes you more aware how the nitrogen cycle works and how important water quality is

As its been said before you either keep fish or care for fish.

 

[SexyFishKeeper]

Each to their own i guess.

I'm doing fishless cycle so that the fish I get don't suffer when it's being cycled with fish.

In a way it is a waste of time as you CAN do it with fish, just depends on your own feelings on the subject.

 

[lilfishie]

i have always used the fishless cycle method and as a result have lost very few fish in the early months of fish keeping, IMO it is not a waste of time as in the long runn you'll have happier healthier fish

 

[vinylman]

What's the point of exposing fish to high levels of ammonia?. Even if they survive the cycle, you've probably caused their gills long term damage that can't be repaired. It's so pointless; all you need is a little patience at the start.

 

[tetraqueen]

I have been told in the UK it is difficult to get ammonia.

I thought I did a fishless cycle but all I did was cycle the tank for a while with nothing then added my first fish and added the seachemical with the fish..

I lost very few .

On here they say do fishless cycle however I reckon I have enough ammonia in my filter after having ot not running for a few days.

I would like to go fishless but I do not understand it all.


I went fishless and did it with fish so I thought I did both with the seachem.


I have only just reset up so I will do water stats in the morning to see what is happening.

I expected 22 days later to get fish but unsure.

 

[Thirdfloor]

I have been told in the UK it is difficult to get ammonia.

I thought I did a fishless cycle but all I did was cycle the tank for a while with nothing then added my first fish and added the seachemical with the fish..

I lost very few .

On here they say do fishless cycle however I reckon I have enough ammonia in my filter after having ot not running for a few days.

I would like to go fishless but I do not understand it all.


I went fishless and did it with fish so I thought I did both with the seachem.


I have only just reset up so I will do water stats in the morning to see what is happening.

I expected 22 days later to get fish but unsure.

That is quite possibly the most difficult to read or understand post I have ever seen. You seem to be contradicting yourself with every other sentence, sorry.

The LFS WILL talk you out of fishless cycling. Flash 22 said it best in that you arent spending money on fish and having to replace them as they die from ammonia and nitrite poisoning. If the LFS would just sell ammonia they would be OK with it I bet.

 

[shibby]

i try and talk people into fishless cycling but tbh many are confused by adding stress coat and zyme, and when you start talking about weeks to cycle i usually get the same response, i cant be bothered and end up getting fish. it can be hard to convince people specially since many have little understanding to start of with and arent too patient.

 

[Musho3210]

know what they're doing as they stock loads of marine fish that look wonderful

he told me I've wasted 3 weeks, I should have added 4 fish a week and would of had 12 fish by now

I've come to that conclusion myself after trying fishless cycling. I really think its a waste of time and to a certain degree it's unnatural. That's just my opinion.

Fish cycle is even more unnatural than a fishless, most fish will probably NEVER even be in the presence of ammonia in the wild in their entire life. It is very unnatural and cruel.

What gets mroe money, selling fish, a fake bacteria in a bottle product, ammonia detoxifier, and re selling fish that died, or just selling fish?

 

[DiscusKeeper403]

I have never fish-less cycled a tank in my life. Instead, I prefer to get seeded media, and monitor my water stats while adding fish slowly.

 

[tetraqueen]

Can you tell me what seeded media is?

 

[dane261]

you can get 100%pure ammonia in the uk if you ask a local refrigeration company they might give you a ittle dropper bottle full if you tell them what its for

i always use cycle when cycling and have a few guppies in the tank and have never lost one to date while doing this


cheers dane

 

[Rooster]

Fish shops are in business to MAKE MONEY.... experts dont make very good businessmen ! LOL

Fishless DOES work, I always did it the old way before coming back into the hobby a few years back, and my tanks have NEVER been healthier.

Theres a lot of "flat earthers" in the hobby, as well as on the forums... fishless is the ONLY way to go IMHO, its the difference between KEEPING fish, and CARING for fish... would you put your pets in a used, unflushed toilet ?
Because thats what fish-IN cycling is doing... Sure they may survive the ordeal, but its not "fair" on them is it ?

Cycling is just the start ... how many odd deaths and diseases in the future will pop up because of impatience ?
Then theres the money aspect.... aquaria isnt cheap, just to throw it away is daft in my eyes.