cheating the cycle?

Ringo · 04-26-2006, 06:13 AM

i am wondering if there is anyway to cheat the cycle? putting old filters in, i know gives it a boost but is thre anything else that will help???

ron v · 04-26-2006, 06:32 AM

Lot's of healthy, growing plants can eliminate the need for cycling.

Ownager2004 · 04-26-2006, 08:48 AM

Put a hardy fish or two in and let them cycle the tank for you.

ron v · 04-26-2006, 09:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ownager2004

Put a hardy fish or two in and let them cycle the tank for you.

Well, that is certainly true, but that was not the question.

**fish_doc** · 04-26-2006, 09:40 AM

Bio-Spira If you can find it. We have a store here locally that seems to always have a small stock of it.

**Osiris** · 04-26-2006, 10:00 AM

Can never really truly cheat a cycle but can speed it up.

Ringo · 04-26-2006, 01:46 PM

i didnt mean make the cycle happen overnight, just meant maybe speeding it up a few weeks. it takes 36 days for everthing to be safe.

**Osiris** · 04-26-2006, 01:50 PM

I am a firm believer that it doesnt take 36days to cycle lol.

Just substrate, tank water and filter from another tank and presto! ready to go

Ringo · 04-26-2006, 04:32 PM

cool, ill try it

**JustOneMore20** · 04-26-2006, 05:47 PM

Lots of plants, like mentioned above. Adding fish slowly also helps. You can seed new filters with media from an established filter, or run the new filter in an established tank for a couple weeks. You can add gravel from another tank to the new one (put it in panty hose/stockings if you don't want to mix). There are many ways to speed up the cycle.

I planted my tanks from the beginning with fast growing stem plants like wisteria. Then I added my fish slowly. In the 55g I added about 4 or 5 fish every other week (sometimes weekly). I never registered any ammonia or nitrites...maybe I was lucky. I also used gravel and filter media from an established tank.

Ringo · 04-26-2006, 06:19 PM

doc whats bio-spira??????

Alin10123 · 04-26-2006, 06:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SpoiledFishies

doc whats bio-spira??????

It's the bacteria that you are trying to get established when you cycle a tank. The biospira is like a brand. They package the bacteria so that you can just dump it into the tank and it's basically ready to take fish.

**fish_doc** · 04-26-2006, 08:05 PM

bio spira
http://www.marineland.com/products/m...L_biospira.asp

It is the only aquarium starter on the marker that I would use. The rest do not come anywhere close to it.

Tonymd · 05-07-2006, 09:03 PM

A sponge squeezing from a tank thats established would work great. Ive done it before and had a reading of 0 ammonia 0 nitrites and a few nitrates by doing this. And the tank is still the same 3 months or so latter. Just put the squeezing in the filter of the new tank.

04-26-2006, 06:13 AM	#1
Ringo I'm just a Twig Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: The Sticks Age: 16 Posts: 965	cheating the cycle? i am wondering if there is anyway to cheat the cycle? putting old filters in, i know gives it a boost but is thre anything else that will help???

04-26-2006, 09:40 AM	#5
fish_doc Advisor to Neptune (Mod) Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Northern Illinois Age: 40 Posts: 3,835	Bio-Spira If you can find it. We have a store here locally that seems to always have a small stock of it. __________________ Dave (fish_doc) A World of fish

04-26-2006, 10:00 AM	#6
Osiris Super Moderator Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Wisconsin Age: 25 Posts: 3,714	Can never really truly cheat a cycle but can speed it up. __________________ Reality is for people who can't handle Science-Fiction

04-26-2006, 01:50 PM	#8
Osiris Super Moderator Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Wisconsin Age: 25 Posts: 3,714	I am a firm believer that it doesnt take 36days to cycle lol. Just substrate, tank water and filter from another tank and presto! ready to go __________________ Reality is for people who can't handle Science-Fiction

04-26-2006, 05:47 PM	#10
JustOneMore20 Moderator Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Birmingham, AL Age: 22 Posts: 3,581	Lots of plants, like mentioned above. Adding fish slowly also helps. You can seed new filters with media from an established filter, or run the new filter in an established tank for a couple weeks. You can add gravel from another tank to the new one (put it in panty hose/stockings if you don't want to mix). There are many ways to speed up the cycle. I planted my tanks from the beginning with fast growing stem plants like wisteria. Then I added my fish slowly. In the 55g I added about 4 or 5 fish every other week (sometimes weekly). I never registered any ammonia or nitrites...maybe I was lucky. I also used gravel and filter media from an established tank. __________________ *Kristin* 5 Planted tanks: 55g, 40g, 29g, 20g, 5.5g

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04-26-2006, 06:32 AM	#2
ron v Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Alabama Age: 61 Posts: 1,123	Lot's of healthy, growing plants can eliminate the need for cycling.

04-26-2006, 08:48 AM	#3
Ownager2004 L33t n00b Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Athens, Ohio Age: 25 Posts: 466	Put a hardy fish or two in and let them cycle the tank for you.

04-26-2006, 01:46 PM	#7
Ringo I'm just a Twig Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: The Sticks Age: 16 Posts: 965	i didnt mean make the cycle happen overnight, just meant maybe speeding it up a few weeks. it takes 36 days for everthing to be safe.

04-26-2006, 04:32 PM	#9
Ringo I'm just a Twig Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: The Sticks Age: 16 Posts: 965	cool, ill try it

04-26-2006, 06:19 PM	#11
Ringo I'm just a Twig Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: The Sticks Age: 16 Posts: 965	doc whats bio-spira??????

04-26-2006, 08:05 PM	#13
fish_doc Advisor to Neptune (Mod) Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Northern Illinois Age: 40 Posts: 3,835	bio spira http://www.marineland.com/products/m...L_biospira.asp It is the only aquarium starter on the marker that I would use. The rest do not come anywhere close to it. __________________ Dave (fish_doc) A World of fish

05-07-2006, 09:03 PM	#14
Tonymd Fishy Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Age: 27 Posts: 14	A sponge squeezing from a tank thats established would work great. Ive done it before and had a reading of 0 ammonia 0 nitrites and a few nitrates by doing this. And the tank is still the same 3 months or so latter. Just put the squeezing in the filter of the new tank.

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