How do I fishless cycle a 30 gallon with ammonia?
I have an empty 30 gallon right now. This is my first fish tank.
1 Is it okay if I add substrate after the cycle or during or will there be any changes?
2 My main question is how much pure ammonia EXACTLY do I add to the water? I have a testing kit
3 Also how high do I fill the water to- all the way to the top of the tank?
4 How long can I expect the cycle to take for a 30 gallon? I read it can take 3-8 weeks but I’m not sure it will really take up to 8?
Please answer the questions above and any practical ones you can think of.
I plan on getting 2 or 3 lionhead/ranchu goldfish.
5 Can I add 2 of the fish at first or will it be bad to (after the cycle is complete of course)?
I am doing a fishless cycle because I would really regret if any fish died by just adding them in with no cycling.
How large should the gravel be so the goldfish won’t choke and die on it?
I don’t have any water from an established tank. I want to get full-grown goldfish. ***I just don’t know much much ammonia to put.** I have no idea.
***If I add one fish at a time each week at a time (for 2 or 3 weeks=2 or 3 fish) will they be okay? Meaning if I do not cycle at all and add the fish, but still test the waters each day as I add them?
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You most likely won’t need eight weeks to cycle a new fish tank, even without ammonia, but you can speed up the cycle by adding water from an established tank. My personal recommendation would be to fill the tank up about two thirds of the way by volume after adding your gravel and ornaments. Then, let it sit 24 hours for the chlorine to evaporate and top it off with the water from the cycled tank- but leave at least 1 1/2 to 2 inches space between the surface and the cover. Be sure you keep the cycled tank water aerated until you add it as the beneficial bacteria need oxygen to survive. Then turn on your filters immediately once your tank is filled. This should cut the cycling time to about two weeks, so wait until then to stock the tank or when any cloudy water runs clear(whichever comes last). Add your fish gradually. The goldfish you mention above should work if you get them while they are still small and cannot overload the new filter, but in all honesty I would get a heater and start with tropicals. Small tropicals like neon tetras and platies will actually produce less waste than goldfish of the same size, and you will have more choices open to you. Plus, tropicals tend to get a lot more TLC in the shop, and the risk of getting a sick fish is lower.
Here is a really good site on it
1 It is good to add substrate while cycling because it is a good place for bacteria to grow.
2 It really does not matter, just a cap full per day until it cycles.
3 Until you can not see the top of the water. There should still be a little amount of space.between the top of the tank and the water.
4 Probably around 4 weeks.
5 I would add one at a time, and only add 2 in all because goldfisyh are really dirty, 3 i think would be crowding to much.
Oh, either have really large stones, or sand.
Although I have never heard of problems with goldfish swallowing stones, very large or very small would be good as a precaution.