Help - Fishless Cyclin

[steve_b21]

Right i need some urgent help here people.

Set tank up , filter, air stone, heater and water is in.

Guy at my local fish store got me to buy some Easy Life - Fluid Filter Medium - Conditioner - Tonic - Prophylactic. CLICK HERE FOR DESCRIPTION

He told me that this is all in 1 de chlorinater, ammonia etc. Which i have since been told it is not!

My question is should i replace the water and start again? or should i just add de-chlorinater and ammonia?

Tested water for ammonia a few days ago and it was 0

Thanks in advance for any help

 

[Dark Wolf]

Hmmm, sounds a bit like one of these miracle potions in a bottle. When you bough it, did they take it out of a fridge?

What it definitely doesn't have is ammonia, it apparently just removes it, so you actually have no ammonia to start your fishless cycle. What i'd do is empty your water, clean the stuff in your tank, and start again using just de-chlroniator and a source of ammonia.

 

[steve_b21]

Hmmm, sounds a bit like one of these miracle potions in a bottle. When you bough it, did they take it out of a fridge?

What it definitely doesn't have is ammonia, it apparently just removes it, so you actually have no ammonia to start your fishless cycle. What i'd do is empty your water, clean the stuff in your tank, and start again using just de-chlroniator and a source of ammonia.

As the water has no ammonia in it, do you not think i will be to just carry on like normal?

My tank is in the wall, and its a big job to empty it all out and start over

 

[steve_b21]

I just called SHirley Aaquatics where i got this Easy Life Fluid from , and the gentleman has advised me to wait 2 weeks when i will see some change in the tank readings.

I have just tested and at the moment the reading for Ammonia, Nitrate and Nitrite are all 0

 

[**sarahp**]

What i'd do is empty your water, clean the stuff in your tank, and start again using just de-chlroniator and a source of ammonia.

Agreed

Steve the reason your readings are 0 is that they came out of the tap 0 and you have not done anything to change them

The cycling process is simply the growth of bacteria that change ammonia to nitrIte and then different bacteria change nitrIte to nitrAte (very simplistic!) Without a source of ammonia to start the process going your readings will never change from 0 BUT this doesnt mean that the water is fit for fish. If you wait 2 weeks and then re-test as the lfs have advised your readings will still by 0 - but again your will still not have done anything to start the cycle it will simply be 2 week old water!!!

Hope that makes sense

If you intend to fishless cycle (which I hope you do) you do need to remove the water and wash any ornaments and plants off then refill. The reason is (although I havent read the full description of the bottle of stuff that you added) is that it probably contains some kind of ammonia 'locker'. This simply turns ammonIA to relatively harmless ammonIUM. If you leave this stuff in your tank and then go and add ammonia froma bottle the cycle will not begin because the ammonia will be locked before it can be processed properly.

So - sorry to be the bearer of bad news but I think you need to empty and refill -

 

[steve_b21]

What i'd do is empty your water, clean the stuff in your tank, and start again using just de-chlroniator and a source of ammonia.

Agreed

Steve the reason your readings are 0 is that they came out of the tap 0 and you have not done anything to change them

The cycling process is simply the growth of bacteria that change ammonia to nitrIte and then different bacteria change nitrIte to nitrAte (very simplistic!) Without a source of ammonia to start the process going your readings will never change from 0 BUT this doesnt mean that the water is fit for fish. If you wait 2 weeks and then re-test as the lfs have advised your readings will still by 0 - but again your will still not have done anything to start the cycle it will simply be 2 week old water!!!

Hope that makes sense

If you intend to fishless cycle (which I hope you do) you do need to remove the water and wash any ornaments and plants off then refill. The reason is (although I havent read the full description of the bottle of stuff that you added) is that it probably contains some kind of ammonia 'locker'. This simply turns ammonIA to relatively harmless ammonIUM. If you leave this stuff in your tank and then go and add ammonia froma bottle the cycle will not begin because the ammonia will be locked before it can be processed properly.

So - sorry to be the bearer of bad news but I think you need to empty and refill -

Thanks for that, makes things a little clearer. I had a idea that waiting 2 weeks would just be a waste of time. So can some one tell me what use exactly is this Easy Life fluid ?

On the bottle it sais...

removes ammonium
immobilizes harmful bacteria
accelerates growth of bacteria

 

[**sarahp**]

So can some one tell me what use exactly is this Easy Life fluid ?

cynical answer - a waste of time for the user but a good earner for the company that made it and the shop that sells

 

[Dark Wolf]

the accelarates growth of bacteria part is, as sarah p put it, a waste of time. The reason for having something that "removes" ammonia is because
a) some people buy this straight away, so that they think it's safe to put fish in right from the start, whilst to an extent this is true, you are then stuck having to constantly use this product
B) Sometimes things can just go wrong in your tank, and you can get ammonia spikes, this is a quick fix for that problem if you are worried about the well being of your fish

 

[rdd1952]

As mentioned, the Easy Life is a waste. Below is a from their tech data sheet on it:

* 100% natural
* does not contain any chemicals or bacteria
* works for instance as a maintenance tonic, fertilizer, water conditioner, protector, appetite promoter, breeding promoter and water clearer
* very safe, also for children
* not harmful to the environment
* very effective in all fresh water and marine systems
* unlimited shelf-life

It is absolutely useless in the cycling process and can actually be a deterent to your tank cycling. It says it "absorbs many contaminants". If it is absorbing ammonia, then the bacteria will never develop and any media that is absorbing things will have to be changed on a very regular basis which means you throw your bacteria in the trash and "uncycle" your tank every time you do.

 

[steve_b21]

Right, thanks for the replies.

So basically as suggested before, i should drain out all the water.... wash teh gravel, filter etc and start over again... using de-chlorinater and ammonia? Like i would have done, if it wasnt for the guy at my local fish store.

 

[rdd1952]

I don't know that you necessarily need to drain the tank. I would change the media so that stuff is gone. Other than that, you should be albe to just add ammonia and start cycling.

 

[steve_b21]

I don't know that you necessarily need to drain the tank. I would change the media so that stuff is gone. Other than that, you should be albe to just add ammonia and start cycling.

The water should be chlorine free.

Can i just wash the filter media? or is it best to replace?

What about if this ammonia 'lock' ?

 

[rdd1952]

If the media is a type that "absorbs" then you want to get rid of it. It would be completely saturated in a short period of time and hae to be replaced. Ceramic media is the best. As mentioned, you would need to dechlorinate the water. As for the ammo-lock, since you don't have fish it isn't necessary and would be a waste of money.

 

[steve_b21]

If the media is a type that "absorbs" then you want to get rid of it. It would be completely saturated in a short period of time and hae to be replaced. Ceramic media is the best. As mentioned, you would need to dechlorinate the water. As for the ammo-lock, since you don't have fish it isn't necessary and would be a waste of money.

Apologies if i ask any silly questions, but im still a bit new to this.

I have a fluval3 filter, which at the moment contains 2 foam pads. Shall i get these replaced? or just wash them off?

 

[rdd1952]

Just wash the foam pads off. No need to replace them. Only concern would be with media that absorbs chemicals like ammonia.