Can A Fishless Cycle Stall?

[rabbut]

I have 14 years of fishkeeping experience under my belt with 2 years of aquatics retail experience also this comming Aurgust. I have mainly learnt through books, personal experience and the internet. Listening to other members comments is also useful

I use tap water for all waterchanges, and I keep Discus, some of the most sencitive fish to water contamination I only use RO when breeding challenging fish. I would need to use it for discuss breeding and some tetras for example, but my water from the tap is already fairly soft and acidic, so only realy specialist fish or plants need it...

Most breeders will do 50% daily waterchanges to get the growth rates they require. Most experience aquarists will tell you that waterchanges are the best preventative medication out there, or words to that effect... Mature tanks don't need bacteria to be added, as the colonies in the filter are hard wearing once established After my first 3 years of fish keeping, I have never use such products. Thats 11 years without, and no problems

I have experiented with running tanks without waterchanges, and the longest I have managed so far is about 3 months, so not very long. The long and short of it is, that most aquarists need waterconditioner and tap water as the only additional items once a system has matured. Anything else, including RO in most cases, in an un-nessisary waste of money Waterchange weekly with conditioned tap water to remove clorine and cloramine, and 80% of all issues will be avoided completely after cycling is complete IME

All the best
Rabbut

 

[SOLEXIS]

I have 14 years of fishkeeping experience under my belt with 2 years of aquatics retail experience also this comming Aurgust. I have mainly learnt through books, personal experience and the internet. Listening to other members comments is also useful

I use tap water for all waterchanges, and I keep Discus, some of the most sencitive fish to water contamination I only use RO when breeding challenging fish. I would need to use it for discuss breeding and some tetras for example, but my water from the tap is already fairly soft and acidic, so only realy specialist fish or plants need it...

Most breeders will do 50% daily waterchanges to get the growth rates they require. Most experience aquarists will tell you that waterchanges are the best preventative medication out there, or words to that effect... Mature tanks don't need bacteria to be added, as the colonies in the filter are hard wearing once established After my first 3 years of fish keeping, I have never use such products. Thats 11 years without, and no problems

I have experiented with running tanks without waterchanges, and the longest I have managed so far is about 3 months, so not very long. The long and short of it is, that most aquarists need waterconditioner and tap water as the only additional items once a system has matured. Anything else, including RO in most cases, in an un-nessisary waste of money Waterchange weekly with conditioned tap water to remove clorine and cloramine, and 80% of all issues will be avoided completely after cycling is complete IME

All the best
Rabbut

Thanks for your answer but what do you think about tap water when you have the following value:
PH: 8
NO3 40-50 mg/l
PO4 1.5 mg/l
GH 25
I keep plant and I don't want to add that in my tank.

 

[rabbut]

That is quite poor... Depends what plants you are keeping. Anything needing soft water, or slower growing spicies won't appreciate that. If your growing quicker and easier growers though, that water will actualy be better than RO...

Fish only tanks it will be fine for.

RO or tap, makes no difference, Bacteria in the bottle products aren't needed

All the best
Rabbut

 

[waterdrop]

Agreed. Solexis, have a go at the planted tank forum on here, give them those values and see what they have to say. It may be that they'll have a different take on how to approach it, or they may agree, either way it can't hurt!

 

[Miss Wiggle]

I agree with what you say Rabbut. But how many people is going to do a weekly water change? If it was the case, no products will be necessary, except the mineral because you had to use RO water to avoid all the bad element from tap water (PO4, chimicals...)

if you ask around on this forum (and others like it) you'll find the vast majority of experienced fishkeepers do a weekly water change of around 30% and don't bother with any of these products, they're unstable and it's not healthy to build a reliance, what happens the week you run out and can't afford anymore of it? water changes are free and easy, best to use them as standard.

if you don't believe me then stick a thread up in tropical discussion, you'll see the vast majority of people on here agree.