Instead of pure ammonia, can i just add fish food to cyle a new tank?

Question

any other ways to cycle a new tank besides using some filter media from an other established tank? thanks :)

Answer 1

any hardy fish will cycle the tank also

This is best as you have something to look ate while the tank is maturing.

Hardy fish can easily withstand the stress maturing tanks provide.

This is how I mature all my tanks, saltwater and fresh water.

Answer 2

Yes, fish food is a source of Ammonia and will start the cycle in your tank.

Have read on the various methods here..

http://www.fishlore.com/NitrogenCycle.ht...

You will see that fish food is one of the options.

Bringing in media from an established tank is a different thing.

Imagine you want to grow a lawn on your barren backyard.

If you do nothing, grass will eventually grow, but it's going to take a while.

Now if you use fertiliser (fish food or ammoina) it will grow faster.

If you get plugs of grass from your neighbour (gravel or filter media) and feed fertiliser to those you will have a lawn even faster.

If you get ready lawn layed (thats like moving in a whole cycled filter)

then you can have a lawn ready that day. But it had to be grown someplace else and moved in.

It's all about setting up a symbiotic relationship between the filter bacteria and the fish. If you can get some bacteria established first, then it's easier on the fish.

Ian

Answer 3

yes fish food is fine

danios are good for cycling