Starting Up With Tufa Rock

[richard t]

My main objection was CHEAP FISH, this phrase would imply that you would not care if they die during cycling? IF you are strapped for cash, why rush? Impulsiveness is one of my faults, i have been making mistakes for years and will probably continue. This is why i joined this forum. Why do you not try to save some money before you make the change to marine? Then, when you have the money, you can purchase the LR (LIVE ROCK) you need. Patience is a virtue, so the time you spend saving can be put to good use researching, which in the end will result in a better tank with happier inhabitants! good luck.

 

[J-Money]

Sorry to confuse you, yes LR means Live Rock, not Lava Rock. The reason i asked about the returning the damsels is because that's what alot of people do, they use the fish to cycle the tank, then trade them back in at their LFS for whatever they can get .

first off, its not good for the fish, even if people say they are hardy . 2nd of all, what are you going to do when you're done cycling? you gonna catch all 4 fish and take them back (and if you already have your rock set up in caves and such you may have to tear it down anyway to get to them)? damsels are very territorial and those 4 will probably bully just about anything you put in the tank after them since they will already have their ish established There's other ways to cycle your tank if you don't want to use LR. Maybe get some Live Sand to help kick start it. the other thing about adding LR later is that if it isn't fully cured when you put it in your tank you will most likely have another cycling which will hurt anything not "hardy". I suggest you read all the pinned topics to figure out what you're getting into...good luck

hmm am i the one confused or is it everyone from the US. I have no intention of returning the damzels, why would i? and where was it mentioned you could use LR for cycling? i didnt read that.

every reply seems to steer away from what im trying to ask. but ty anyway, admn plz close this thread

 

[macpegg]

"JAMIE YOU REALLY DO NEED TO READ UP" Altough cycling your tank can be done with CHEAP fish, (cheap or expensive, wrong is wrong, as cruel is cruel)

Thats kinda offensive.
Thats your opinion. Its not fact, so you can't speak of it as fact.
I still choose to cycle my tanks with fish. Its not cruel, its life.
We tend to give animals human charectoristsics, that are human.
Its kinda silly really.

Chac, as you said, they are very territorial.
But how many people usually keep their 'starter' fish in their display/final tanks?

I kept my starter fish??!! everything is cool though.. i didn`t want give them back.. i gort attached!

 

[J-Money]

were your starter fish damsels and did you cycle with them? I still have the first fish i put in my tank too, but it wuz fully cycled cuz i cycled it with 120lbs of LR

 

[j@mie]

"JAMIE YOU REALLY DO NEED TO READ UP" Altough cycling your tank can be done with CHEAP fish, (cheap or expensive, wrong is wrong, as cruel is cruel)

Thats kinda offensive.
Thats your opinion. Its not fact, so you can't speak of it as fact.
I still choose to cycle my tanks with fish. Its not cruel, its life.
We tend to give animals human charectoristsics, that are human.
Its kinda silly really.

Chac, as you said, they are very territorial.
But how many people usually keep their 'starter' fish in their display/final tanks?

thank you very much, its nice to see someone understanding where im coming from. ty

 

[Ethos]

No problem.
I'm one of the few members on this forum who actually do use fish for cycling.
Many people have turned from using fish to using chemicals. I'm a big fan of not using chemicals in the aquarium, even when they make things go faster. I do use stress coat and dechlorinator, but nothing else.

I'm new to the SW side of fishkeeping myself.. I only know what I've been told and what I've found from expeirence.
I think, it might just be easier and less contraversial if you use LR to cycle your tank. I myself love to aquascape, so taking out the rock and 'redoecorating seems more like a fun task then a chore.

 

[macpegg]

I used LR for a while, and then when i thought the water was spot on i placed damsels in the tank, i wouldn`t have endangered thier lives if i personnely thought i would kill them. so i guess i cycled with LR.

 

[Lynden]

I support you, j@mie. And i agree with Ethos. Tigerknife, that was indeed an offensive, opinionated statement with nothing to back it up.

Like Ethos, i too use fish for a cycle. You need a steady supply of ammonia for a cycle to happen, and fish are by far the most effecient way of doing this. It may hurt the fish a little, however they will get better, and if they dont, well, its really not that big of a deal. Its one fish out of trillions, you wont go to hell if your a beginner and you hurt a fish on accident. We have all done it. And im someone who cant bear to kill an annoying fly, so its not true that i enjoy harming animals, or think of myself rather than the fish.

