fishless cycle... Pfft!

[!guppy!]

ok, i know you all go on about fishless cycles and getting the bacteria going and also the ammonia and nitrate lvls balanced...etc!

well i have had 3 tanks... the fishless cycles i have done have lasted the time it took the tank to get to the correct temperature...

my point being, i have had 3 fish tanks, all with the correct amount fish in not overstocked (cos thats harsh!) and the fish have all lived fine with no problems...

so the fishless cycle... Isnt it just a waste of time that you have to sit watching an empty tank for what seams like years wanting fish in there?!!!

lol sorry for this post but it has to be done because you all talk about how important it is and yes ive READ the article and i really think it is just a waste of time....

Sorry

 

[Vip]

I agree with you, i never have and never will cycle my tanks, i dont see the point in it, i have 9 tanks and over 150 fish (90% are cichlids) i dont think people should follow me i just wanted to add my 2 cents.

 

[Bangin]

Recently, I completed my first fishless cycle with plants. The process was so quick it's unbelieveable. All future tanks will be cycled with plants.

Your fish may not die from the exposure to hazardous readings, but that doesn't mean it hasn't affected them. Better safe than sorry, for me at least.

 

[luxum]

IMO, exposing fish to toxic levels of waste products which can permanently damage their gill function or outright kill them is cruel and unneeded since fishless cycling works so well.

 

[Phantom Thief]

The zebra danios i cycled my tank with are still with me, zippy as always. Its been 1 1/2 years too. I doubt i will ever fishless cycle.

P.T.

 

[rvm]

I didn't properly cycle my first tank as I didn't really understand what it was all about. The 2 tanks I've got since then I've known for about 1-2 weeks before that they are coming, so I just get a bit of extra filter media in an established tank, let it run for a while, then when the new tank comes, set it up and get it to temp, let the filter run for a day or so, then switch to the media from the old tank, and add some small hardy fish first. then leave it for a week or so before adding anything else!!!
Not had any deaths so far from doing it this way, and didn't have any on my first tank that I didn't cycle properly!!

 

[Fiddlesticks]

I would like to try a fishless cycle for my next tank. I think it would save my nerves from worrying so much about the fish. Last time I couldnt even sleep right. The last 2 cycles I did were with fish, because they were sort of unexpected. One was when I changed my substrate, and the tank decided on its own to cycle. So I made sure to seed with lots of gravel from a mature tank, and did water changes every second day religiously. It made for alot of bucket carrying, but was worth every bucket, because I didnt loose any fish, and all are very happy and healthy. Next time I set up though I will probably try fishless and skip all the frustration.