# Fishless Cycle?



## goldie (Aug 4, 2012)

I'm doing a fishless cycle on 220 Gallon. I only filled it with water six days ago. I've decked it out with the gravel,rocks,plants,filter etc.

I feel very relaxed about this because there's no fish in there.I'm just leaving it to do it's own thing.not being in a hurry for this tank I haven't even tested the water once because there's no fish to worry about.
Iv'e always done fishless so my question is?

Is it beneficial to have fish in because personally for me I would just be whittling about the fish and probably be testing water on the hour lol.
I'm reading so many times about fish in high Ammonia, continually changing water to get it down, then onto high Nitrites and again changing water to get that down.
Look forward to reading anyone's input on this)


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## clep.berry (Mar 4, 2012)

Fishless is the way to go IMO and that of many others.
So long as you're adding ammonia daily or every other day it should be fine - although you should be testing for ammonia so that you know how much to add - and nitrates to tell you when the cycle's finished.
Yes, there's very little stress involved as the worst that can happen is that you set your cycle back a few weeks.
Good for you!
At the end of your cycle, you should be able to break down the same amount of ammonia that your fish will be producing - or even more!
cb


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## Manafel (Sep 4, 2011)

I prefer fishless because it's a lot less stress on not only you, but the fish as well. Especially with such big tanks, ca you imagine having to do daily water changes on that sucker to get the ammonia and nitrites down? ridiculous


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## goldie (Aug 4, 2012)

clep.berry said:


> Fishless is the way to go IMO and that of many others.
> So long as you're adding ammonia daily or every other day it should be fine - although you should be testing for ammonia so that you know how much to add - and nitrates to tell you when the cycle's finished.
> Yes, there's very little stress involved as the worst that can happen is that you set your cycle back a few weeks.
> Good for you!
> ...


Thanks for that clep berry.This is one thing that hubby does to do with my tanks and yes I can see the point so I will start the testing,so i'm glad i posted this thread.
I thought Christmas had come real early because a friend 'gave it' to me. It took three men with muscle to fetch it then get it into the house and onto the stand.
He's moving abroad and I saw it when he had it running. The theme was almost all blue with gorgeous Turquoise Discus and a really big shoal of Neons. I wish now i had taken a pic of it and when i work out how to put on pics i could have shown it on here. It looked magnificant.
It's rectangular 7ft by 2ft by 2ft so had to shuffle a bit with furniture. I would never have afforded a tank like this.
Okay testing water from now and thanks


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## goldie (Aug 4, 2012)

I can imagine Manafel hahaha, I think I would have put a small pond pump in with hose attached and out of the window onto the garden.
I suppose when i eventually reach the point where i will be doing water changes that's what i might do apart from partial vacume cleaning the gravel.
The thought of fish being in there and having to do maybe two water changes a day to get Ammonia and then Nitrites down,think i would end up with a slipped disc lol)


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## Manafel (Sep 4, 2011)

when you gave me the dimensions, I have to ask, is it an old Oceanic aquarium? I have one with the exact same measurements(I thought it was just 200 gal. not 210)


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

If you go and read the fishless cycle sticky, there is some good gouge there.

The only time you need to test for ammonia is the first day you add it. After that it is pointless...you know you're going to have it and the amount should not worry you.

Procedure:
Add, test, add, test until you reach 4ppm. Remember that amount. Add that amount every day - without fail until nitrites show. Test for nitrites around day 5. Once you have detected them, cut your daily dose to every 3-4 days and only dose half the amount. Keep testing for nitrites and see the spike and once they fall, usually very rapidly, test for ammonia again after nitrites read 0ppm.

I followed this method to a tee the last two tanks (shrimp only tanks) and both cycled in less than 2wks and the last one was less than 10days. If you test for ammonia everyday you'll see values in the 8ppm range, but it doesn't matter. It is this high level of ammonia that kicks the cycle into overdrive and forces the nitrites to show so fast. There have been many cases on here where people have been doing fishless and everything is stalling because they are not adding ammonia daily and instead trying to maintain a certain level of ammonia.....doesn't work. It will, but you will be at it for a while.


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## susankat (Nov 15, 2008)

You've gotten good advice, one thing I will add, with a tank that size get yourself a python or something similar and save your back.


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## goldie (Aug 4, 2012)

Manafel said:


> when you gave me the dimensions, I have to ask, is it an old Oceanic aquarium? I have one with the exact same measurements(I thought it was just 200 gal. not 210)


I'm not sure what you mean Manafel by is it an old Oceanic aqarium.Do you mean was it used before as a Saltwater. If that's what you mean, there were Discus and Neons in there. It ,looked beautiful how he had it set up and its 200 gallons? Thanks)


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## goldie (Aug 4, 2012)

jrman83 said:


> If you go and read the fishless cycle sticky, there is some good gouge there.
> 
> The only time you need to test for ammonia is the first day you add it. After that it is pointless...you know you're going to have it and the amount should not worry you.
> 
> ...


Thanks jr man, i had seen a ,load of sticky threads on here so i will deffo check that one. Thanks for all your info too


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## goldie (Aug 4, 2012)

susankat said:


> You've gotten good advice, one thing I will add, with a tank that size get yourself a python or something similar and save your back.


