Cycling a tank

[acetennis2002]

I just got a 38 gal. tank and it's up n running now all i have to do is cycle it the put in fish. ive read about 2 kinds of cycling( fishless and using a few hardy fish) which one is fast or more effective? if i do a cycle with a few fish what kind of fish should i get and how many for my 38 gal. tank? if i do a fishless cycle what should i do i have no idea?

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

Fishless cycling is the fastest apparently and also the safest- you don't put any fish through the danger of dying through the cycle or the stress of nitrites and ammonia

 

[Tolak]

Check out this link http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=73365
Doing a fishless cycle keeps fish from being exposed to ammo & nitrites, which if they don't kill the fish during the cycling process will affect their health.

The biggest advantage to fishless cycling is that after the cycle is complete, you can fully stock the tank. Cycling with fish, you can only add a couple every week or 2, as the bacteria needs to catch up to the bio load.

Tolak

 

[debiasir]

go for fishless cycling and also ask your fish shop for some matured filter media and gravel (ine alsways give this out at a small cosyt) it will speed things up hopefully

 

[daudy_dojo]

do fishless but livebearers are fun and interesting... and very easy for a 1st time breeder

 

[mlee0332]

that's because livebearers are "easy" !

If you REALLY want babes, you need to get guppies... They promise you fry!

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

Yep, i doesn't matter if terrorists are taking over the world and the apocalispe is raising hell from its depths and tsnamis are washing the countrys away on the face of the planet and the nucleor war is raging across the earth- guppys will still be making fry for as long as they are alive .

 

[Angry_Platy]