Fishless cycling

[Dondon2]

Hi everyone. I am doing my first fishless cycling as last time I was ignorant while setting up my other tank and did it with fish. Although all fish survived I promised myself I'm never going through the stress again!
So here I am in new territory. I am using ammonia and doing everything exactly as I should. I have tested the water tonight isingapi test kit and it's showing I have 4ppm of ammonia 0.50 of nitrites and 10ppm of nitrates. I have only been cycling a week and haven't seeded the tank is this normal or a bit quick?? I hope someone can help reassure me really haha thanks everyone!!

 

[Colin_T]

Oooh pretty colours

If you have another tank that has an established filter, just take half the filter media/ material from that tank and put it on the new tank. No need to cycle and you can add fish straight away.

If you do move some filter media across, don't add fish to the tank if it has ammonia or nitrite. Either let the bacteria develop and use up the ammonia and nitrite, or do a 100% water change with dechlorinated water, wait 24 hours, and then add fish.

Even adding some filter media from an established tank should help speed up the cycling process in the new tank. You can buy liquid filter bacteria supplements that can help speed up the process too.

When cycling an aquarium, don't bother testing for nitrates until the ammonia and nitrite have both gone up and come back down. Nitrate test kits will read nitrite as nitrate and give you a false reading.

 

[Dondon2]

Thank you for the advice. I was going to seed it but can't get fish for a week or so and I thought I'd do it the hard way I'm hoping to get a 250l tank next so thought I would practice with this one!
I never knew that about the nitrates so won't test again thank you! I have more plants coming tomorrow so hoping they will help. I did add a couple of rocks from my other tank so maybe they're helping.
First tropical tank only have cold water at the minute

 

[Colin_T]

Coldwater, tropical and marine tanks all cycle in exactlty the same way. The only difference between a coldwater and tropical tank is the heater and the type of fish you keep in them.

If you get a 250 litre tank, move some of the filter media from your other tanks into the big tank and you won't have to do a fishless cycle.

 

[Dondon2]

Thank you for the advice. I will do that!

 

[Dondon2]

Coldwater, tropical and marine tanks all cycle in exactlty the same way. The only difference between a coldwater and tropical tank is the heater and the type of fish you keep in them.

If you get a 250 litre tank, move some of the filter media from your other tanks into the big tank and you won't have to do a fishless cycle.

Ho Colin I wonder if you could help me one more time of possible please? I tested my water again 2 days ago and the ammonia showed lighter that above and the nitrites showed darker. I have just tested again and now it's showing no ammonia no nitrites and around 20 ppm + of nitrates. Does that mean it's cycled? It just seems far too quick! What would you do now? I have just dosed half the amount of ammonia again from when I first started to see if that shows anything tomorrow morning am I doing this correctly? Am I right in thinking if the ammonia doesn't show that means it's ready? Sorry for all the questions I just don't want to cycle with fish lol thank you!!

 

[Colin_T]

Add a dose of ammonia and test the water 24 hours later. If there is 0 ammonia and 0 nitrite 24 hours after you added 1 dose of ammonia, then the filter has cycled.

If the tank has cycled, then do a 90-100% water change using dechlorinated water, wait 24 hours and then add some fish. The big water change will remove the nitrates and give the fish a clean tank to live in.

 

[Dondon2]

Add a dose of ammonia and test the water 24 hours later. If there is 0 ammonia and 0 nitrite 24 hours after you added 1 dose of ammonia, then the filter has cycled.

If the tank has cycled, then do a 90-100% water change using dechlorinated water, wait 24 hours and then add some fish. The big water change will remove the nitrates and give the fish a clean tank to live in.

Thank you so much. Can I clean the filter as it has some plant matter stuck too it or would you leave that a bit? Thank you so much for the help I will soon have some happy fishes lol

 

[Colin_T]

Try not to clean the filter for the first 6-8 weeks because you can wash the beneficial filter bacteria out of it.

If absolutely necessary, get a bucket of tank water and gently shake the filter media/ material in the bucket of water. Then put the media back in the filter and tip the bucket of water on the garden/ lawn.

Try not to squeeze the new filter media out for at least 6-8 weeks. After that time, you can squeeze the media out in a bucket of tank water and the bacteria will be fine.

 

[Dondon2]

That's great. Thank you so much!!