Bad Advice?

[flemmyemmy]

Hi all,
Im doing a fishless cycle on my 20g tank, im using a fine gravel and a Fluval 1 filter, the tank has been set up for a week and my LFS said all i had to do was put it all together and leave it for 4 weeks for it to sort itself out before i can add fish, from what i have been reading on this forum it sounds like my LFS dont have a clue what they are talking about! and now im all confused.

PH - 7.6
Ammonia - 0
Nitrate - 20
Nitrite - .25

Are these levels what i should expect? are they too high/low??? Should i ever bother to listen to anything the LFS say to me again???

So many questions, so little time

Thanks
Emx

 

[WILDER]

Best to do a fishless cycle, are you using ammonia.
One thing the fluval one is way to small of a filter for that size tank, you need a fluval 2.

You could use the fluval one and two together.
http/www.aquatics-online.co.uk/bigpics/fluvalplus.htm

 

[flemmyemmy]

I am doing a fishless cycle, i haven't used any ammonia (because the LFS said i didnt need to) and i thought that the fluval 1 was too small but again the LFS said that was the right one!!!

 

[WILDER]

I will get you a link to the fishless cycle.
I have fluval one and i only use it for a hospital tank, that filter is way to small for a 20gal, it only has a little sponge peice in it.

http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=113861

 

[Stone Warior]

jesus, the advice you hear. Add ammona lol. Iv been working on fishes for 7 years of my life. Run your filter for 48 hours make sure levels are fine (buy a test kit) Add no more then 4 HARDY fish. see how it goes

 

[WILDER]

And what hardy fish do you recommend, there is never a guarantee that a fish will survive a cycle as it takes in toll on them, as they have to go through the ammonia and nitrite process which can burn there skin and irratate there gills, plus there immune system can shut down causing desease and death.

 

[mark.w.jones]

Stone Warrior. Most people in this forum cycle without fish even the more experienced ones like Wilder who probably used to cycle his tank by chucking in a couple of zebra danios many moons ago (no offense intended by the way Wilder). Search through posts and you'll find loads of reasons why. Ive read about 4 posts from you now suggesting that we're all talking c**p and wasting our time and that youve cycled with fish for years and its fine. If that's what you want to do then you can but most people here think its more humane to fishless cycle and I try to encourage new members to do the same.

 

[flemmyemmy]

I fully intend to do a complete fishless cycle, its not fair on the poor fish!!!

Thanks for all your advice, and dont worry, i wont be paying much attetion to my LFS again

 

[WILDER]

No offence we all learn i did cycle my first tank with guppys, but learnt since, it's awful to see fish suffer.

 

[carrera]

Stone Warrior. Most people in this forum cycle without fish even the more experienced ones like Wilder who probably used to cycle his tank by chucking in a couple of zebra danios many moons ago (no offense intended by the way Wilder). Search through posts and you'll find loads of reasons why. Ive read about 4 posts from you now suggesting that we're all talking c**p and wasting our time and that youve cycled with fish for years and its fine. If that's what you want to do then you can but most people here think its more humane to fishless cycle and I try to encourage new members to do the same.

it always seems this way with experienced fish keepers who dont use the internet that much. there are not many resources for fishless cycling offline and they usually dismiss the notion as absurd.