Cycle with new fish, can i ?

[freshcichlid]

ok i browed that really quickly, what i got was:
set-up tank
add ammonia
when nitrites get high slow on ammonia
when nitrites go to zero your tank is complete ?

he said to add gravel from an already made tank, im adding a new filter and new sand, hows that going to hurt me ?

 

[vantgE]

alot
My tank had no media to seed it, took almost five weeks to fishless cycle any media added or even squeezing a sponge or something into your own filter really helps should cut your time down by half depending on how much you use
SO you don't have any other tanks at all? none or know anyone who has any running?
What kind of filter is on your ten? does it have gravel or sand?
It takes a while and an empty tank is kind of anoying but it allows you to have lot's of time to research and plan your tank, then when it is done you can add all your fish at once

 

[freshcichlid]

well i had my 40gallon running a week ago, but all my fish died over a weeks time (11fish) and the only sign was ich like bumps, but i treated them correctly and every day 2-3 would die. so im scared to use that water again. i am also moving so i have to empty the tank. i had gravel in there but because of the unexplained death of all my fish i am scared to use it again
my ten has a Whisper Filter with the carbon filters, i love it for that size tank. I have a snail and my angel in that tank right now though.
I have been asking a lot of questions because i have been researching a lot on cichlids and i am finishing purchasing all the items and making the plan on where everything will go in my new tank.
i think i just need major help on cycling. i want to order cichlids from m LFS and i dont want them hanging around their store, i want to order them and get them the day they come in. so what to do ! ?

 

[vantgE]

Basically the experts on cycleing check in at the beginers section so try there you'l get better advice and results.

If you have gravel as the substrate in your snail angel tank, and you are useing an aquaclear or cannister filter on your soon to be african tank put the gravel in it, or try and cut up some of the sponge or floss (not all) off your whisper and place it in your cycleing future african tank

If you can't do that it's fine you'l just have to wait longer, fishless cycle and all your fish can be added at once considering placeing the order when your nitrite spikes for two weeks from then if your in a hurry but it would be best to let the full cycle finish, because sometimes these cycles just don't work like they are suposed to

 

[freshcichlid]

i will post something in the beginner section about this once i get everything and set it up. but thanks for the effort

 

[dutoits]

It would help if you read the help offered.

If you start of with every thing new

(1)Mix 20% coral in the sand
(2)one power head with under gravel filter to get a lot of O2 flowing through gravel to help to keep the good bacteria happy
(3) Go to LFS and get 2kg of live gravel
(4) place one/two hand full in stocking and place in filter removing carbon
(5) sprinkle rest in tank

NB measure properties of tap water. If high in chloride use acquasafe or fill up buckets and leave for 20min to allow it to evaporate(chloride).

(6) Add chloride free water to tank.

Run for few hours and check PH;Ammonia;Nitrite NO2

These should check very close to your origanal water added.

The bacteria needs Ammonia to start growing and thuss you need to add some fish

mbunas is very hardy and can be added now dependant on size of tank +- 2/4

check daily until Ammonia is 0 do 20% water change untill its 0
The Nitrite should rise slightly but this is normal keep up the wc until safe

then change water 20% weekly.

Now you can add fish but keep checking the nitrire if it stay high after wc add salt 1cup/150liter this will enable the fish to take up O2 even with high NO2

NO2 kills fish because it prevents the gills to take up O2 the salt revers the NO2 effect

To raise the PH add bicarb 1 table spoon for every 5liter ( you can not add to much because bicarb can not raise the ph above 8.4

any other way puts to mutch stress on the fish and takes to long.

Lastly when you add the bulk of your fish do not feed them every day I would suggest 1/2 every second day

End

 

[freshcichlid]

hey i appreciate all your help, but i dont want live corals, sand, live sand and i have a bio-wheel filter ! so all that info sounds great, but how can that relate to my tank ? I am going to clean my tank and get rid of all the algae in my gravel, so basically starting out new.

 

[dutoits]

The good bacteria which you need lives and grow in the sand the bio wheel can not provide enough good bacteria.

Read the post at the home page (fish keeping is not about keeping fish but having plenty of good bacteria)

once you fully understand this the ress will come easy.

 

[freshcichlid]

i understand that i need good bacteria, i dont know how to get it, i posted earlier that all my fish died for some reason, ich or something and i am scared to use the gravel because whatever killed them might still be in it, so someone told me to bleach it and clean out the tank and make sure it is all gone, so therefor i am starting over from scratch.

 

[dutoits]

You ask the LFS for some gravel as I explained ; handfull from a few tanks.

that will have enough to kickstart your system.