Cycling help?

Question

hi i am getting a 200litre tank (about 50 gallons i think)

what would be the best way to cycle it

the lady at the pet shop said to wait a couple of weeks then add some neon tetras and wait about a month before adding any more fish

i have also heard about using fish food

what do you think

Answer 1

Do not use fish to trigger the cycle, neon tetras in particular are quite weak these days and need mature tanks, not new tanks, to thrive. They would not survive an ammonia spike.

Http://www.theaquariumwiki.com/The_Nitro...

You can use fish food, or pure household ammonia, or something like a cocktail shrimp to trigger the bacteria and the ammonia spike. You will need a liquid test kit to measure the levels daily.

Answer 2

Most people that work at pet shops are people off the street,It could sit a year with nothing in it,what good would that do.Start out with not so expensive fish,you may lose some.Why feed a tank with nothing in it.

           Debbie O

Answer 3

Ok.

I personally do not like fishless cycling- I'm too impatient, plus I think it's useless and prolongs the process.

However, having said that, I have five tanks full of fish that I've had for years.

If this is your first tank, then fishless cycling is your best bet.

Pick up some pure ammonia,and add a small amount to your tank every day. Make sure you have a liquid test kit for ammonia, nitrIte, and nitrAte.

Test the water everyday. When your ammonia starts to climb, do a 20% water change. You will be doing one daily for a while- for about 6-8 weeks. Once the ammonia drops, nitrItes will rise. When these drop, nitrAtes will rise. When these peak at about 10ppm, you can add your fish, a few at a time.

The lady at the shop was right in saying wait- She only gave you half the information though, I'm afraid. Just leaving the water for a few weeks won't do anything- There won't be anything to trigger a cycle.

Neons aren't hardy fish. They struggle to survive a cycle. Go for hardy fish, such as guppies or platies.

Using fish food is kind of a waste- You have to add as much as you would feed your fish every day. This could end up costing you a bit in wasted fish food.

When buying pure ammonia to cycle the tank with, make sure there is no soap in it. A simple test is to shake it- If it foams, don't get it. If not, then you're probably good.

Best of luck in cycling your tank.