Can I Cycle My tank with Fish pellets?

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snake90890

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Hey everyone I'm a noob,
I had a betta for a week that had ich and fungus that killed him sadly. I did a 75% water change and am not going to add fish for a while now because the tank isn't cycled. I was told at my local fish store that if I waited a week the ich would solve itself as there are no fish to infect. I have live plants and I'm not sure if the fungus will also go away by itself. I was thinking of treating the tank with API Pimafix to make sure the fungus is gone. Not sure if that is required. I also wanted to continue cycling my tank without fish and just plants. I was wondering if I can just use betta pellets to raise the ammonia in the water enough to start the cycle? Or should I go out and buy ammonia and put that in the water?
 
Hi snake and welcome!

Have you read this?

 
Thank you I did not see that! I did read it just now! So, to cycle with plants I don't need to add anything but the fast-growing plants and fertilizer for them, and then eventually my tank will cycle? That seems too good to be true but let me know if that is right. Also any opinions on the fungus?
 
Thank you I did not see that! I did read it just now! So, to cycle with plants I don't need to add anything but the fast-growing plants and fertilizer for them, and then eventually my tank will cycle? That seems too good to be true but let me know if that is right. Also any opinions on the fungus?
Dont use medications.... What is the size of the tank? Heat the tank up to about 84°F for 2 weeks... That will kill off all the ich. NEXT begin to cycle, BUT, be careful not to melt your plants with the ammonia additions.
 
Thank you I did not see that! I did read it just now! So, to cycle with plants I don't need to add anything but the fast-growing plants and fertilizer for them, and then eventually my tank will cycle? That seems too good to be true but let me know if that is right. Also any opinions on the fungus?

Not an expert on cycling, others will have to weigh in.

@Colin_T and other SMEs (Subject Matter Experts) will likely advise on fungus persistence (if any).
 
I had a betta for a week that had ich and fungus that killed him sadly.
Are you sure the fish had white spot and fungus?
Maybe it had excess mucous. Bettas don't normally get white spot because they are normally kept on their own. So the chances of them getting white spot is extremely low.

Pimafix won't do anything to fungus.

If you don't have any fish left in the tank, wash it out with fresh water and set it back up with dechlorinated water. Drain the water out of the filter but don't wash it. Put the filter back in the tank after you have washed and refilled the tank.

Any beneficial filter bacteria will still be in the filter but cleaning the tank should remove most of the white spot cysts and fungus. Then let the tank run at 30C for a week and your good to go. (your is spelt the Australian way :) @JuiceBox52 :p )

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You can use fish food to cycle a tank, but you need a hard fish pellet and it should be replaced each day. Put the food in a fine mesh net to stop it breaking up and going everywhere. Remove the pellet/s when the ammonia level gets to 3ppm. If you leave the pellets in the tank after that, the ammonia level will keep going up and when it gets above 5ppm, the cycling process stops.

If you only have 1 Betta in a decent sized tank with live plants, you don't really need to cycle the tank. Just feed him 2-3 times a week until the tank has cycled, and do a 75% water change any day you have an ammonia or nitrite reading above 0ppm.
 

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