Had Enough.........goodbye My New Friends.... :cry:

[Ginge]

Anybody here who says she isnt taking advice needs to re-read the whole thread. She has read all the advice given and she cant do everything suggested she takes the things that apply to her and she can do and she does them. I wouldnt use 6 wcmm to cycle a tank for 13 mbuna, don't know about anybody else.

 

[Miss Wiggle]

awwwwwww don't give up

 

[nmonks]

Me too!

Black mollies (for brackish/marine) and white clouds, goldfish, or white-cheek gobies for freshwater all seem to work well for me.

Cheers,

Neale

I've never been a supporter of the fishless cycle for this very reason, using a few small hardy fish is a lot easier and prevents the despair of waiting 7 weeks for a tank to cycle.

finally someone else who doesnt like fishless cycling im so happy

 

[dwarfgourami]

Thanks for that. I think fishless cycling should have a health warning attached
quote]

Yes, it should lol. But then again, so should cycling with fish (we see plenty of the frustrations associated with that), and keeping fish in general, and keeping other pets, and having children- in short, anything that involves caring for living creatures. Not for the fainthearted, definitely. But infinitely worth it in the end.

 

[Cheffi]

You know the worse reason I feel frustrated is because poor ginge has been waiting for weeks and weeks for this to cycle (I'm having all his fish) and I feel so bad for making him wait cause it's his birthday in a few days and he so badly wants to get his planted tank going and his new fish. And (never start a sentance with and) not once has he complained, he's been full of support (as has most people on here thankyou) and despite everything I hope he has a fab birthday and can start his new tank soon.

Thanks for that. I think fishless cycling should have a health warning attached
quote]

Yes, it should lol. But then again, so should cycling with fish (we see plenty of the frustrations associated with that), and keeping fish in general, and keeping other pets, and having children- in short, anything that involves caring for living creatures. Not for the fainthearted, definitely. But infinitely worth it in the end.

You know keeping horses and pedigree cats was a lot less hassle oh and bringing up two children.

 

[dwarfgourami]

[/quote]


You know keeping horses and pedigree cats was a lot less hassle oh and bringing up two children.
[/quote]

Maybe I should have gone for those instead Well, I did do the two kids, but my daughter actually has more health problems than the fish. And a horse wouldn't fit onto the sideboard.

 

[Cheffi]

for the horse on sideboard and for your daughter.

 

[CFC]

Cheffi i dont know if its a possibility for you but if you can get yourself to SW London i will be more than happy to cut you off a square of filter media from the filter on my ray tank, as you may know rays need near perfect water quality and are very sensative to chemicals so this tank has never seen as much as a drop of medication let alone any disease.
I can guarentee that if you add a piece of mature media to the filter your tank will be nitrite free within a day or two once the bacteria get going.

 

[Cheffi]

Cheffi i dont know if its a possibility for you but if you can get yourself to SW London i will be more than happy to cut you off a square of filter media from the filter on my ray tank, as you may know rays need near perfect water quality and are very sensative to chemicals so this tank has never seen as much as a drop of medication let alone any disease.
I can guarentee that if you add a piece of mature media to the filter your tank will be nitrite free within a day or two once the bacteria get going.

Awww thanks so much for the offer but you are far too far away and it would take me over 2 hrs of driving with no traffic jams I'd think. Now there's a thought though. Isn't there anyone on here with a mature tank willing to give me some filter media within say 30 miles of Bath or Chippenham?

 

[cheeky_chappie]

don't give up ... perhaps start from scratch but don't give up. a couple of months ago someone on here posted a reply to someone who was also having major probs. the guy who posted the reply had been fishkeeping for decades and i tend to agree with what he said. this is supposed to be an enjoyable pastime / hobby, yes the welfare of the livestock is obviously paramount but it's supposed to be an enjoyable thing to do (keeping fish that is.) to me, people who come on to this forum for the first time must be freaked out by all the posts relating to measuring, monitoring, re-measuring, re-monitoring etc etc.

i filled up my tank just over a year ago, all i did was follow the instructions given by juwel (and no to those thinking that's shocking ... i don't apologise for doing so.) slapped in a few hardy fish and went from there, regular water changes and filter changes as per the juwel instructions. that's all i've ever did and touch wood the high majority of the fish i've put in are still there, swimming around, looking healthy enough.

so don't give up ... however DO give up on worrying about this cycling stuff, monitoring things 20 times a day etc. start simple with a few hardy fish to get the cycle going, change a % of the water regularly, clean the gravel and watch your filter media ... you should be fine.

we're keeping fish, not running a mini chemical plant. and please, no oh but we are running a mini chemical plant!! replies.

 

[Bloo]

Now there's a thought though. Isn't there anyone on here with a mature tank willing to give me some filter media within say 30 miles of Bath or Chippenham?

Ask in the Buy/Sell section (though obviously you shouldn't need to pay for it!)

 

[Cheffi]

Thanks bloo good thinking.

 

[GoinNuts]

Have to say I tend to agree with Cheeky. About 3 years ago, my kids had a betta in a 1 gal and 2 fancies in a 5 gal. They outgrew those homes fairly quickly, so I went and bought a 20 gal, set it up, filled it with water straight from the tap, added some Prime and then the fish. I have not had a single problem with them or the tank. Ever.

Now, a few months ago I got a 55 gal and decided to research things this time around, just because. Well, I did the cycling and the testing and the whole headachy process. It has been a disaster. I lost my first tank full of communities so we decided to go with cichlids.

Same thing. I drove myself batty trying to do everything right and ended up with sick and unhappy fish. I finally threw my hands up and put my 5 remaining cichlids in my 20 gal and my betta and fancies in the 55. Everyone is happy now and I'm just not going to fret over anything but water changes and feeding now. It definitely seems to work better when less complicated. At least for me and my fish it does.

Lisa

 

[Majjie]

I've done fishless cycling on six tanks - too stupid too work out how to clone (it was before I joined this forum ) and nervous about disturbing the existing tanks (none had been set up for long).

Some of them took much longer than others - I have no idea why. I think sometimes it's too much ammonia so that the nitrite builds up to ginormous levels and the baby bacterial colony just can't cope.

I think it's a good idea to change the water - bring the nitrite level right down - and just keep adding a low level of ammonia to keep the ammonia eating bacteria going. What harm can changing the water do? The bacteria aren't in the water and you know you've already got loads of bacteria just waiting to produce more nitrite

As to which is easiest fishless or fishy cycling - I don't think there's much difference in the work involved. You either have to keep testing for the ammonia and then the nitrite going up and then down OR you have to keep checking the ammonia and nitrite to check that they're not going up too much. You can't win

The advantage of fishless cycling is no stressed fish and you can stock at high levels straight away.

 

[Mako Man111]

Ask a friend or your local fish store for some mature filter media, a small piece of sponge cut off or a handfull of ceramic rings etc will be enough. This will seed your filter with the good bacteria you need which will multiply quickly and cycle the tank.

I've never been a supporter of the fishless cycle for this very reason, using a few small hardy fish is a lot easier and prevents the despair of waiting 7 weeks for a tank to cycle.

finally someone else who doesnt like fishless cycling im so happy

Count me in too lol. I just seeded my betta's 5 gallon tank from my mature 20(which I cycled with some hardy danios ). I did it about 5 days ago and ammonia and nitrites are all at zero. Just tested 15 minutes ago.