Cycling Poll

[Axleuk]

Some very intersting results popping up. Will be nice to see more votes.

 

[blodhi74]

When i first got my tank (2 1/2 years ago), I setup the tank and dumped fish in it.
Massive fish loss
After doing a lot of research, I cycled the tank with the remaining fish.
For the 2nd tank I set up a few months back, I matured the filter media in the old tank.

 

[Corleone]

I'm surprised nobody's voted "fishless cycle with no problems" yet. There is a good bit that can go wrong, though maybe the perspective of how much more can go wrong cycling with fish pushes the occasional stall or pH crash out of their mind.

 

[Genesis]

Live bacteria with success

I used 'Filter start' and 'Cycle' and they worked a treat!
Did tests over the next few days and they all showed up fine.

 

[chipper_222]

Live bacteria with success also! Did a 'fish in cycle' with 12 fish and using Stresszyme. My Ammonia and Nitrite levels never got up about 0.15mg/L. 10 months later all fish doing well.

Fish in cycles can be successful.

Chip

 

[Axleuk]

**shameless Bump**

 

[nickelplates]

Fish in cycle with about 15% max stock level of peppered cories and green neons. Ammonia peak at 0.3mg/l after 15 days; Nitrite at 1.5mg/l after 30 days, both were only anywhere near the peak value for a very short time. Fully cycled at 47 days, ie this was the last time I detected Nitrite in the tank. Lots of testing and water changes but no real hassles and none of the fish I cycled with have shown any sign of stress ever, yes I still have them all six months after the end of the cycle, I now have a lot more fish and have suffered a small number of losses but these have been fish added after the tank was fully cycled.

One new tank since the first one, cloned of course.

I suppose I count as an experienced fish keeper as the above cycle was when I returned to the hobby after a seven year break.

 

[mike os]

fishless cycle.... for several years and a couple of dozen tanks with no problems other than patience LOL

some have been seeded from other tanks, but generally I let nature take its course, then I can be sure that a full stock level can be handled right from the start.

Afraid I disapprove of fish based cycling, as we know it causes stress and there are other methods available that are at least as effective.

I have tried bactinettes and other "cycle" products, but shall not bother again because IMO the cost far outweighs any benefits I have seen to date.

 

[Efren]

well i used Bactinettes -
and it's only been a week-- so i wouldn't say it's
a Success just yet-- although readings are great
so far - for those curious about my results-- you can check my
journal by clicking on my signature below---

but hey! this is a Poll so i'll vote for Bactinette with success -
fingers cross it wouldn't back fire on me...

 

[tyyrlym]

Fish in cycling with success, no fish loss.

My ammonia never got over 0.25 ppm and never necessitated an unscheduled water change. My nitrites did spike up to around 0.5 ppm twice and there was a water change each time. Total cycling time was around 30 days. Part of what probably contributed to the levels remaining low was that the tank was cycled with a single neon tetra (not by choice) and three male platys. I've already got excess media in my filter waiting for tank #2 and to jumpstart it.

I will say this, I'd never recommend fish in cycling to anyone. It's way more stress than you need to take on because it stops being about cycling the tank and being about keeping the fish alive. I knew better but did it anyways because between deciding to get a tank and actually having one in my house was over a month of waiting and anticipation. Waiting another month or two to cycle before I had fish wasn't something I wanted to do and I jumped the gun.

 

[Ludwig Venter]

Said so before & I say it again...... Never cycled.... Buy brand new tank... Brand new gravel, filters and heaters etc. etc... Wash the gravel set up the tank, and when the water temp reaches the desired 26/27 deg C, I add the fish.... In almost 40 years fish keeping..... cannot say I lost any more (or less) than the average aquarist going through the rituals.....

Been taken to task before for saying this (in public) so I would not recommend it...."DON"T DO THIS AT HOME!!" Smoking can be harmful to those around you.

 

[shelaghfishface]

it says ive voted and i havent! ,anyway ill confess to buying a tank( 170L) filling it with water then (on my lfs advice) putting 8 neons in the next day, then 4 gouramis, then guppies, then silver sharks, i lost them all eventually, they lasted about 2 months and the guppies lasted till last month, but i wouldnt use bacinettes (sp) myself ,only because i worked so so hard to understand about the cycle process,tho having said that i have never done one yet, i have done a spike, but thats about it all my others are clones, i purposly bought filters that i could use to clone without toomuch effort ( i mean not odd shaped media etc)

just my opinion tho, nothing wrong with doing it your own way i spose

shwlagh xxx

 

[Axleuk]

Said so before & I say it again...... Never cycled.... Buy brand new tank... Brand new gravel, filters and heaters etc. etc... Wash the gravel set up the tank, and when the water temp reaches the desired 26/27 deg C, I add the fish.... In almost 40 years fish keeping..... cannot say I lost any more (or less) than the average aquarist going through the rituals.....

Been taken to task before for saying this (in public) so I would not recommend it...."DON"T DO THIS AT HOME!!" Smoking can be harmful to those around you.

Dont worry about it, the cavemen were keeping their tropical fish this way for hundreds of years and i dont see them complaining.

 

[backtotropical]

I have voted 'Fishless Cycle with Success'.

I fishless cycled using prawns and squid. It worked fine. I had no problems at all. If i could do it over again, i'd definitely use bottled ammonia, probably with Bactinettes and as much mature media as i could lay my hands on, but hindsight is a great thing.

Another cat amongst the pigeons here. Should 'Fish In Cycle with Success' really be an option? Given that even the smallest concentrations of ammonia can have a detrimental effect on the long-term health of the fish, can we really call it successful? I wouldn't. It should really be 'Fish In Cycle with No Deaths'.

People commonly think that because the fish didn't die, they're fine, but its really not the case.

Heres a little analogy i like to use. I could tie up my daughter, lock her in a dark cupboard, feed her only bread and water, and burn her with a lighter daily. Would she die? No. Would it be an acceptable way to look after a child? NO.

Just because she didn't die doesn't mean its fine. Its not.

BTT

 

[Axleuk]

I have voted 'Fishless Cycle with Success'.

I fishless cycled using prawns and squid. It worked fine. I had no problems at all. If i could do it over again, i'd definitely use bottled ammonia, probably with Bactinettes and as much mature media as i could lay my hands on, but hindsight is a great thing.

Another cat amongst the pigeons here. Should 'Fish In Cycle with Success' really be an option? Given that even the smallest concentrations of ammonia can have a detrimental effect on the long-term health of the fish, can we really call it successful? I wouldn't. It should really be 'Fish In Cycle with No Deaths'.

People commonly think that because the fish didn't die, they're fine, but its really not the case.

Heres a little analogy i like to use. I could tie up my daughter, lock her in a dark cupboard, feed her only bread and water, and burn her with a lighter daily. Would she die? No. Would it be an acceptable way to look after a child? NO.

Just because she didn't die doesn't mean its fine. Its not.

BTT

This is probably going to be my next project. How can you prove if a fish is not in good health if it shows no sign of discomfort? I personally, and if i can be proved wrong i would welcome the evidence, dont believe there is any scientific evidence to show that a fish is in pain.

Dont post your thoughts here, i will make a new thread for this topic.
P.S. BTT, if i was your daughter, i would be very very worried right now. Is your name really Josef Fritzl? Lock Up Your Daughters Society