Fastest way to cycle an aquarium?
by Aquaboy on Monday, March 29th, 2010 | 3 Comments
I hear about hardy fish, products i can buy in pet stores, live bacteria, gold fish..etc. So whats the fastest way?
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Fastest way, get a spare filter and run it in an established tank for a month or so.
When you set up your new tank, move in the already cycled filter, and add your first fish. The tank wont be fully cycled, but it will have some working cycle and be safe for some fish.
Then you can add more fish over time as the cycle builds up to match the fish population.
Even if you choose to do a full fishless cycle, or add a bacteria supplement, or use goldfish – this will speed up your cycle.
Ian
Add live bacteria AND hardy fish. The bacteria has to have food to grow which the fish will Supply. The fish will also entertain you until your tank is cycled.
Lanab is right if that opportunity exists for you..
you can use any fish the trick is to go slow, meaning only a few fish in the beginning. You have to keep the ammonia levels really low.
in a few weeks your tank will be semi cycled for them and you can add a few more fish then wait a week etc…
seachem stability is cheap and helps aswell, i recommend it.
cycled in simple terms means you have enough bacteria to feed on the ammonia the fish produce which if not eaten by the bacteria kill the fish.
getting the first bit of bacteria is the hardest but after a couple weeks the population grows fast.
so get throught the first few weeks with a few fish even thought he tank will look empty and go slow at first and never add alot of fish at once or feed the first day in the tank.
they won;t be hungry anyways..
good luck..