Cycling - Is it Done? I WANT SNAILS

yeah I think I cycled for like 2 months with 2 damsels actually 4 but the yellow tails killed the 3 strips.An 2 peices of rock I believe I have pics of it lol.

 

So, I shouldn't add any inverts or coral, but I should add a fish or two, and keep the lights off.

I'm confused -- inverts/coral wouldn't survive in the current climate due to the high nitrate level and any fluctuations that are likely to occur within the coming weeks. But, I could add a couple of fish? I thought fish were the last thing to add. And, if I added a couple of fish, wouldn't they want/need some light?

 

You could add 1 fish or 2 depending on size but the fish you are adding are hardy such as damselfish. Some people now place a dead shrimp in a sock or pantyhose and when the shrimp decomposes they take it out. If you would like more info on cycling the old school way pm Otty or Tangster, there the ones helping me cycle my tank now.

 

I wouldn't add anything alive. Just put a cocktail shrimp in the tank and it will create the ammonia necessary to get the cycle started.
If you were to add a fish or two this would be so that you would be feeding and the fish would be producing waste. Now since your current LR can not convert the ammonia to nitrite then nitrate the fish get extremely stress and could end up dieing. That is why I would never use fish. Ammonia is very harmful and create leasions in a fish's gills and make breathing very painful (I would suspect)

J

 

Off to by a couple of damselfish....have a great weekend.

 

Well that's rather cruel

 

I'm not sure that you've done a good thing. It's entirely up to you if you want to cycle with fish or without but if you were going to cycle with fish, I would only add ONE yellow tailed damsel. They are the least aggressive of the damsels If you add 2, however, you most likely will have problems, especially if they become a mated pair. If you add any other kind of damsel, you might only need 1 to create a very hostile and aggressive environment.

 

Just use one Y/T Damsel and run only the actinic lights and feed the one fish very very very little about a little pinch of flakes every other day . Then set back and give the tank 10 to 12 weeks and you won't have to worry about the ammonia and nitrite testing unless you want to waste the time and money.
I'd use the money to get a Ca and Alk test kits and get these levels up and stable also Magnesium. Nature will do the rest. It is great way to cycle a tank and you will have so few problem .. L/R and sand and instant cycling has done far more harm and ran more people out of the hobby then I can recall.

 

The best way to cycle is mostly a personal opinion. Is is not any more cruel than taking the fish from the ocean and bringing it into your tank. I have two chromis cycling in my tank and they have made it two weeks and show no signs of stress. Back then tanks would usually be started with a hardy fish anyway.

I agree with only adding one.
+2 on what tangster said

 

OK so explain something to me. when someone posts on fish deaths the fist thing anyone asks is what is your water parameters. If there are the slightest Ammonia or Nitrite reading we instantly blame those reading for the fish death.
Yet now you are telling people that putting a hardy fish, one that won't "die" in a high ammonia/Nitrite environment isn't cruel. Just because the fish doesn't Die doesn't mean it's not harmed by the event.
It make zero sense to me to introduce a fish this this environment especially when the fish is not desired long term.


Sorry Linda this is not intended to make you feel bad one your decision to get some fish this week end.

J