Cycling tank with fish?
- Thread starter Chrisnugent942
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SPR1968
No, it wasn’t expensive dear....
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I would suggest you don’t do this as there‘s no need to potentially harm or distress fish unnecessarily.
Its 2020 and you can buy bacteria in a bottle that cycle the tank straight away. I’ve personally used ATM colony but there are others.
Its 2020 and you can buy bacteria in a bottle that cycle the tank straight away. I’ve personally used ATM colony but there are others.
Please, do not torture your fish in order to cycle your tank. With the available processes nowadays, like liquid ammonia from marine depot, there’s just no reason to do this to the fish!
Some fish may live. Most fish will die! I would try bottled bacteria and bottled ammonia. A piece of shrimp rotting in there will work too, just might stink your tank up!
I used Dr Tim’s on my 90 gal system and on my 20 gal quarantine tank. Worked. Every tank is different just be patient.
I used Dr Tim’s on my 90 gal system and on my 20 gal quarantine tank. Worked. Every tank is different just be patient.
I wouldn't cycle a tank with any fish. With the changes of the quality of water during the nitrogen cycle it's just cruel to the fish but I cycled my tank for two months without adding bacteria in a bottle which probably would have cut my cycling time in half but I just added fish flakes to the display everyday and kept the lights off so no algae blooms. Only costed me $5.00 for cheap tropical fish flakes.
windemerejack
Valuable Member
It's cruel and can be torturous for the fish, nothing else shouldn't have to be said
zoomonster
Valuable Member
I cycled my first tank years ago that way with an assortment of cheap damsels and yes most die. Of course the ones you want least will survive. That tank also had an under gravel filter so between it and the fish it took a very long time to cycle. I can typically have a tank ready to go in 2 weeks or so now with live sand and bacteria in a bottle.
My preferred bacteria is BioSpira. I’ve always had good, quick success with it. Dr Tims has never worked for me. Ammonia always comes down fast but I’ve had to wait several weeks for the nitrite. I won’t use it again.
