Cycling With No Ammoina Direct...

[timmystood]

I've just got a new tank and have fed it with loads of flake food (no fish in it)

How long will it take for this food to breakdown and disappear?

 

[Rodders]

I started to do that and it was taking too long, so I went and bought some ammonia and sped it up!!

 

[timmystood]

How long did it take for the food to disappear?

 

[voycey]

go and buy a handful of prawns or other shellfish from your local fish merchant and leave it in a stocking over the side - it provides all you need to fishless cycle a tank as it allows for other bacteria to appear that wont if you only use ammonia.

Ammonia is very fast and provides all you really need to cycle a tank ready for fish as the fish produce the other stuff needed for the other bacteria to grow. However short of pissing in your tank in the UK its very difficult to get hold of ammonia!