# Dusting off an old hobby...



## Cowicat (Oct 12, 2015)

After a 10 year break from fish keeping I have decided I'm ready to dive back into it. I have my 55g tank cycling...I think. Turns out I don't remember as much as I thought I did and it seems all the research I do tells me something different. Is there anyone out there who can walk me through this process????


----------



## Summer (Oct 3, 2011)

welcome back to the hobby


----------



## majerah1 (Oct 29, 2010)

Welcome!

http://www.aquariumforum.com/f66/fishless-cycle-15036.html This should help!


----------



## BBradbury (Apr 22, 2011)

Hello Cow...

Cycling with fish is an efficient means and done correctly doesn't harm the fish, provided you use a hardy species like female Guppies, Platys, Swordtails, Danios, Raspboras or Whiteclouds. I used female Guppies and had fry at the end of cycle.

Here's how: Set up the tank with the usual equipment and plants. I used Anubias for the bottom and Hornwort and Anacharis for the top. The more plants the better. Allow the tank to run for a couple of days to make sure all is running well. Introduce your fish of choice. 3 or 4 for every 10 gallons of water. Let the tank run for 24 hours and start testing the water for traces of ammonia and nitrite. Test daily and if you have a positive test for either, change out 25 percent of the water, but no more. You're growing the bacteria colony and they need some nitrogen to reproduce and cycle the tank. Just test and remove the water when needed. Feed a little every day or two. When several tests show no ammonia or nitrite, the tank is cycled. The process takes 30 days or so. From this point on, you change out half the tank water weekly to maintain a balanced water chemistry. 

Easy peazee.

B


----------



## Summer (Oct 3, 2011)

personal opinion, but i like fishless cycling. no risk of killing anything. Easiest with already used media from another tank if you can get some.


----------



## BBradbury (Apr 22, 2011)

Hello Summ...

Poster's choice of course. Hardy fish are in no danger if the water keeper does their job during "fish in" cycling. If they don't, then the fish are at risk. But, if you think about it, the practice one gets with this type of cycling prepares you for taking care of the tank as long as you keep it. 

B


----------



## Cowicat (Oct 12, 2015)

I have been running a fishless cycle for two (ish) weeks now. Added ammonia to about 4. Can't get an accurate reading on our test strips...just seems kinda vague, so will be purchasing a liquid test kit today. Ammonia seems at a safe level and nitrites an such seem to be lowering. The water level has gone down, should I add to it or do a water change? Will this upset the cycle?


----------



## Cowicat (Oct 12, 2015)

Oh, almost forgot. I should add that we are leaning towards discus and corys, and a few live plants. I have only dabbled in live plants. When can plants be placed into the tank and what are a few hardy plants I should be looking at? Thanks in advance!


----------



## Slade (Jul 27, 2014)

Cowicat said:


> Turns out I don't remember as much as I thought I did


Not so much forgetting as new ways to do things.

When I started as a teenager my "water changes" were topping off whatever evaporated with no conditioner, cleaned filters in tap water replacing filter floss weekly. Blamed the pet store for lousy stock that kept dying.

Welcome, we never stop learning.


----------



## majerah1 (Oct 29, 2010)

You can add plants now if you wish. Amazon swords work well. They grow large and fast.


----------



## Summer (Oct 3, 2011)

plants any time, java fern, anubias, mosses all easy and hardy. no advice on discus but there are a few discuss folk here who shoud chime in


----------



## Cowicat (Oct 12, 2015)

A work in progress :smile2:


----------



## Summer (Oct 3, 2011)

Very nice!! I'd say ya need some more live plants


----------

