Speedy

Hey everbody
I'm doing the fishless cycle with fish food and it has worked great for me it took mine 3 weeks and one day. I started out with bio-zyme for 7 days then a pinch of fish food every 12 hrs. I just had my tank about 60% full with lots of air bubbles with a hanging filter and a rena canister filter. Temp was at 82. This is my first time doing the fishless cycle and I will never do the cycle again with fish.
I didn't have any cloudiness but I did have the little white fuzzy stuff on the glass I just cleaned it off with an algae pad. As for the fish food I just took a net and got some of the nasty food out from off the bottom and my tank is clear as if I have been doing water changes. I think it has worked because my ammonia is zero and nitrite is zero and my nitrates are at 10. But know I'm a little unsure how much water I change before added fish. Or just do I fill it up and leave it at that. I'm hoping someone on here will give some details on this. Please. I didn't get my live java fern or java moss today like I thought was going to happen can't seem to find any any where here it is on back order so I don't think I'm going to wait. I think I'm going to try some amazon sword plants I just hope my pleco don't eat them.

Lucy

Speedy, it's usually best to start your own thread, but no problem.
Did you add fish already?

Speedy

No I have added fish yet. I'm waiting on my live plants should have them by Wednesday. I'm trying java moss and java fern. I wanted to have it all set up before adding my fish. Can you move the thread or can I delete it and start my own thread with it.

Lucy

Whew, moving threads always makes my head spin.
Thank you SDS.

Anyway, I'd vacuum the gravel to make sure all the food is out, change maybe 50% of the water and rinse the fikter media in used tank water.

If you're not adding fish right away, continue to feed the tank so you don't lose your cycle.

Speedy

Thanks again lucky for pm the mod and moving my thread
Not to say your wrong or anything or maybe you just didn't see in my thread that the tank is a 44 gallon and it is only about 55 to 60% full of water so that is why I thought just 10% water change would be enough and vacuum out the gravel and then just filling it up because my nitrates is only at 10. If I change 50% then add the new water I would be adding almost a whole tank full of water. I plan on putting my fish in maybe tomorrow or the next day. That doesn't sound right to me. But is that what your saying? I knew that about the fish food but thanks for telling me that just in case I didn't. Thanks so much for your help. Oh almost forgot I love the cat in the aquarium.....

Lucy

You can say I'm wrong, lol, I won't get mad.

I didn't see that your tank wasn't full, sorry about that.
You're on the right track, you just want to get the yucky stuff out.

Ha, glad you like the cat, he was as ornery thing.

Good luck and make sure you post some pics.

Speedy

So do you think that 10% and vacuum out the gravel and then filling it all the way up will not hurt the bacteria? Does that sound good to you? Sure don't want to start over again or make it go into a mini cycle. I will post some pictures of my 55 gallon the other one's I'm going to take down for now. Is it a real cat? I love cats heck I love all animals I have a tortoiseshell persian she is my sweet little girl.

jdhef

There is very little beneficial bacteria in the water. The bacteria actually lives in the filter media, the gravel and any ornaments that are in the tank.

So while I think it would probably be fine to just clean up your gravel and then just fill it the rest of the way, I do not think it would hurt if you took out 10$ or 50% and refilled the tank.

Lucy

Most of the beneficial bacteria lives on the filter media so vacuuming shouldn't hurt. It also lives on decorations.

Was your filter running during cycling?

Yes, it's a real cat, he was helping, can you tell? lol I love animal too.
Fish Lore has a cat section, you should post some pics, she sounds adorable.

Speedy

Yes I had the little hanging filter on the tank the whole time but I added the rena about a week ago. But the tank had already been cycled when I added the rena. I'm going to have to take the little filter off because the lid will not fit with both of them on the tank. So I guess I will change about 20% and hope for the best. I will also be added some decorations and moving things around I hate doing that but everything I seem to want I cant find or get right now.
My cat loves to help in everything also. I will post some pictures of her soon. I haven't had a chance to look at pictures of tanks or anything else.
It is good to see some Tennessee people on here every other forum I belong to I haven't seen anybody from Tn. I would love to talk to people in Tn that love fish also.

Lucy

That sounds good. You'll also want to keep the filter media from the little filter in the tank for a couple of weeks until the new filter develops enough bacteria.