Hi susankat

Yes i have had a lot of good advice and im really grateful. When i read your post i went to u tube to watch the Python cleaner being worked and i'm definately going tio get one, thats going to save a lot of work with the water changes. Thank you


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## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

Oceanic is a brand like ;all glass ,aqueon and O'Dell and perfecto for old schoolers.I cycled my 75 reef by adding food(new life spectrum marine) to a tank with only live rock.I fed every other day or so and tested and added first fish 3 weeks later.Everyone says add ammonia (and I get it) but was my food as good? I think so. And think it was easier.Seemed safer? 7 foot aquarium is not common size.


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## susankat (Nov 15, 2008)

Tank calculations add up to 210 gal. But close enough.


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## goldie (Aug 4, 2012)

coralbandit said:


> Oceanic is a brand like ;all glass ,aqueon and O'Dell and perfecto for old schoolers.I cycled my 75 reef by adding food(new life spectrum marine) to a tank with only live rock.I fed every other day or so and tested and added first fish 3 weeks later.Everyone says add ammonia (and I get it) but was my food as good? I think so. And think it was easier.Seemed safer? 7 foot aquarium is not common size.


coralbandit
I was reading ages ago about fishless tank cycling and it said some people put shrimp in a mesh bag and let it rot to get the Ammonia to kick off. At one time iwas thinking of trying that with a 40 gallon but i was wondering how much water (if any) would need to be changed before i put the first two fish in. I couldn't find any info about the water though but, it was said the tank would stink hahaha. Yes iv'e also read to feed the empty tank with fish flake as in feeding the filter.)


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## clep.berry (Mar 4, 2012)

a pinch of fish food once in the 4 weeks is what I read a while back.
Then again, I produce mature media to help rescue other's cycles with a bit of Poly pad - this speeds things up a LOT.
cb


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## majerah1 (Oct 29, 2010)

I love my python. Ive got nine tanks set up so the use of it over buckets is wonderful! 

Good luck with the cycle, so glad to hear you have decided to go that way. Any ideas on the fish you will house?


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## Manafel (Sep 4, 2011)

goldie said:


> I'm not sure what you mean Manafel by is it an old Oceanic aqarium.Do you mean was it used before as a Saltwater. If that's what you mean, there were Discus and Neons in there. It ,looked beautiful how he had it set up and its 200 gallons? Thanks)


I was just wondering if you knew what brand the tank was. But with a tank that size, be gentle with it, because when/if it breaks, your gonna have a bad time like myself lol!


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## goldie (Aug 4, 2012)

majerah1 said:


> I love my python. Ive got nine tanks set up so the use of it over buckets is wonderful!
> 
> Good luck with the cycle, so glad to hear you have decided to go that way. Any ideas on the fish you will house?


Hello majerah

I'm transfering my orandas into there from a 60 gallon so then I will be thinking what shall I now have in the 60 gallon when that's eventually empty.
Another thing i would like to know from anyone is what kind of wood could I put in there thats safe.
I've been reading about this but i.m still not 100% sure what is safe. I would really like light tan and also dark wood as well but not if it's risky at all


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## goldie (Aug 4, 2012)

Manafel said:


> I was just wondering if you knew what brand the tank was. But with a tank that size, be gentle with it, because when/if it breaks, your gonna have a bad time like myself lol!


hahahaha Manafel ,I can't help laughing at your postbut, I suppose we can never be 100% sure a tank won't break,having said that I don't feel I have to be 'very' gentle with it by the look of the way its been made


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

The problem with using food to conduct the cycle is you can't control the decompose rate and ammonia levels fluctuate. Flake food is even worse as your pinch may not be the same as my pinch and not to mention the potential mess you're left with after the cycle has completed. The food rots and creates the ammonia. Just easier to dose ammonia.


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## FishFlow (Sep 13, 2011)

susankat said:


> Tank calculations add up to 210 gal. But close enough.


Was that innie or outtie measurements?  220gallon tank, the glass panes gotta be about 2" thick.


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## FishFlow (Sep 13, 2011)

Just to link it. If you haven't read it in awhile. JR streamlined the reading, and in 60 seconds you can be an expert fishless cycle aquarist. (Well done JRman83!)

http://www.aquariumforum.com/f66/fishless-cycle-15036.html


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## susankat (Nov 15, 2008)

FishFlow said:


> Was that innie or outtie measurements?  220gallon tank, the glass panes gotta be about 2" thick.


Why you say that, the glass on my 220 is only 1/2 inch.


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## goldie (Aug 4, 2012)

FishFlow said:


> Was that innie or outtie measurements?  220gallon tank, the glass panes gotta be about 2" thick.


Hello Fishflow

Actually I was corrected about the 220 gallons. It's 210 gallons. All i know is it's drawn glass, it's 7ft long by 2 ft high by 2 ft wide. I feel confident it won't break unless it gets hit with a sledge hammer because the guy who handed it over to me also gave me the stand but, mainly because he had it in use for nearly three years. I don't think it's 2" glass though.
Tomorrow i might measure inside then outside and let you know hahahaha
Sorry can't help laughing at your post))


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