Cycling a new tank.

[Greg Miller]

I'm getting *A LOT* of conflicting information on the cycling
process through my reading on the Internet and books. Some say "using
fish to cycle the tank is the old way", don't describe it at all, then
continue on describing the cycling process using chemicals. Others
say the chemical method is just an option.
I'd like to cycle the tank using fish, but I get conflicting
information on that too. Some say only one or two of any type of easy
fish to take care of. Others say only damsels, and one even said to
load the tank up with 1 inch of fish for every 2 gallons of water,
then give the fish back to the pet store.
These people seem to know what they're talking about, but I'd
just like to hear how actual people have done it, and any opinions on
the best way for a beginner to go about it.

Greg Miller (gmiller at gregmiller dot net)
http://www.gregmiller.net
http://www.net-chess.com

[Marco Qualizza]

I'm sorry, I forgot one important point... *all* you're trying to do
when you cycle a tank is produce appropriate bacterial cultures.
Ammonia is ammonia, and the bacteria won't know whether it (the ammonia)
came from fish detritis, rotting oysters or a household ammonia bottle.


- M
:-)

In article >,
says...
> You're right about there being a whole bunch of conflicting information
> about cycling tanks, so to help you answer the question I want to remind
> you what "cycling" a tank means.
>
> (Simple version)
> 1. Natural processes produce ammonia. Ammonia is lethally toxic to most
> tank inhabitants.
> 2. One type of aerobic bacteria (nitrosoma) convert the ammonia to
> nitrite. Nitrite is merely extremely toxic to tank inhabitants.
> 3. Another type of aerobic bacteria (nitrobacter) convert the nitrite to
> nitrate. Nitrate is fairly safe (except for inverts). The formation of
> nitrobacter is inhibited by ammonia... ie/ until your tank is out of the
> first stage of the cycle, the third stage can't start.
>
> 4. (the last step) anaerobic bacteria convert nitrate to free nitrogen
> gas.
>
> Now, usually people only mean the first three steps when talking about
> the nitrogen cycle (although, for it to be a cycle, it has to return to
> nitrogen so that it can become ammonia again).
>
> As you can see, to cycle your tank, you need to introduce a source of
> ammonia so that appropriate bacterial cultures can form.
>
> Living fish will produce ammonia. Ammonia is highly toxic and will kill
> most tank inhabitants. Some very sturdy fish, like damsels, can
> survive.
>
> Dead oysters will produce ammonia as they rot. Dead oysters, as far as
> I can tell, don't mind high ammonia levels.
>
> Household ammonia is also a source of ammonia.
> http://www.csupomona.edu/~jskoga/Aquariums/Ammonia.html
>
> Now for the opinion part. In my opinion, cycling a tank with a living
> organism is morbidly cruel. The ones that live still suffer
> physiological damage. Imagine breathing poisonous, acidic fumes, and
> surviving. Yes, I do feel strongly about this. :-)
>
> HTH,
> Marco
>
> In article >,
> says...
> > I'm getting *A LOT* of conflicting information on the cycling
> > process through my reading on the Internet and books. Some say "using
> > fish to cycle the tank is the old way", don't describe it at all, then
> > continue on describing the cycling process using chemicals. Others
> > say the chemical method is just an option.
> > I'd like to cycle the tank using fish, but I get conflicting

--
7y FW -- 33g & 55g
100 gallon reef-ready air tank. (Converting to reef)

[SG]

In article >, Marco Qualizza wrote:
>
>Dead oysters will produce ammonia as they rot. Dead oysters, as far as
>I can tell, don't mind high ammonia levels.

LOL

People also use shrimp from the fish monger.

The type of tank and the equipment is also a consideration. If you are
seting up a reef or FOWLR tank often the live rock is enough to
cycle. Adding a big of shrimp or oyster probably helps to speed up the
deal.

If you are useing a more traditional cannister or undergravel filter
with no live rock then pure household ammonia is the way to go. If you
jack the ammonia up to 5ppm you can usually cycle a tank in 2
weeks. After which you can put in a full fishload if you really want
(not recommended)[1]. This is much faster then waiting for a hardy
fish to cycle the tank for you.


I agree with Marco. Fishless cycling is the correct way to cycle a
tank.


[1] The key to marine sucess is patience. Taking the time to setup the
tank will pay off in the long run.

[Marco Qualizza]

In article >,
says...
> In article >, Marco Qualizza wrote:
> >
> >Dead oysters will produce ammonia as they rot. Dead oysters, as far as
> >I can tell, don't mind high ammonia levels.
>
> LOL
>
> People also use shrimp from the fish monger.
>
> The type of tank and the equipment is also a consideration. If you are
> seting up a reef or FOWLR tank often the live rock is enough to
> cycle. Adding a big of shrimp or oyster probably helps to speed up the
> deal.

Thanks, SG, I had forgotten that LR will cycle on its own. :-)

--
7y FW -- 33g & 55g
100 gallon reef-ready air tank. (Converting to reef)

[Richard Reynolds]

> Dead oysters will produce ammonia as they rot. Dead oysters, as far as
> I can tell, don't mind high ammonia levels.

oooh man from the sound of that maybee they do mind high ammonia levels

were all in trouble there gona ban it :)


just to toss in a third vote go with fishless, dont be cruel, if you wanna torture things
there are far less expansive things to play with, try ants or flys there free!!!


--
Richard Reynolds

[Richard Reynolds]

uugh long day

s/expansive/expensive

--
Richard Reynolds

[Greg Bunch]

I agree with the previous posters: Don't use fish to cycle a new tank! It is
an unnecessary and inhumane method, increasingly frowned upon by serious
aquarists.

I successfully used household ammonia to cycle a brand-new 5-gallon
aquarium.

The short version is that after 14 days, the bacterial colony in that little
5-gallon tank was fully metabolizing 3ML of household ammonia each day in
about 11 hours. I was very conservative, and carefuly monitored nitrite
levels over the next 8 days, while adding daily 1ML maintenance doses of
ammonia.

For the full story, with pictures and references, take a look at:
http://members.cox.net/gbundersea/aquaria/5gallon/cycling.htm

Also see my Jensalt sump horror story site:
http://members.cox.net/~gbundersea/aquaria/badsumps/badsumps.htm

--

Greg Bunch
gbundersea AT cox DOT net
http://www.gbundersea.com
Creator of the Digital Lens Dock,
MXTENDER Optical Strobe Cable System
for the Sea&Sea MX-10, and the Save-A-Lens Kit
for MX-10 and Motormarine


"Greg Miller" > wrote in message
...
> I'm getting *A LOT* of conflicting information on the cycling
> process through my reading on the Internet and books. Some say "using
> fish to cycle the tank is the old way", don't describe it at all, then
> continue on describing the cycling process using chemicals. Others
> say the chemical method is just an option.
> I'd like to cycle the tank using fish, but I get conflicting
> information on that too. Some say only one or two of any type of easy
> fish to take care of. Others say only damsels, and one even said to
> load the tank up with 1 inch of fish for every 2 gallons of water,
> then give the fish back to the pet store.
> These people seem to know what they're talking about, but I'd
> just like to hear how actual people have done it, and any opinions on
> the best way for a beginner to go about it.
>
> Greg Miller (gmiller at gregmiller dot net)
> http://www.gregmiller.net
> http://www.net-chess.com