How long do I cycle my tank for?
by Aquaboy on Tuesday, June 8th, 2010 | 5 Comments
I am getting a 55 gallon tank, I don’t want to use that fast cycle stuff, I just want it to be done slowly and carefully. If the tank was used, does it still need to be cycle again?
And also, what are some fish, that you can use to cycle the tank and are hardy and can be kept with guppies?
Once everything is set up, how long do I wait untill i can add the fish?
Thanks for all your help:D
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If you want to cycle just throw in some dead shrimp instead of hurting fish
the real nitrogen cycle that these other posters know nothing about can take 2-6 weeks. usually 3-4.
Yes it needs to be cycled again.
Buy some Cheap fish you dont mind loosing throw 5 in there and let them be. some Might die.
Also slowly add your fish. or the bacteria won’t keep up and you won’t have any fish.
ok. fail safe plan to cycle your tank is a fishless cycle. it’s never led me astray.
http://www.fishlore.com/NitrogenCycle.htm
it’s the easiest plan to follow and has simple diagrams to explain the process.
it takes a minimum of two weeks and that is usually with the booster help of an established tank, if you don’t have access to an established tank then it may take longer. (up to a month)
totally recommend the bottled bacteria…products like “cycle” it can really make a difference
i personally don’t like adding fish until after the ammonia and nitrites have reduced to zero and the nitrates are starting to show trace amounts. then i know my tank is safe to add fish. some people will say to add a couple fish (30% max of your tanks capacity) to help cycle your tank but i feel that is cruel to subject your fish to any level of ammonia or nitrites. only really hardy fish like zebra danio will survive.
It will take however long it takes, there is no real set time. Anything from 2-6 weeks, sometimes longer!
If the tank’s filter media and gravel has been replaced/dried out, you have to cycle. All the good bacteria will have died.
Fishless is definitely the way to go.
Http://www.theaquariumwiki.com/The_Nitrogen_Cycle
There are two ways to cycle a tank. Fishless or With Fish.
Fishless is safer, as no fish can get killed. But it does does involve a bit of messing about with test kits and liquid ammonia or dead shrimps. It will let you cycle the tank fully before you add any fish.
Cycling with fish is the old method, but it still works. The trick is to only add a few fish. As your tank is fairly big, and you only want to keep small fish like guppies it will be OK to cycle with fish. Just refill the tank, wait 24 hours for things to settle and put in about 6 guppies. 6 guppies in a 55gal is close to no fish at all. It will take weeks for them to build up a dangerous ammonia level, and before that happens the tanks cycle will have started. Gradually build up the fish numbers over about 6 weeks and you will be OK, or just let your 6 guppies breed untill the tank is full.
If you are getting a used tank that is still set up, keep the filter media and gravel wet when you move it. That way most of the cycle bacteria will survive the move and you wont have to cycle the tank from scratch again. If you can do that then just adding a few guppies or danios will be fine.
Have a read of the link below. Cycling isn’t a matter of time, it’s about growing a population of bacteria in the filter to process the waste ammonia. It doesn’t matter how long you run the tank empty, it wont cycle untill there is ammonia going into the system. That means live fish, ammonia from a bottle, or rotting shrimp/fish food.
Ian