[dish418]

Hey guys started cycling my tank today. Should i turn the temp. up while im doing this to speed things up? Im using an additive every other day. Any other tips would be great also.

 

[Zippy]

Yes, turn the temp to at least 78 degrees. The good bacteria grows better at a higher temp, but then dies at 127 degrees, or something close to that.

How is your cycling going?

 

[dish418]

its doing good. I had 6 mollies, and 2 died. The others are doing great. Havent had any issues, and all levels are where they are suppose to be. Will be adding more fish in the next week or so.

 

[choylifutsoccer]

If there are fish in the tank, only turn it up to the maximum temperature that they can handle. You can research a bit on your fish and you'll find their comfortable temperatures.
If possible, I suggest that you finish cycling the tank before adding anymore fish. Even better, move your fish out and do a fishless cycle. But that's just my opinion. *h/b

 

[Zippy]

dish418,
Sorry, didn't realize you had fish in your tank while cycling. I wouldn't have recommended a certain temp if I had known. I hope I didn't cause them any harm.

 

[NursePlaty]

How big is your tank. I do cycles with fish all the time because I hate waiting 6-8 weeks for a fishless cycle. If you have 4 mollies left in a 10-20 gallon tank I probably wouldnt get any more until you start seing nitrite rising. As it rises you can slowly add 1-2 more fish every 1 or 2 weeks or else sudden overloading the tank will cause lots of ammonia to be released from feces and leftever food causing it to crash and go into a mini cycle.

 

[choylifutsoccer]

I do cycles with fish all the time because I hate waiting 6-8 weeks for a fishless cycle.

There are actually quite a few tricks that you can do to speed up a fishless cycle. I was able to do mine in a month, and could have probably done it even faster if I used some of the tricks sooner. Here's a list:

• Increase aeration via airstone and lowering the water level (for HOB filters). This way, oxygen gets diffused rapidly into the water. Bacteria needs lots of oxygen to grow.
• Increase the temperature. Nitrifying bacteria have optimal growth rates at around 80 - 85 degrees (if I remember correctly).
• Use a starting culture of some sort. I had an established BIO-Wheel available that I dumped in the tank. Gravel from a fully established tank can also be put in.
• Dmaaaaax mentioned in my tank build thread that putting in live plants will also introduce nitrifying bacteria. I skipped on this because I did not want to clean up the resulting algae.
• Always keep ammonia levels at around 5.0ppm. This is the optimal level for bacteria feeding.
• Have maximum surface area for nitrifying bacteria to attach to. This includes the use of certain biological filter media (like the sponge in my filter).

That's all I can think of right now. Hope it's helpful.

 

[NursePlaty]

There are actually quite a few tricks that you can do to speed up a fishless cycle. I was able to do mine in a month, and could have probably done it even faster if I used some of the tricks sooner. Here's a list:

• Increase aeration via airstone and lowering the water level (for HOB filters). This way, oxygen gets diffused rapidly into the water. Bacteria needs lots of oxygen to grow.
• Increase the temperature. Nitrifying bacteria have optimal growth rates at around 80 - 85 degrees (if I remember correctly).
• Use a starting culture of some sort. I had an established BIO-Wheel available that I dumped in the tank. Gravel from a fully established tank can also be put in.
• Dmaaaaax mentioned in my tank build thread that putting in live plants will also introduce nitrifying bacteria. I skipped on this because I did not want to clean up the resulting algae.
• Always keep ammonia levels at around 5.0ppm. This is the optimal level for bacteria feeding.
• Have maximum surface area for nitrifying bacteria to attach to. This includes the use of certain biological filter media (like the sponge in my filter).

That's all I can think of right now. Hope it's helpful.

Yea I hate fishless cycling unless I need to do it. Ill definitly keep this point in mind, "Aeration via airstone" never knew about that one, the others I already know about. Thanks.

Since I'm only keeping Platies and Swordtails at the moment, Ill stick with "with-fish cycling". My cycle has been complete for quite a while now. But if I redo a tank and start to keep more expensive fish ill definitely be using the fishless cycle to be on the safe side.

 

[dish418]

Sorry I didnt clarify that I had fish in my tank. Nurse, I have a 56g tank, also I had it up and running for a week or so with plants and a piece of driftwood from an established tank before I added any fish. I was going to do the fishless cycle but went with fish after talking to LFS workers. Ive been using Nitromaxx every other day with great results. Ive been testing opposite nitromaxx days and other than a somewhat high PH (7.8) everything is good. Any ideas on bringing the PH down? Thanks

 

[NursePlaty]

Sorry I didnt clarify that I had fish in my tank. Nurse, I have a 56g tank, also I had it up and running for a week or so with plants and a piece of driftwood from an established tank before I added any fish. I was going to do the fishless cycle but went with fish after talking to LFS workers. Ive been using Nitromaxx every other day with great results. Ive been testing opposite nitromaxx days and other than a somewhat high PH (7.8) everything is good. Any ideas on bringing the PH down? Thanks

You still have Molly's right? 7.8 is not high for them. If anything it is actually low because Mollies perfer alkaline water about ranges 7-8.5 anyway.

But if you do want to lower the pH later on with different fish, adding peat moss in a nylon bag and place it anywhere in the tank will lower the pH of the water drastically but it might tint the water of somewhat tea-color because of the tannins. Adding driftwood also acts as a buffer to lower pH. Or you can go the expensive way and buy Reverse Osmosis water. They sell R/O water at my walmart.

 

[dish418]

Yes. But im going to add some oto's, tetras, and maybe german blue rams. LFS said it was a little high. I havent checked on them to see what would be good for them. I may put somemore driftwood in. I like the way it looks.