hypergeek said:
I bought some stuff for $6 at the pet store called "Cycle". It was recommended by the kid working the fish area.
Sounds like it may have been great advice.
This is what you meant by "fishless cycle", correct?
No - the product "Cycle" is supposed to contain the bacteria needed to do cycling (i.e. converting ammonia - nitrite - nitrate) and hence speed up the process so that tank cycles faster (i.e. reaches the point where waste is immediately converted to ammonia and nitrite, and then nitrate, without poisoning your fish).
However, I've never seen any evidence that so-called "Cycle" does this. I suspect you wasted $6, but at least no fish died in the process.
Fishless Cycling means that instead of putting actual fish in your tank, you similate the waste from fish by adding ammonia or other substances instead. The whole point is to get that ammonia-nitrite-nitrate chain reaction going before you add any fish. Since ammonia and nitrite poisoning are the most common causes of fish death, doing this should mean you can add your fish and expect them to survive. You can even add delicate fish, if you're careful. You don't have to stick to tough little blighters that can cope with ammonia and nitrite - you can take your pick.
One big advantage is that newbies who start with fishless cycling tend to know far more about the chemistry of fish keeping before they get any actual fish (learning by doing, as it were) and this avoids the frequent discouragement and tragedy of buying a whole load of new fish, putting them in your new tank and watching them die, one by one.
You can speed up fishless cycling by getting some gravel and filter-innards from someone with an established tank. Spread the old gravel over the top of your new gravel and put the old filter innards in an old sock or stocking and suspend it near and air-stone (the bacteria need oxygenated water to survive). Also, crank the temperature up as bacteria work faster at high temperatures. Then add your clear ammonia, rotting fish food or whatever starter you are using for your cycling bacteria and stand back. You'll need an ammonia test kit, a nitrite test kit and an ammonia test kit. Once the ammonia has started to drop off, you should start detecting nitrite. As the nitrite drops off, you should start detecting nitrate.
Once there is
no nitrite and
no ammonia in your tank, your tank is officialled "Cycled" (fishless or otherwise!) and you can start to add fish. You would probably get a small nitrite spike the first day, but other than that, it should be plain sailing from then on. Plus, you've learned a valuable fish-keeping skill.
) question but iv never had fish before iv always wanted them though its just i have 9 other animals that i luv very much but im geting fish soon anyway what do u mean when u say the tank is cycled ? i kinda get it but 
...ok i dont get it what exacty is it ? thanx abunch 
