How To Cycle A Tank?

[slakey]

Well this is how I cycle my tanks.

Put the substrate in, ornaments/wood/rocks and plants then put the needed dechlorinators and leave it for 6 weeks.

That's how they done it.
But do you need to put ammonia in to start it off, or fish food?

And I now about the whole used media from a filter etc.

 

[DarkEntity]

read the sticky on cycling tanks. Leaving it for 6weeks does nothing.

 

[slakey]

is there a possibility of sppeding up my tank, without using used media?
as i dont have used media.
nor any ammonia

 

[benniebru]

u could try biospira but i cannot back it up that it works or not, but u do gotta get a couple fish in there b. thats what starts the cycle. even with biospira u would need fish b/c with out fish poo the bacteria dies off but if u have no old media than a product like biospira is ur only bet for a quicker cycle but i cannot guarantee that it will work or not

 

[slakey]

yeah think I'm going to get some zebra danios to start the cycle.

just wish i could get rid of the patches first though. the only way i can think of, is to scoop out the patches, and hope it's not the entire water.

 

[DarkEntity]

Just goto Tesco and buy pure ammonia.

 

[slakey]

does anybody know what is causing the patches?

yesterdays nitrite, nitrate test:

nitrate: 40ppm - 80ppm
nitrite 0.25ppm - 0.50ppm

there's a snail living in there by the way (came in from the plants) so wouldn't he be producing some waste?