Cycling Fish Tank

[ghhghh]

hi i'm getting a new 80 litre
tank and I'm wondering if I can have plants while
doing it?

 

[erk628]

hi i'm getting a new 80 litre
tank and I'm wondering if I can have plants while
doing it?

What cycling method will you be using?

 

[fatheadminnow]

hi i'm getting a new 80 litre
tank and I'm wondering if I can have plants while
doing it?

If you are going to be a doing a fishless cycle, as I hope and presume you are, then I would say no to live plants, here's why:

Plants need light to live, to perform photosynthesis, this is obvious, but light and high/fluctuating levels of ammonia within a cycling tank do not mix.

Light + Ammonia = Algae.

So, if you have live plants in your tank during a fishless cycle, then you are most likely going to have algae problems.

http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/299827-why-we-should-not-fishless-cycle-planted-tanks/

-FHM

 

[ghhghh]

Yes I was going to do a fishless cycle
thx for the quick response
okay that brings me onto something else how can
I speed the cycle up
I know I can use some of the filter fluff from
tank my other tank, and to drop flake food every
24 hours and add some bacteria from shops
but apart from that how else can I speed it up?

 

[fatheadminnow]

Yes I was going to do a fishless cycle
thx for the quick response
okay that brings me onto something else how can
I speed the cycle up
I know I can use some of the filter fluff from
tank my other tank, and to drop flake food every
24 hours and add some bacteria from shops
but apart from that how else can I speed it up?

A fishless cycle requires a source of ammonia, the best to use is pure ammonia that is usually 9.5%-10% diluted with water. This can be bought at your local hardware store.

The only thing right now that will speed up a fishless cycle is MM (Mature filter media). Take some mature filter media from your other tank(s) and place it into your filter on your cycling tank. This should greatly speed up the cycle.

The addition of products that "claim" they can cycle a tank faster or no good and will not work.

Have a pH at or near 8.4 and a tank temp of 84F/29C will yield the best possible growing conditions for your bacteria.

And don't forget a good LIQUID test kit, unless you already have one.

-FHM

 

[ghhghh]

Wow another quick reply
okay so I'll add the mature filter media when I'm doing
a filter change for the other tank.
Will household ammonia from my pharmacy be alright?
And one more thing. How long should I expect this process
to take?
Thx in advance

 

[fatheadminnow]

Wow another quick reply
okay so I'll add the mature filter media when I'm doing
a filter change for the other tank.
Will household ammonia from my pharmacy be alright?
And one more thing. How long should I expect this process
to take?
Thx in advance

Make sure when you get some media from your other filter, that you don't take out anymore than 1/3. Then of course buy some new media and place it where you took some out.

Make sure the ingredients for the ammonia are just Ammonia and water. If you are still unsure give the bottle a good shake. If it foams up, then it is no good. If there are air bubbles that appear and then disappear within 3-4 seconds, then it is okay to use.

A fishless cycle if done properly will take about 4-6 weeks, but if you add mature filter media, then it should take less.

-FHM

 

[ghhghh]

Thank you so much
Looking forward to my
orca mt50

 

[fatheadminnow]

Thank you so much
Looking forward to my
orca mt50

Your welcome!

Have fun!

-FHM

 

[ghhghh]

Thx

 

[OldMan47]

I just noticed you said something about a filter change on the existing tank. It is not a good idea to change filter media in a filter in general. Filter media should be rinsed clean in used tank water and returned to where it came from, unless it is falling apart. Otherwise, the bacteria colonies that you work so hard to get established end up tossed with the old filter materials.

 

[ghhghh]

Good point but
when i'm doing a cartirige change I'll do it

 

[waterdrop]

I don't understand. When you clean filter cartridges, you squeeze them out, not change them. Is cleaning them what you mean?

~~waterdrop~~

 

[OldMan47]

Try cleaning the cartridge in the new tank and then put it back where you got it. I was quite serious about not changing filter media unless it is falling apart. The "filter squeezings" going into the new filter will give you a very nice head start on the cycle. Don't be too surprised if that approach gets you a cycled tank in about a week. It almost always comes out that way for me.