How much fish food during cycle?

Hey there,

2 weeks into a fishless cycle of a 55-gallon freshwater tank using fish food and bacterial starter. Ammonia is down to 0, but nitrites are at 5, nitrates at 20.
Should I be continuing to add more food and, if so, how much and how often would you recommend?
Also, once I get fish ready (I know I’m not there yet) would love thoughts on how much of a water change to do before introducing them and some good initial fish ideas.

Thanks!

 

At this point, I think you should wait and see if the nitrite goes away in a week or so. Possible get a grocery store shrimp or 3-4 , and put them in a nylon stocking and hang them in the tank, This will keep the cycle going and it is a lot less messy the fish food.

 

Hey there,

2 weeks into a fishless cycle of a 55-gallon freshwater tank using fish food and bacterial starter. Ammonia is down to 0, but nitrites are at 5, nitrates at 20.
Should I be continuing to add more food and, if so, how much and how often would you recommend?
Also, once I get fish ready (I know I’m not there yet) would love thoughts on how much of a water change to do before introducing them and some good initial fish ideas.

Thanks!

You can wait for nitrite to drop to zero before adding more fish food. When you add fish food, add as much and as often as if the tank is fully cycled. The tank is only considered cycled once you can ghostfeeding like that for ten or so days (from experience, not from anything super concrete) without seeing ammonia or nitrite.

It'd be easier, and also better, if you use 'pure ammonia' like ammonium chloride instead.

That'd be the only two ways I would suggest to go on from here. Ammonia-dosing far preferred.

 

I agree that pure ammonia is more precise and "instant", (food takes a while to break down) but at this point you may want to just stick with fish food. If you do this I'd consider just ghost feeding starting now until the cycle is up to speed.

As for your second question, once your cycle is running 0-0 you should do a large WC, like 80% to reduce the nitrates you'll have built up.

Which fish? In a 55 you have lots of options. Research and maybe start another thread for that. This is the fun part!

 

I agree that pure ammonia is more precise and "instant", (food takes a while to break down) but at this point you may want to just stick with fish food. If you do this I'd consider just ghost feeding starting now until the cycle is up to speed.

As for your second question, once your cycle is running 0-0 you should do a large WC, like 80% to reduce the nitrates you'll have built up.

Which fish? In a 55 you have lots of options. Research and maybe start another thread for that. This is the fun part!

Thanks! The large water change once at 0-0 won’t undo the cycling work? I’ll be good to add fish immediately after?

 

Thanks! The large water change once at 0-0 won’t undo the cycling work? I’ll be good to add fish immediately after?

Even a large water change won't disturb the cycle because the beneficial bacteria is mostly in your filter media. If your water has chloramines it will add a little ammonia, but your filter will process it quickly. Mine has .5 to .75 ppm right out of the tap which is considerable if doing a large WC.

I'd suggest to doing a large WC and wait 24 hours and retest. If all looks good you can start stocking... a few fish at a time to be safe.

 

You can wait for nitrite to drop to zero before adding more fish food. When you add fish food, add as much and as often as if the tank is fully cycled. The tank is only considered cycled once you can ghostfeeding like that for ten or so days (from experience, not from anything super concrete) without seeing ammonia or nitrite.

It'd be easier, and also better, if you use 'pure ammonia' like ammonium chloride instead.

That'd be the only two ways I would suggest to go on from here. Ammonia-dosing far preferred.

Considering the exponential growth of bacteria, I would think most of the population would arise near the end of the growth curve?

When I cycle I don't feed normal amounts on day 1, I only do that in the very end eg. last 3-4 days of a 30 day cycle. I start with very minimal amounts on day 1 and slowly ramp up.

I find this to be pretty reliable and I could add fish after a month with no losses. I found if I add normal feeding amounts on day 1 there would be an overwhelming of cloudiness and foul water that may be detrimental to the cycle or just nasty to be around

 

Just gonna say using bottled bacteria and fishfood to cycle, it's going to cycle but it's not going to be a strong cycle like it would with pure ammonia.

Stock slowly and over time, never double or more your bioload (animals) at one time.
What you don't want it going too fast and getting a large ammonia spike that the bacteria colony isn't up to size to handle.

If you were using pure ammonia and dosing 2ppm and that was clearing out to nitrates in 24 hours you could stock pretty heavy at one time, your flake food isn't producing that much ammonia and honestly takes about 1 month to completely break down so at 2 weeks, not all of it has yet from the first day you've fed the tank.

However you do it, ammonia and nitrites should be zero and only nitrates building up and it's cycled for some level of stocking.

Just saying to take it slow and easy, a couple fish here, wait a couple days and if no spike, add a couple more. A couple days longer then a couple more and gradually get up to the stocking you want. The last thing you want is to spend a few weeks to a month fishless cycling, then stocking too fast and getting a spike for a week or two from stocking beyond what the biofilter can handle that requires daily water changes and stressing to manage to keep the fish alive that you just bought.

Food as an ammonia source tends to cycle weaker than a fish in cycle, it works, it's just not a strong robust bacteria colony.

Some of your ammonia you've already gotten may have been biological die offs from the bacteria in a bottle some sticking some dying to feed the others as the food breaks down.

Best of luck to you!

 

Considering the exponential growth of bacteria, I would think most of the population would arise near the end of the growth curve?

When I cycle I don't feed normal amounts on day 1, I only do that in the very end eg. last 3-4 days of a 30 day cycle. I start with very minimal amounts on day 1 and slowly ramp up.

I find this to be pretty reliable and I could add fish after a month with no losses. I found if I add normal feeding amounts on day 1 there would be an overwhelming of cloudiness and foul water that may be detrimental to the cycle or just nasty to be around

Yes, ramping up the amount of food added works as well.