The 'older' Generations Aquarium

[Francesjane]

I have worked hard this last 6 weeks to get as far as I have in nearly completing my nitrogen cycle and keeping my fish safe that I had unfortunately already acquired before knowing about the nitrogen cycle...and by losing 6 fish before learning why they died and about the cycle made me very very conscious about what I was needing to do to stop me losing any more fish while the cycle was going through its process. I had only the older generation of people telling me what to do and how to start things and even the pet shop who I thought were all knowledgeable people, who i listened to....so to then lose 6 fish I was mortified and decided some serious information needed to be taken on board.

Please please tell me that I am correct in going by my own instincts on regular water changes, no addition of new fish, saving good but disgusting looking filter media by simply rinsing in tank water...and constant liquid tests followed by more water changes and more tests.....and NOT listening to those who have had tanks say in the 1970's who mock my constant water checks,tell me the nitrogen cycle is a load of old rubbish because "I never lost any fish when i had a tank" and you need to take a step back, stop the water changes and just get some fish and enjoy them. I did do that for a few days (apart from new fish) and my fish were slowly starting to gasp and look seriously ill that in the end, instinctively I done a massive water change to save their lives...and save them I did!!! From then on I have found myself getting agitated at the closed ears of some...telling me I was over reacting and NO...the cycle...whatever it was...would NOT kill my fish....that I should feed them three times a day, that I should only do water changes weekly...and when I said yes, water changes weekly once the cycle has completed unless emergencies arose....I listen to the phhhfff and rolling eyes. I am wrong to listen to advice on forums, and need to change filters monthly or as soon as it slightly discolours...I need to take out the gravel and bleach it it to clean it every so often...and I could have at least 50 fish in a 64 L tank and can have sharks and everything nippy because that's life...deal with it.!!!!!!

I am right aren't I.? I am right to complete the cycle before more fish...always be vigilant about the water...I am right to heed advice on forums if they tell me what i am thinking anyway...and I am right in preserving my very important media.... To do research on a harmonious tank and fish...(I know sometimes it won't always work right). I am right to specify to fish shops that I want no male and females of easily breeding fish so I do not land myself in chaos with too many fish and a serious problem......

I just am fed up of those who laugh at me.....I say if you are going to do something, then do it right....and they say its all RUBBISH... Is it me or is this something everyone faces??

 

[BriansAquarium]

I have a woman at work who did me the same way. you have to remember though in the 70's most people just had gold fish, a VERY VERY hardy fish that could withstand a fish in cycle most of the time. They would have only one or two of them, so they didn't' have to do all that "water change nonsense". Now we own and deal with much more sensitive fish, and have to keep a very close eye on all the levels in your tank, which I have learned in the last month and a half. You're doing the right thing.  All the advice I have gotten on this forum has been really good. Always take things with a  grain of salt though, there is no one right way to do anything in this world, with that in mind keep up the good work and good luck with your fish!

 

[fm1978]

In short, you are right!
 
You're right to be concerned about cycling correctly. You're right to be doing regular and large water changes as you're doing a fish-in cycle. You're right to be checking water parameters regularly and acting accordingly (water changes) if there are any spikes. And you're right not to be taking heed to some of the 'older' methods of fish keeping.
 
My understanding is that fish-less cycling is relatively new so I sort of get why these guys might be chastising you about this new-fangled method of fish keeping - it must sound quite alien to them. What they did when they were fish keepers wasn't exactly 'wrong' as it is possible to do a fish-in cycle successfully, it's just that we have new information and science that has bettered the previous methods.

 

[fluttermoth]

You are right; keep on doing what you're doing!
 
Fishkeeping in the 70s (and that's when I started 

) was a very different animal! For a start (I have no proof of this; it's my own personal hypothesis) I think there was a lot of nitrifying bacteria present in the water supply in those days, which is why we could get along without cycling; plus there was less chlorine and no chloramine in the water as well, so we didn't need dechlorinators.
 
But one thing the 'old guard' always forget (I'm sure they don't do it on purpose; humans tend remember the nice things in life more than the bad!) is that fish then didn't live so long, never grew as big and most were impossible to breed, not to mention that the amount of fish species we could keep was minuscule compared to now, because of both unavailability and poor husbandry.

 

[Francesjane]

Thank you to you both....I am glad I have been as vigilant as I have and am very proud to have done as much as I can to help my fish, and they do seem happy enough....it's me who notices the slight changes in behaviour and act upon it in a way I feel is right.....my partner does think I worry too much, but upon discussion we have most certainly come to the conclusion that the cycle is more known about now than it was years ago, and that the fish, through demands of sellers are way more sensitive than perhaps they used to be?
Just seen the last post....yes I can understand about the water differences between now and then too...and the supply of available fish ,,,