I am finally getting the 12 gallon tank :D!

Since my smaller tank was a disaster, how do I cycle this new tank properly?

I read about the fishless cycle and adding ammonia but also using fish, I am planning on still keeping my goldfish which are in the smaller tank so should I use them or leave them until the new tank cycles?

Which do you think is the best way?

Thanks

Some people use gold fish for cycling as they are hardier than most other fish, but really... do you want to risk the life of the fish?

I'd do fishless personally. I've done it for my last 2 tanks. (Much better than feeling bad when your fish die from the cycling process.)

*I noticed you said your gold fish are in a smaller than 12 gallon tank... 1 gold fish needs a 20-30 gallon tank, and an extra 10 gallons are needed for every extra gold fish after that. So, you need a 30 gallon tank at least (ideally a 40 gallon) for your gold fish.

Gold fish start off small, but they can get huge! Keeping them in a small tank causes their skeletons to stop growing (stunts their growth) but their organs continue to grow. The fish end up dying very painful deaths due to their organs outgrowing their bodies. Not cool.

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20g Heavily Planted http://www.aquariumforum.com/gallery...00&ppuser=8981
36g Bow Front Heavily Planted http://www.aquariumforum.com/gallery...00&ppuser=8981

sadly I woke up to 2 dead goldfish this morning :(, done some research and decided Im gona get a siamese fighting fish, its pretty to look at and will do well in my small tank without getting the bigger one.
I know theyre picky about ph, temp etc so I ordered a heater and will get a test kit when I can.