The Puffer Forum

postal_blowfish wrote:@glitter ok that's something I can do. Now how will I know when it's cycle is finished? Where should the parameters be?

The process will go like this: You will have your ammonia spikes, and you will have to do lots of water changes everyday to keep this down so your fish don't die. Next, you will get a Nitrite spike, and you will have to continue your water changes, so again, your fish don't die. Then, you will get a Nitrate spike, which is the final process. Once you are getting your Nitrate your Ammonia and Nitrite should level out to 0 and you will do water changes to keep your nitrate under 20.

This process can take anywhere from 6-12 weeks. It's very stressful on your fish and that's why people recommend fishless cycling. However, since you already have fish you will have to do very frequent water changes and use prime to dechlorinate your water, which will help your fish out some.

The 50% water change that everyone does weekly after their tank has cycled is to keep the nitrates under 20 ppm (parts per million).

Best of luck! If you have more questions, feel free to ask. =]

You can also use tetra safestart to do an instant cycle on your tank.

puffykid wrote:You can also use tetra safestart to do an instant cycle on your tank.

I think that SafeStart is freshwater only. BioSpira is the salty equivalent, I believe. Or Dr. Tim's.

I would personally go that route, to save the trouble on the fishkeeper and the fish.

kcartwright856 wrote:

puffykid wrote:You can also use tetra safestart to do an instant cycle on your tank.

I think that SafeStart is freshwater only. BioSpira is the salty equivalent, I believe. Or Dr. Tim's.

I would personally go that route, to save the trouble on the fishkeeper and the fish.

Ok and using this product would be the equivalent of cycling your tank? I'm very new at this as I'm sure you can all tell lol, so im sorry i have a lot of questions. If I were to use the Biospira, then I would only have to continue my weekly water changes as opposed to the daily ones someone mentioned above?

Also here's a pic of my tank I was asked to put up. is there perhaps too much decor or do you guys think its ok?

Raise the lights or ditch them all together. The tank is small enough and bright enough with standard ambient room lighting.

MORE Structure and decor would be beneficial.

Actually, this is a good thread. Good questions and the right answers.

What's your SG at? That will make a big impact on rather to use Dr. Tims or Safestart.

You could add a plant that covers the surface a bit. Nice decor job!

Even if you add safestart or dr timms you have to keep a close eye on your water for a while. You are still a way from being "fully cycled" straight after adding it. The bacteria has to recover from being bottled and reproduce to handle your tanks bio load.

bertie 83 wrote:Even if you add safestart or dr timms you have to keep a close eye on your water for a while. You are still a way from being "fully cycled" straight after adding it. The bacteria has to recover from being bottled and reproduce to handle your tanks bio load.

+1. Even with the so-called instant cycling products, you will most likely have to do a few water changes.

Add it directly to your filter & give the system 48 hours to establish, before any WC.

@glitter my sg is currently at 1.010. Should I use the safestart or dr Tim's?

@pufferpunk about adding it directly to the filter, could you clarify a bit? I have an aqua clear 110 I believe, so it has a big sponge on the bottom, a bag of crushed black sandy stuff, and then what look like white cylinders on top before the water pours into my tank. By adding to the filter, do you mean to turn it off first and just add it in, or is there some other steps?

Also, with these instant products, will there still be spikes of ammonia and nitrite etc? What should I expect?

Still expect spikes. Turn off filter tip in wait 10 min to allow to soak then put filter on. I believe dr timms is your best bet at that salinity, I could be wrong please wait for someone else to confirm, I could be way off. The black stuff is carbon so remove that, put filter floss in instead about 1", pull it apart before adding

Bertie, ok in terms of the spikes, how will they go, will they go quicker? Like what's the time frame, will it be over the course of a few hours, several hours, several days?

Thank you all you're all lifesavers here! If be lost without the puffer forum lol