Cycling (Freshwater)

Tetris Tetra · 05-09-2006, 04:03 PM

Well we all know that cycling is the most important thing to do brfore purchasing fish. Well this guide should help with people that want to start a tank but yet cycle with fish in it.

Good Fish To Have While Cycling
Tropical
Danios

Coldwater
Fantail, Orannda, Ryukin, Moore Goldfish

Well all cycling is the same now here we go:

1) Set up tank, let it sit for 24 hours!
2) Continue to cycle. Make sure you buy a test kit to test for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, pH levels.
3) You may purchase 3 fish, DONT FEED FISH FOR 24 HOURS. Tropical fish tanks are best suited for Danios if you are cycling. Test water, continue to cycle tank.
4) Do 20% water changes if your levels are out of wack. If not just let your tank rest and continue cycling. You may purchase 3 more fish if your tank can with hold it(ten gallons would fit about 5 Danios for a tropical tank and 1 Goldfish for a coldwater tank).
5 Continue cycling, testing water, doing water changes. After tank is done cycling do 10% water changes a week and 25% water change a month.

Hope this helped. Any questions pm me.

ThxForNothing · 06-13-2006, 09:55 PM

I completely disagree with you on the Goldfish issue. I'm sorry, but Goldfish are not that hardy at all, and putting them through the cycling process would completely stress them out and make them more vulnerable to diseases. Not to mention that it is cruel to keep Goldfish in a 10g tank for its whole life.. o.o

I am not trying to attack you at all, I simply feel the advice you are giving people is poor... nothing personal.

Also, all cycling is not the same. There is something called a "Fishless Cycle" - if I can find the time I will post more information about that later.

kelkat · 06-23-2006, 08:22 AM

My children recently got some tadpoles from the pond. We took water directly from the pond and let it sit for a day. Will this work for fish as well? Or do you have to treat the water no mater what fish you are putting in?

ahill3780 · 07-29-2006, 08:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kelkat

My children recently got some tadpoles from the pond. We took water directly from the pond and let it sit for a day. Will this work for fish as well? Or do you have to treat the water no mater what fish you are putting in?

Treating the water is done mostly for tropical fish because they are from areas where water quality is more pristine that that found in inland bodies of water. Fish that you gather from ponds and lakes are generally ok in almost any water you stick them in, especially if you use the same water from where you obtained the specimen - you should be ok.