Didn't Cycle (now What?)

[xptweakerntn]

So I broke the biggest commandment of all, adding fish before cycling. I was planning on cycling, as I've had a tank before, but somehow forgot in all the hassle. So I've a 55 gallon tank (4 foot by about 12 inches high), and 2 tiger barbs, and 2 (Jack Damsey's?). As this is a 55 gallon, won't this dilute a lot of amonia? I just changed some water, but I've a feeling I've screwed up. I've had the tank for 2 days, fish for 1. Will daily smaill water changes (about 5 gallons each) continued for about 4 weeks work?

 

[charlie4486]

i would just return the fish and cycle the tank. you can always buy fish again. i made the mistake of doing a fish in cycle (didn't know about fishless cycle or the harm it would cause). if i had it all to do over again i would have returned the fish and done it without fish.

 

[xptweakerntn]

Well, besides the fact that these fish COULD have shorter lives, is there any other harm that could be done? I mean, given I change some water daily, and also feed them less (less waste), and do this for a few weeks, what else could happen? And what if (one, all?) of the fish die, any longer term effects there? I'm saying, wouldn't it be good for the cycling if I keep fish in there, and if they die, let the tank cycle a few weeks? Like, instead of buying ammonia, let the fish produce it?

 

[xptweakerntn]

Oh, and I just remembered this: As I work very close to a lfs, if I were to change some water tomorrow morning, then tomorrow evening stop and get some (gravel, water, etc) from it, would that significantly help me out here? If so, what should I get/ask for, and what is recommended that I do with it? Please reply quickly, and in great detail so that I can do it tomorrow on the way home from work, meaning that I need to read this before I leave for school in the morning. I won't have time to come home and read it then, because the lfs closes shortly after work.

 

[Amunet]

You talking about getting water from one of their established tanks?
That won't do much as the bacteria mainly lives in the filter media.
If you could get the LFS to give you some of their filter media, that should really help you out and should be enough to insta-cycle your tank.
But with so little fish in the tank, alot of the bacteria on the media will die.
So I dunno.... personally, I would just take the fish back and fishless cycle b/c I just wouldn't trust getting media from a petstore that even though they're good and take care of their fish, there's always a chance that they could've gotten sick fish in and blah blah blah....
It's up to you though.... GL with whatever you do

 

[xptweakerntn]

Well, that's what I was talking about, the filter media. I don't know if he'd give it to me or not, but I could try. If I were to get some media, wouldn't this make my 55 gallon "cycled", so then I could get a few More fish for some more ammonia. I guess the whole "sick fish" thing is a possibility, I never quarantine anything, so I take just as much chance when I buy a fish, don't it? I still can't believe I skipped cycling, I've done all this before!

 

[Amunet]

Yeah.. established filter media should insta-cycle your tank.
I've done it with my 3, 5, and 10gallon tanks and haven't had a problem with any of them going through any sort of mini-cycle. I get the extra media from our 28gal. I just stick extra media into the filters and take out some whenever I need it

I'm just uber paranoid about the media from fishstores thing though lol.. I'm sure it'll be fine if you can get some Just make sure he bags it up in some water and take it straight home and plop it into your filter.

A few more fish would probably be a good idea. Not too many though.. and of course test the water frequently to make sure everything is ok