Looking for advice on how to do a fishless cycle.

Hi! I could really use some help with getting this cycle going properly. I added FritzZyme to my new 40 gallon breeder on March 25th and then I added 3 guppies to the tank (I wanted to do fishless, but eventually I was convinced to add some fish) on the 28th. I then discovered that male guppies in small groups are a bad idea and rehomed them on April 1st. I have since done a lot more research on the stock I want to keep with the help of all of you on FishLore (thank you all again for answering my questions!) and I want to finish the rest of this cycle before I add fish. Given that I had the guppies in the tank for 5 days and was feeding them during that time I wanted to see if I had added enough ammonia to start things off, but I took readings again this evening and I am unsure if this is 0ppm or 0.25ppm.




I'm not sure what to do to start the cycle and I don't know if the FritzZyme bacteria is still okay or if it has starved from lack of ammonia. If anyone could provide me with the steps I need to take to do this right I would really appreciate it. I have researched the topic, but there seem to be so many ways of doing it and I could use some advice from more experienced aquarists. Thank you all for reading and for any advice you can provide!

 

You could use hardware store liquid ammonia (no surfactants) , Dr Tims Ammonia, or fish food. Your bacteria is more than likely still fine. Liquid of some sort is easier to get a precise dosed amount. You could add some fish food for now.

 

Hi! I could really use some help with getting this cycle going properly. I added FritzZyme to my new 40 gallon breeder on March 25th and then I added 3 guppies to the tank (I wanted to do fishless, but eventually I was convinced to add some fish) on the 28th. I then discovered that male guppies in small groups are a bad idea and rehomed them on April 1st. I have since done a lot more research on the stock I want to keep with the help of all of you on FishLore (thank you all again for answering my questions!) and I want to finish the rest of this cycle before I add fish. Given that I had the guppies in the tank for 5 days and was feeding them during that time I wanted to see if I had added enough ammonia to start things off, but I took readings again this evening and I am unsure if this is 0ppm or 0.25ppm.

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I'm not sure what to do to start the cycle and I don't know if the FritzZyme bacteria is still okay or if it has starved from lack of ammonia. If anyone could provide me with the steps I need to take to do this right I would really appreciate it. I have researched the topic, but there seem to be so many ways of doing it and I could use some advice from more experienced aquarists. Thank you all for reading and for any advice you can provide!

The FritzZyme bacteria, and indeed nitrifiers in general, go for weeks to months ammonia-starved before they even show signs of material decline, let alone dying off en masse. They are fine.

If you can get your hands on pure ammonia to dose, that would be preferable. It is really the only way to ensure the establishment of nitrifiers in a typical tank. Fish food works too, but is generally not as effective as it often promotes the growth of non-nitrifying heterotrophs, organisms that compete directly against the autotrophic nitrifiers we want to establish.

 

The FritzZyme bacteria, and indeed nitrifiers in general, go for weeks to months ammonia-starved before they even show signs of material decline, let alone dying off en masse. They are fine.

If you can get your hands on pure ammonia to dose, that would be preferable. It is really the only way to ensure the establishment of nitrifiers in a typical tank. Fish food works too, but is generally not as effective as it often promotes the growth of non-nitrifying heterotrophs, organisms that compete directly against the autotrophic nitrifiers we want to establish.

I notice in the instructions that step 2 is to add nitrifiers. Do I add more FritzZyme after each dose?

 

I notice in the instructions that step 2 is to add nitrifiers. Do I add more FritzZyme after each dose?

Only after the first time. You do not need to add more every time.

Although, if you know you will not need to use the bacteria again, you can just add all you have, it won't harm anything. Though saving some just in case could be good too. Either/or.