Fishless cycling frustrations

[sinfulhorse]

I have been fishless cycling since January 2 based on advice gleaned from the links in this forum

For the last TWO WEEKS my ammonia has been at 0.1 and my nitrites around 1 or 1.5

Does this sound reasonable to anyone with experience of fishless cycling?

The temptation to stick a little shoal in the tank (25 gallon) is overwhelming

Thanks

 

[breezer40]

I know its frustrating but patience will pay off From my own experience the smaller the tank the harder it is to get levels under control and sometimes it takes longer.

 

[Slyspy]

Yep the nitrite to nitrate part of the cycle takes the longest. Stick with it and all will be well. Do not succumb and put fish in the tank because you will just have to start again cycling with fish and all your time would have been wasted. Plus of course it might hurt the fish, which is what you were trying to avoid in the first place.

 

[Squirrelbuddies]

Yep the nitrite to nitrate part of the cycle takes the longest. Stick with it and all will be well.

Yes, it indeed seems to take forever. I'm on day 28 and still waiting...patience is wearing thin, but I know it will pay off in the end. Just keep dreaming of all those fishies soon to be in there!

 

[steelhealr]

Hi ..patience...took more than 6 weeks for my tank to cycle. Everyone's experience varies. Don't jump the gun. Good luck SH

 

[stangster]

I thought one of the reasons for doing a fishless cycle was so that it could be done in less time?
(the pinned thread says the guy took only 12-14 days)

What's the point of staring at a FISHLESS tank for 30 to 45 days
when it can be done the traditional way within that time WITH fish?

Am I missing something?

Wouldn't adding the bacteria along with the fish be easier?

C'mon folks...let's keep things in perspective. We are not going to hell if we accidentally kill a few fish that we take out of their natural habitat and place in very small enclosures for our own selfish reasons.

OR are we?

 

[Squirrelbuddies]

I cycled my 20 gallon with fish and it took over 6 weeks. It was painful to watch my fish die. It bothered me terribly. Every night I'd come home from work and wonder which fish was going to be stricken next. When my favorite female molly became ill, I decided I'd never go through fish cycling ever again.

My 55 gallon has been 4 weeks with fishless and it's almost done - so it's still less time plus I didn't watch any fish die.

It also gives you time to do a lot of research on the fish you want to keep. I guess you're right that no one would go to hell over cycling with fish -- for me it would be more likely due to the terrible things that I wish upon my boss. (hee-hee!)

But bottom line is it sucks to see your fish suffer when they don't have to.

 

[breezer40]

But bottom line is it sucks to see your fish suffer when they don't have to.

I agree! We may not go to hell for killing fish but to intentionally put them at risk is just plain barbaric.

 

[stangster]

...to intentionally put them at risk is just plain barbaric.

Barbaric?

Accidentally having a few fish die in a new cycling tank is no more barbaric than giving feeder fish to Oscars.

Poor goldfish and guppies.. The nerve of some people!

(again...perspective)

 

[canarsie11]

Fishless cycle is a strange thing.

My 17 gallon took 17 days

My 10 gallon originally took 11 days.

My 37 gallon took 14 days.

Now I am recycling my 10 gallon, (I cleaned it out when I moved) It has been 21 days. It is frustrating, dont give up.

 

[Slyspy]

...to intentionally put them at risk is just plain barbaric.

Barbaric?

Accidentally having a few fish die in a new cycling tank is no more barbaric than giving feeder fish to Oscars.

Poor goldfish and guppies.. The nerve of some people!

(again...perspective)

You wouldn't put any other pet in a room full of poison would you?

Note to self - do not feed the troll!

My tanks took between three and four weeks each fishless. It seems that smaller tanks take longer, but that might just be coincidence!

 

[stangster]

You wouldn't put any other pet in a room full of poison would you?

Would you feed a Pit Bull smaller, less expensive, undesireable mixed breed dogs?
What's the difference between that and feeding goldfish and guppies to other fish?

The difference is perspective.

Note to self - stop trying to reason with people in denial about their hobby.

You go ahead and stare at an empty tank, wasting electricity if you want.
(my wife would chew out my a** for such a task )
NONE of my fish have died doing it the tried and true way.

BTW, how many fish are needlessly suffering and dying on their trip from the farms
(or worse yet, snatched from their vast natural environments) in asia and africa
to your small tank to satisfy your own selfish pleasures?

 

[Raven Wood]

Exsqueeze me???!!!! I rightly do not appriciate the comment about APBTs. You should NEVER try to "feed" anything but FOOD to an APBT. If you do otherwise..you ought to be shot. Also...not all are very dog aggressive. Even those that are CAN be trained and managed. To do otherwise is detrmental to anyone who may become envolved. Personally I show a male who despises other male dogs and thinks small dogs are squeeky toys. Does he go around grabbing other dogs...uuuhhhh nope. He just tries to steal ribbons off the judges table and lift womens skirts and dresses as he knows better than to act nasty towards another animal. So he just finds other things to amuse himself with. For you to say such a thing just feeds the fear and hate for the breed I bust my rear day in and day out to save from monsters and horrible legislators trying to pass BSL.

As far as the fish thing...It is better to do a fishless cycle as you will save lives. To do otherwise is detrmental to those animals. Cripes...you would think it would be more logical to take these animals who may or may not have been taken fromt heir natural habitats and do your best to make them as happy and as comfortable as possible. Not just take them home only to kill them off. I can not see how you can gripe and state that having fish is oh so selfish when YOU yourself own some. Geeee how overly hypocritical of you. At least others who do fishless cycling give a crud about those fish they are putting into tanks. Feeder fish...they are captive bred. Specifically for that reason. Not all fish can survive on flakes alone. Some DO need those little feeders. It's a part of life. Oh darn...but maybe I just see that starving a fish otherwise as being crueler due to the fact I have fed mice to snakes, savannah monitors, ferrets, fish (yeah..some larger varieties like those little "pinkies"), and large frogs. Whats a little feeder fish ya know..especially when I bred those mice myself to make none were diseased were fed to anything. While we are at it...better never go fishing unless you NEVER use live bait or anything that came from an animal. Youa lso need to stop wearing shoes as most have leather on them which comes from a helpless cow. Do not eat anything meat based or has been fried or cooked in meat fat. Oooooo...lets not forget eggs..poor chickens...milk..poor cattle...also includes butter and cheese too...really anythign dairy. We can also include items that have been tested on animals and things that can and have caused great harm to others..oil anyone? Why supposrt companies that have carelessly spilled oil into our oceans. I mean..there is no end in sight.