Cycling without fish

[Pudgeshambley]

This is my first tank. I have read hundreds of posts about this but still can't figure out what to do. I only have carib sea live sand and marco rock in the tank. I have a bottle of bio-spira but haven't used it. Trying to not just dump the bottle in there and then add clown fish. Just because the fish doesn't die doesn't mean it wasn't stressed. If this stuff is so safe why do you have to use a "hardy" fish. Anyway is just using fish food that bad of an idea? Don't particularly like the idea of dosing pure ammonia either but that seems to be the new consensus.

 

[Hoodstream]

First, the hardy fish test is because some fish can handle changes that occur during the cycling stage better than others. For example the Clowns are actually incredibly hardy fish. I will forever stand by using clowns as beginner fish because I have 4 in total but in different tanks and those little guys are incredible. My Snowflakes have been with me through the beginning and have been amazing. They’ve never looked stressed or unhealthy.

Secondly for the cycling if you’re going no fish and have patience start the tank and seed it with your bacteria bottle and just do a piece of shrimp or fish flakes. If you go shrimp route it takes awhile for it to decompose so flakes or frozen food is better.

I’ve never used Bio-Spira but have successfully cycled tanks with Stability, QuickStart and Fritz.

Cycled my 40 Gallon in little over a week with Fritz so if you are able to grab that Definitely recommend.

IME though best way is setup tank, add food, add bacteria and follow through on the directions pertaining to your bacteria and you’ll have success.

I have to cycle tanks for work granted they’re only fresh water but I’ve never added pure ammonia and have honestly cycled more tanks than anyone should ever have too, lol.

 

[Pudgeshambley]

First, the hardy fish test is because some fish can handle changes that occur during the cycling stage better than others. For example the Clowns are actually incredibly hardy fish. I will forever stand by using clowns as beginner fish because I have 4 in total but in different tanks and those little guys are incredible. My Snowflakes have been with me through the beginning and have been amazing. They’ve never looked stressed or unhealthy.

Secondly for the cycling if you’re going no fish and have patience start the tank and seed it with your bacteria bottle and just do a piece of shrimp or fish flakes. If you go shrimp route it takes awhile for it to decompose so flakes or frozen food is better.

I’ve never used Bio-Spira but have successfully cycled tanks with Stability, QuickStart and Fritz.

Cycled my 40 Gallon in little over a week with Fritz so if you are able to grab that Definitely recommend.

IME though best way is setup tank, add food, add bacteria and follow through on the directions pertaining to your bacteria and you’ll have success.

I have to cycle tanks for work granted they’re only fresh water but I’ve never added pure ammonia and have honestly cycled more tanks than anyone should ever have too, lo

Can I just add fish food to the tank then? Is there enough bacteria in the live sand?

 

[Hoodstream]

Can I just add fish food to the tank then? Is there enough bacteria in the live sand?

Yeah just add food to the tank. Live sand should have bacteria as advertised but I’ve used it only once and always ended up adding more.

 

[Pudgeshambley]

Yeah just add food to the tank. Live sand should have bacteria as advertised but I’ve used it only once and always ended up adding more.

So I could add the bio-spira also

 

[Hoodstream]

So I could add the bio-spira also

I definitely would. Add some flaked food first and wait a day let your ammonia build so the bacteria has something to feed on.

 

[PatW]

It will not hurt to add the biospira and it should speed up the cycle.

To cycle a tank, you need a source of ammonia and that is it (assuming tank, dry rock, water and so on). The bacteria of the nitrogen cycle are virtually ubiquitous and will colonize and cycle the tank. It is just a matter of how fast it happens. So the bacterial additives or a chunk of live rock just speed things along.

 

[Freenow54]

Someone else talked about this , and experienced a lot of fish food waste in the tank. I do not know how long it takes food to turn to ammonia I would think quite a while. I do not know why you don't like the ammonia approach. Please do not dump fish in it

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

Its a personal choice I guess, for me , I'm against using a fish to cycle a tank. I add fish only when ammonia/nitrite are zero.

 

[Pudgeshambley]

Its a personal choice I guess, for me , I'm against using a fish to cycle a tank. I add fish only when ammonia/nitrite are zero.

I have never planned on using fish, that is why I am still confused. But from what I understand and my lfs keeps telling me is that if I use the bio-spira it is then safe to add fish and then they supply the ammonia.

 

[Pudgeshambley]

Someone else talked about this , and experienced a lot of fish food waste in the tank. I do not know how long it takes food to turn to ammonia I would think quite a while. I do not know why you don't like the ammonia approach. Please do not dump fish in it

Is it safe to use fish after the bio-spira? Several people have told me that it would be. I don't really like the idea though. What would you suggest

 

[Rmckoy]

Raw shrimp from the grocery store seafood counter will work just as good as the living fish. But not sacrificing anything .

drop the raw shrimp in and let it decompose .