So everyone who has or will give any fishcyclers a hard time on this thread can just go away.

Cycling can be accomplished with uncured live rock, its really up to the beholder what he wants to do with it.
I have seen wonderful reefs that have been fish cycled, and wonderful reefs that have been cycled with LR.
So whatever you choose, itll probably work out.

-Lynden

 

[Chac]

I support you, j@mie. And i agree with Ethos. Tigerknife, that was indeed an offensive, opinionated statement with nothing to back it up.

Like Ethos, i too use fish for a cycle. You need a steady supply of ammonia for a cycle to happen, and fish are by far the most effecient way of doing this. It may hurt the fish a little, however they will get better, and if they dont, well, its really not that big of a deal. Its one fish out of trillions, you wont go to hell if your a beginner and you hurt a fish on accident. We have all done it. And im someone who cant bear to kill an annoying fly, so its not true that i enjoy harming animals, or think of myself rather than the fish.

So everyone who has or will give any fishcyclers a hard time on this thread can just go away.

Cycling can be accomplished with uncured live rock, its really up to the beholder what he wants to do with it.
I have seen wonderful reefs that have been fish cycled, and wonderful reefs that have been cycled with LR.
So whatever you choose, itll probably work out.

-Lynden

Or instead of putting a live animal throught hell you could simply use a dead frozon prawn

We have all done it - Erm no we havent - I have had a lot of tank over the years and have never cycled with fish.

Obviously some people are more concerned with the health of there livestock than others

 

[fish_keeper2]

i understand all sides on this topic but we really shouldnt be acting like children and putting down others becuase of thier opions and choices they make.

yes cycling with fish is harmfull to thier health but its upto thier owners who decide their fate and theres very little we can do to change that so its pointless to argue over it.

 

[Lynden]

I support you, j@mie. And i agree with Ethos. Tigerknife, that was indeed an offensive, opinionated statement with nothing to back it up.

Like Ethos, i too use fish for a cycle. You need a steady supply of ammonia for a cycle to happen, and fish are by far the most effecient way of doing this. It may hurt the fish a little, however they will get better, and if they dont, well, its really not that big of a deal. Its one fish out of trillions, you wont go to hell if your a beginner and you hurt a fish on accident. We have all done it. And im someone who cant bear to kill an annoying fly, so its not true that i enjoy harming animals, or think of myself rather than the fish.

So everyone who has or will give any fishcyclers a hard time on this thread can just go away.

Cycling can be accomplished with uncured live rock, its really up to the beholder what he wants to do with it.
I have seen wonderful reefs that have been fish cycled, and wonderful reefs that have been cycled with LR.
So whatever you choose, itll probably work out.

-Lynden

Or instead of putting a live animal throught hell you could simply use a dead frozon prawn

We have all done it - Erm no we havent - I have had a lot of tank over the years and have never cycled with fish.

Obviously some people are more concerned with the health of there livestock than others

I have heard of the frozen prawn method- it is extremly unreliable and can lead to ammonia shock in the future. You say "instead of putting an animal through hell-"... do you mean, like that they get hurt? Because the hurt is minimal, and they will get over it. I use mollies, and they are basically immune anyways. They were even breeding during cycling- definetly not a symptom of being placed in "hell". I stand by my statement of fish cycling- with mollies- to be the most effecient way.

 

[Ethos]

i understand all sides on this topic but we really shouldnt be acting like children and putting down others becuase of thier opions and choices they make.

That is very true.
People can't think that by attacking someone they'll get their point across.
Chac, do you really think that by being nasty you'll change chesnuts opionion?

 

[Chac]

I was not being nasty just stating a point,

I find it strange that we go to the care, expense & time to create what we hope is a perfect enviroment for our livestock because we obviously want them to be a happy & healthy as possible and then throw some fish in to a toxic enviroment, sorry but that seems backwards to me when there are other options

If my concern for a 'few fish' comes across as me being nasty then so be it

 

[Ed4567]

Perhaps those people advocating cycling with fish could tell us what advantages this gives? I honestly can't think of any...

 

[Ethos]

Adding chemicals to the aqurium for one. Some people feel comfertable doing it, I don't. Thats one advantage.
There are many things that can go wrong if not done right. What if you use too much ammonia? What then?