Post by ASHLEY on Jun 3, 2012 21:51:08 GMT 1
here are 4 methods
1. Fishless cycle. An ammonia solution is added to the tank.
2. Live fish cycle. Using hardy fish such as guppies, platy’s, even goldfish.
3. Ammonia source. This method involves using dead prawns or fish food.
4. Mature media. Using filter media from an established tank/filter.
All these methods have the same effect but over different time scales. What we are trying to do is build up a colony of friendly bacteria in the filter that will consume the harmful ammonia and nitrite and turn it into the less harmful nitrate.
Fishless cycle.
First thing to do is find some ammonia. You are looking for the unscented type used for cleaning. Homebase stores stock it in a 9.5% solution. You add this solution directly into the tank so after 3 days the reading shows ammonia at 5ppm on your testing kit. As a guide you need to add approximately 3ml of 9.5% ammonia solution per 60 liters of water. Keep the water temp around 80 deg for the duration and also make sure the pH doesn’t drop below 6, otherwise the process will stall. Make a note of what was added to begin with so that you can calculate what’s needed to maintain it at this level. Once the daily reading shows about 1ppm start adding half of this amount daily so that it stays at 5ppm, then after 24 hours, drops to 1ppm, and until the nitrite begins to show, then keep adding half the amount again until both ammonia and nitrite are reading zero. At this point the nitrate will be off the scale, so do a 50% water change to reduce it. The tank is now cycled and can be fully stocked. This method takes from 2 to 3 weeks, sometimes shorter. If you are not adding fish straight away, don't change the water. keep adding the solution to keep the bacteria fed. Do the water change the same day as adding the fish.
Live fish cycle.
This method uses what’s classed as hardy fish to ride out the cycling process, such as Guppies, Platy’s, Danio’s, Goldfish etc. You just add the fish at say one inch of fish per 20 liters and wait. Just feed normally and keep testing the water. If the fish look distressed do a water change. The water sometimes goes a bit cloudy, but this is normal. This method takes around 6 weeks to complete. The drawbacks are that even after the test is zero you have to stock slowly so that the filter can adjust to the extra bioload. On the plus side, you have fish to watch from the outset.
Ammonia source.
Not my favorite method but some people use it. It involves chucking a few prawns or some fish food into the tank which eventually rots down and gives off ammonia. This is very difficult to estimate when the cycles is going to be complete. Also it can introduce fungus (Saprolegnia) into the tank, which can transfer to your fish. The cycle can take up to 6 weeks to complete. Same rules apply as the above, testing daily etc.
Mature media
This is my favorite method. Either connect an established filter, of appropriate size, to the aquarium, or transfer the media from the old into a new filter. Gravel, décor etc can also be transferred over to speed the process. Contrary to belief, mature water does not carry any friendly bacteria, but is useful if moving fish at the same time, to acclimatize. You still have to add fish gradually until the filter is coping with the extra bioload though over a period of time.
You can also use this method combined with the fishless cycle by adding the ammonia solution
1. Fishless cycle. An ammonia solution is added to the tank.
2. Live fish cycle. Using hardy fish such as guppies, platy’s, even goldfish.
3. Ammonia source. This method involves using dead prawns or fish food.
4. Mature media. Using filter media from an established tank/filter.
All these methods have the same effect but over different time scales. What we are trying to do is build up a colony of friendly bacteria in the filter that will consume the harmful ammonia and nitrite and turn it into the less harmful nitrate.
Fishless cycle.
First thing to do is find some ammonia. You are looking for the unscented type used for cleaning. Homebase stores stock it in a 9.5% solution. You add this solution directly into the tank so after 3 days the reading shows ammonia at 5ppm on your testing kit. As a guide you need to add approximately 3ml of 9.5% ammonia solution per 60 liters of water. Keep the water temp around 80 deg for the duration and also make sure the pH doesn’t drop below 6, otherwise the process will stall. Make a note of what was added to begin with so that you can calculate what’s needed to maintain it at this level. Once the daily reading shows about 1ppm start adding half of this amount daily so that it stays at 5ppm, then after 24 hours, drops to 1ppm, and until the nitrite begins to show, then keep adding half the amount again until both ammonia and nitrite are reading zero. At this point the nitrate will be off the scale, so do a 50% water change to reduce it. The tank is now cycled and can be fully stocked. This method takes from 2 to 3 weeks, sometimes shorter. If you are not adding fish straight away, don't change the water. keep adding the solution to keep the bacteria fed. Do the water change the same day as adding the fish.
Live fish cycle.
This method uses what’s classed as hardy fish to ride out the cycling process, such as Guppies, Platy’s, Danio’s, Goldfish etc. You just add the fish at say one inch of fish per 20 liters and wait. Just feed normally and keep testing the water. If the fish look distressed do a water change. The water sometimes goes a bit cloudy, but this is normal. This method takes around 6 weeks to complete. The drawbacks are that even after the test is zero you have to stock slowly so that the filter can adjust to the extra bioload. On the plus side, you have fish to watch from the outset.
Ammonia source.
Not my favorite method but some people use it. It involves chucking a few prawns or some fish food into the tank which eventually rots down and gives off ammonia. This is very difficult to estimate when the cycles is going to be complete. Also it can introduce fungus (Saprolegnia) into the tank, which can transfer to your fish. The cycle can take up to 6 weeks to complete. Same rules apply as the above, testing daily etc.
Mature media
This is my favorite method. Either connect an established filter, of appropriate size, to the aquarium, or transfer the media from the old into a new filter. Gravel, décor etc can also be transferred over to speed the process. Contrary to belief, mature water does not carry any friendly bacteria, but is useful if moving fish at the same time, to acclimatize. You still have to add fish gradually until the filter is coping with the extra bioload though over a period of time.
You can also use this method combined with the fishless cycle by adding the ammonia solution
