Did you cycle with fish?
- Thread starter Hope
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Dr Tims ammonia for fishless cycle.
Disown your LFS since they told you to cycle with clowns. Bad advice.
Also, welcome to R2R!!!
Any fish store that tells you to cycle with fish is trying to line their pockets with your money and will not give good advice in the future if they can so easily tell you to go that route. Bring your questions here!
Disown your LFS since they told you to cycle with clowns. Bad advice.
Also, welcome to R2R!!!
Any fish store that tells you to cycle with fish is trying to line their pockets with your money and will not give good advice in the future if they can so easily tell you to go that route. Bring your questions here!
Mastiffsrule
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First, good evening, happy new year, #WelcometoR2R
your LFS must be stuck in the 70’s or early 80’s.we used to use damsels to cycle. We don’t use fish anymore.
Here is a good read. And stop by the meet and greet section if you like to introduce yourself
www.reef2reef.com
your LFS must be stuck in the 70’s or early 80’s.we used to use damsels to cycle. We don’t use fish anymore.
Here is a good read. And stop by the meet and greet section if you like to introduce yourself
Cycling an Aquarium
Cycling a new aquarium. One of the earliest topics a new aquarium hobbyist needs to learn is how to properly cycle their aquarium. There is a ton of information on this process and many different methods on how to accomplish it. There are many different chemical and biological cycles our tank...
www.reef2reef.com
CasaReefer
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Hi Hope.... Welcome to R2R... This is the exact reason you joined... Wicked Smart People in Here... Lets see some pics of the tank... You need to post them your first 2 weeks or they give ya the Boot... No not really... We are just nosy.... 
Loggerhead
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The reasoning behind using fish to cycle a tank are that a specific species of fish are “tough” and can “take it.” This was common practice 20 years ago and has since went out of fashion. Basically as the tank cycles ammonia builds up and burns the fishes gills, among other things, and actually can still kill the “tough” fish. If you use clowns you are subjecting them to pain every time they breathe, possible irreparable damage and death or a shortened life span. It’s not worth it. Dr Tims is cheaper than a pair of clownfish and there is no reason to expose a fish to a literal, as in the correct use of the word literal, toxic environment.
Peace River
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First, good evening, happy new year, #WelcometoR2R
your LFS must be stuck in the 70’s or early 80’s.we used to use damsels to cycle. We don’t use fish anymore.
Here is a good read. And stop by the meet and greet section if you like to introduce yourself
Cycling an Aquarium
Cycling a new aquarium. One of the earliest topics a new aquarium hobbyist needs to learn is how to properly cycle their aquarium. There is a ton of information on this process and many different methods on how to accomplish it. There are many different chemical and biological cycles our tank...
+1. I prefer Dr. Tim's, but recommend a fishless-cycle whatever you choose.
Welcome to R2R!!!
Auquanut
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Welcome Hope! While it is possible to cycle a tank with fish, it's risky and unkind to the fish involved. Please take @Mastiffsrule's advice and take things a little slower. Slow and steady wins the reef. Glad to have you with us.
Idoc
Getting lazier and lazier with upkeep!
Bottled bacteria and an ammonia source... either pure ammonia or a raw shrimp... plus time.
If using the fish to cycle advice came from the LFS owner, then I'd question obtaining any further advice from that LFS. If it came from an employee, then maybe talk to the owner to see what his/her advice would be. A LFS that regularly gives really outdated advice is one that obviously doesn't keep up with newer trends in the hobby.
If using the fish to cycle advice came from the LFS owner, then I'd question obtaining any further advice from that LFS. If it came from an employee, then maybe talk to the owner to see what his/her advice would be. A LFS that regularly gives really outdated advice is one that obviously doesn't keep up with newer trends in the hobby.
Crabs McJones
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Welcome to R2R! Fish in cycling is a method that really isnt practiced anymore. If you're getting live rock which is ready seeded with bacteria you should be good to let the tank cycle on it's own. Just put a little food in daily for the bacteria to feed off of and colonize the rest of your rock. Test regularly to know when the tank is fully cycled 
oh and adding a bottle of bacteria wont hurt either
oh and adding a bottle of bacteria wont hurt either 
lilgrounchuck
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Dump in a bottle of Dr. Tims or BioSpira and add fish. Don't just drop the fish in. The bottled bacteria available now is amazing. You can definitely insta-cycle a tank with it (plenty of evidence provided in posts on this forum.)
reef lover
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Welcome to r2r!
It depends. If you're putting in live rock, your tank may not really cycle at all. I did live rock, added some bottled bacteria, and added a clown a few days later. My tank had ONE day where ammonia read .5 and the next day, it was gone (that's when I added the clown). There was never any nitrite recorded, and nitrates showed up right away. So, I think day 3 was when I added my clown and no issues.
Intense37754
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I like Bio Spira or Dr.Tims too, although I had a tank that we added clowns the day after adding bacteria the last tank I dosed with Dr Tim’s ammonia and then added fish on the 3rd day then added Bio Spira on the 4th day.
Squidward
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I believe Dr. Tim had a hand in developing Bio Spira. I bought Bio Spira cause it was easier to access and a good price off the Petco website. Bought like 5 bottles for my 300g.
Intense37754
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He stated that he worked for instant ocean and developed bio Spira, most likely unnecessary but I dosed with both just in case there were different strains. The cost of each bottle is so minimal compared to the cost of equipment I thought I was worth it
