Slight Problem With Cycling...but With A Difference

[twistedlink]

I dont know if this is a new question for cycling, but under my knowledge from these boards fishless cycling prepares your tank for a full stockload of fish.

The thing is, once my tank is cycled, i dont want to fully stock my tank, i want to stock it to about 50% of the maximum and decide on other fish later on, incase i change my mind or something.

So in the end my bacteria (half of it) will die off anyway, and when i introduce more fish, a mini cycle will occur anyway where more bacteria have to be colonised to deal with the extra ammonia.

So how is this helping any better than gradually adding fish like the old method?

The only way fishless cycling is going to be truly effective is if you stock the entire tank right off on day 1 once the cycle has completed.

 

[OldMan47]

Twistedlink, the fishless is going to make the first days of your original half of the stocking much less stressful. If you gradually add to the stocking later, there will be almost no change in water parameters. The bacteria can double their numbers in about 24 hours so once you are established, if you don't add too much at once, they will keep up pretty well. Its only the initial population that is hard to get going. It relies on the random few bacteria that happen to be present doubling in number every day until they get numerous enough to start having a noticeable effect. Often, in the next day or two, you have a fully functional bacterial colony. The same is true of the nitrite converters.Once their numbers are big enough to start bringing down the nitrites, they will be fully established in a day or 2 more.

 

[chrisn20]

I am glad that you asked this because I had been thinking the same thing. I have just finished my fishless cycling and some of the fish I want to add require a 'mature' tank.

I have been advised against adding cories, neons and rams for about 3 months. That pretty much was all I wanted to keep though, apart from maybe a few rasbora, so I have had to change my stocking list.

My tank is only 96L so a shoal of cories, a shoal of neons and a pair of rams was pretty much full stock level for me, so I have been told.

I was beginning to ask myself if it was worth all the hassle of a fishless cycle.

 

[betta_luvr]

If I need to do a fishless cycle to prepare for one fish in a 4 Gallon tank, I'm pretty sure you need to do one too.

 

[OldMan47]

chrisn, the rasboras or cories should be OK in a newly cycled tank. I have to agree with others that neons or rams would be better off with a mature tank and would take it slow on the cories and neons. Be aware that the poor quality of neons that are often available will cause high loss rates even if your water is perfect.