cycling with fish
- Thread starter mandakay
- Start date
Reading the boards is a good start. Danios are one of the hardier fish that you can use for cycling...if you really want to do a fish-in cycle. Depending on the tank size you want to stock lightly with the danios and then monitor your levels of ammonia, nitrite and nitrate in the tank...and do water changes as often as you need to to keep the levels of ammonia and nitrite low. Once your ammonia and nitrites have gone up and then dropped to 0ppm and you have measurable nitrate...then your tank is cycled and you can continue to stock it SLOWLY.
Try to cycle the tank without live fish as it will harm them during the process however careful you are. If you start with a piece of fish (raw from your dinner maybe) it will generate the same chemicals as live ones.
After leaving it there for a day or two, test water quality every day or two, When the readings are down and stable (depends on temp, climate , etc etc but could take a month. Probably just a week or so though) you have a fully cycled SAFE tank for your fish. Add the fish you want, as opposed to ones that you feel you must have cause the're expendable. one at a time. Wait a week, then add another. once cycled Regular water changes (20% twice a week , or even more if the test kit says you have a problem) will keep things sweet. after about six months your tank should have its own "eco system" and as long as you are careful it should be reasonably bullet proof.
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After leaving it there for a day or two, test water quality every day or two, When the readings are down and stable (depends on temp, climate , etc etc but could take a month. Probably just a week or so though) you have a fully cycled SAFE tank for your fish. Add the fish you want, as opposed to ones that you feel you must have cause the're expendable. one at a time. Wait a week, then add another. once cycled Regular water changes (20% twice a week , or even more if the test kit says you have a problem) will keep things sweet. after about six months your tank should have its own "eco system" and as long as you are careful it should be reasonably bullet proof.
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