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NursePlaty · 07-21-2010, 11:03 PM

Explain to us what you are doing lol. Are you doing with fish or no fish? Are you adding ammonia? You know when the cycle is complete once the readings are Ammonia 0ppm, Nitrite 0ppm, and Nitrate (with readings, usually 50ppm-160ppm). So in order to test for these results you need to get a liquid test kit. Such as the API freshwater test kit. Also if assuming and guessing your are doing fishless. You need to keep the Ammonia at 5ppm or 6ppm all the way until the cycle is near completion. You taper off on the Ammonia near the end of the cycle. The tank isnt going to cycle within a week. Fishless cycling takes up to 2weeks-4weeks depending on what you are doing to help it. You reduce cycling time by "seeding" (adding used/old filter cartridges to the tank to introduce beneficial bacteria that breaks down ammonia+nitrite), increase temperature to 80F, and 7-8hrs photoperiod. If you cycle with fish, it will take longer, not to mention all the water changes every other day or every 2 days to keep nitrogen toxin levels low. Fishless allows toxins to build up high, which greatly increases food source for the bacteria, therefore cycling a lot faster. At the end of a fishless cycle, you do an 80%-90% water change from the water column only, no gravel suction, no filter change. Then add fish.

Heres a site that explains it in much more detail.
Fishless Cycling - Article at The Age of Aquariums - Tropical Fish

07-21-2010, 11:03 PM	#12 (permalink)
NursePlaty Queen Platy NursePlaty's Photo Gallery Join Date: Feb 2010 Posts: 932 Name: Annie Pham Location: Dallas Ft Worth, Texas Feedback: 1 / 100% Said "Welcome to Aquarium Forum" 266 Times Said "Thanks" 41 Times Was Thanked 186 Times in 180 Posts	Re: start cycling with fish or no fish Explain to us what you are doing lol. Are you doing with fish or no fish? Are you adding ammonia? You know when the cycle is complete once the readings are Ammonia 0ppm, Nitrite 0ppm, and Nitrate (with readings, usually 50ppm-160ppm). So in order to test for these results you need to get a liquid test kit. Such as the API freshwater test kit. Also if assuming and guessing your are doing fishless. You need to keep the Ammonia at 5ppm or 6ppm all the way until the cycle is near completion. You taper off on the Ammonia near the end of the cycle. The tank isnt going to cycle within a week. Fishless cycling takes up to 2weeks-4weeks depending on what you are doing to help it. You reduce cycling time by "seeding" (adding used/old filter cartridges to the tank to introduce beneficial bacteria that breaks down ammonia+nitrite), increase temperature to 80F, and 7-8hrs photoperiod. If you cycle with fish, it will take longer, not to mention all the water changes every other day or every 2 days to keep nitrogen toxin levels low. Fishless allows toxins to build up high, which greatly increases food source for the bacteria, therefore cycling a lot faster. At the end of a fishless cycle, you do an 80%-90% water change from the water column only, no gravel suction, no filter change. Then add fish. Heres a site that explains it in much more detail. Fishless Cycling - Article at The Age of Aquariums - Tropical Fish __________________ 55gallon Light - 6500K CFL, 23wattsx5 5hr/day Substrate - Red Mexican Clay, Sphagnum Peat moss, Eco-Complete Misc- Pressurized CO2, EI Dose KNO3, KH2PO4, CSM-B Plants -Limnophila Aromatica, Stargrass, Dwarf Hair Grass, Christmas Moss, Baby Tears (HM), Dwarf Baby Tears(HC), Rotala Rotundifolia, Ludwigia Glandulosa, Riccia Fluitans Last edited by NursePlaty : 07-22-2010 at 09:31 AM.