To fishless Cycle or Not to FishLess Cycle?

[RacerFish]

well thats the question...I was reading the post "a few more questions" about the argument not to fishless cycle. I am planning to do a fishless cycle, but I am having second thoughts of doing it,  might just be a somewhat waste of good patience and a waste of getting that achy feeling for fish in your new tank. Well anyway, this is the two opposing ways, adding a few fish at a time and doing a 10-20% water change weekly, thus the fish will do fine after the cycle is finish. To do a Fishless Cycle, basically your fish will thrive in a completely cycled tank; however in a tank where fish are added after setting up the tank, fish will have to go through the stress of the cycle. I understand both methods of cycling, but I don' understand which one is more beneficial in the long run? Yes or No? basically, will the fish life expectancy shorten because Fishless cycle was not the method used to cycle tank? from the perspective of time consumption, is Fishless Cycle shorter or longer from using the method of putting fish little by little?

well anyway, from my expierience so far, I did not do a fishless cycle in my 29 gallon tank, and the fish I added from then on are fine to me..so i personally am having second thoughts on doing a fishless cycle. please enlighten me on these two opposing ways of cycling the tank.

ok thanks..this should be a very HOT DEBATE... hehehe.. thanks again.

RacerFish

 

[catfishmike]

the idea behind fishless cycling is to not expose your fish to excessive polution.often times right after someone buys their new tank they fill and stock all in the same day and wonder  why the fish die.fish in the wild would never encounter these conditons in nature,only an aquarium.few fish are adapted for harsh conditons such as what is experinced in a cycling aquarium.this is the #1 reasons for fish death.during the cycle the fish live in their own waste untill benifical bacteria establish,causing fish to stress leaving them open to disease.

 

[luvfishies]

One vote for Fishless Cycling here.

 

[ronrca]

I vote for fishless cycle. Reasons? I love the idea of being able to add all my fish at once, not 3-4 fish every 3-4 weeks. It might be ok for a small tank however for large tanks, it would take years before you finally reach your limit.

Another reason is your fish not be submitted to the cycling conditions ie ammonia, nitrites. Even though fish may not show symptoms and live seemingly happy, they can be affected in the long run by shorter life spans, susceptible to disease and other things. I have even read that it can make fish sterile depending on conditions. Why put the poor fishes in those kind of conditions in the first place if you dont have to?

Another reason is during the fishless cycle period, it gives your tank time to steady out and give you time to research your fish. Too often do I hear of people getting their fish tank and 3 days later fish or even same day. Oops! Ph is wrong (too high or low), hardness doesnt work out, temp is wrong, ph keeps rising, etc.  

Id rather wait than to have my fishes suffer because of me being impatience and ignorant to the fact that ammonia/nitrites will harm fish.   *thumbsupsmiley*

 

[Medic6666]

Another on for the fishless cycle.  *thumbsupsmiley*

I waited a month for my tank to cycle before I add my first couple of fish.

I have not lost a single fish as far as I know from bad tank keeping.

There is always a right way a wrong way and another way.
sometimes the another way will work but that does not mean its right..... ??? ??? (did that make sense)

Oh well....time now to clean the tank....

Medic6666

 

[NickM]

I talked to one of my friends last night and he told me that when he got his tank, he threw 6 or 7 fish in the tank, and none of them died.

I believe now that this fishless cycling came around with all these animal activist people.  Bunch of malarchy in my opinion.  Now I wish I had added fish to y tank instead of starting the fishless cycle stuff.   >

 

[tabby360]

Im going to do fishless cycling but how do i get ammonia and were do i find it.

 

[ronrca]

Nope Nick! Just a better way to do it! Like said, builds a bigger bio culture and has not negative effects on fish.

 

[luvfishies]

Nick, I was rushed when I posted and kept it simple...ronrca said it right...you don't stress fish (and not all fish LOOK stressed when they are baing damaged) with fishless cycling, you can build a MASSIVE bioculture, you can rearrange and decorate BEFORE getting the fish you've RESEARCHED as the best and nicest for your water parameters.

If you go the "water fiddling" route, you have a month to twiddle and tweak without stressing fish....and BTW.....can someone answer me on this? Just what are DISPOSABLE fish? No fish are disposable IMO.


Tabby, the ammonia we're talking about is household cleaning ammonia, clear, no colours or perfumes added, no suds when shaken. The label should have Ammonia, Water, and possibly chelating agents, and that's ALL. I've seen it in Walmart, Canadian Tire, corner variety stores, bargain stores, even some Pharmacies. The most common brand that fishkeepers use seems to be "AMEX".

 

[Matt Nace]

If you choose NOT to do a fishless cycle, you really do need to address what may happen to the new tank, and try to prevent it.

First, ammonia at certain levels will kill. At other levels less toxic, it will cause permenant skin and gill damage, burns as the fish breathes.

NitrItes also kill. NitrItes block the oxygen carried in the blood. SO the fish suffocate to death. They also stress durring the times when it is not toxic. Fish will vary in how each level effect them.

That being said, you can try to eliminate those effects with..

Established filters or media from another tank. Now you can't just expect a tank with 30 fish to have 30 fish worth of bacteria.Some is in the tank's decorations and tubes, ect.

You can however, expect it to help dramatically in the cycle. But , you could not add 30 fish, only a few or you may get a lethal spike.

Live plants also aid in this. They will take up ammonia to help with this.

Also, if your PH is under 7.0...the fish waste is actually ammonium(NH4) , which is less toxic than ammonia (NH3)

So I would not just put some fish in the tank without seeding it in a big way first.

So if you have the time, than a fishless cycle is very healthy in regards to fish added do not have to encounter nitrItes or ammonia.(unless you clean your filter and all it's sponges and media, which often people do..killing a lot of bacteria)

One problem I have with adding all your fish at once is, if you have a 120 gallon tank lets say, and one fish has a disease that you don't know about...that really stinks to have to treat all that water. I like to have them go q-tank for a while..then go to the big tank.

You could q-tank them, while your fishless cycling too!

 

[RacerFish]

Hmmmm...very compelling arguments for the fishless cycle. Anyone have any objections? and what are the downsides if any in doing a fishless cycle? (of course other then the aching feeling of not having fish in your new tank) Also, what's a good estimate of how long a fishless cycle will take? I think i'm going to do it in my 90 gallon. Ok thanks for all the replies.

 

[Medic6666]

From everything I have read there appears to be no downside to fishless cycling (apart from the time).

I think in most cases its because it is accepted as the right way to cycle your tank.

You can put fish straight in but they might die or be very stressed and end up injured.

If you fishless cycle your tank you can then add your fish and know they will be happy.


I have a small tank and cycled it for 2 weeks. I would think a 90gal is going to take about a month to cycle properly....

Good luck

Medic6666