Interesting read about cycling

Why Water Changes During Cycling Are Good - Tropical Fish Forums


If you have some time, check this out!!!!

 

This article is basically a guide to cycling with fish something most of us here do not encourage.The rates of consumption are not an issue with fishless cycling making WC's counter productive.

 

In all fairness, (a) his own experiments use fishless cycling, and the water changes do still speed up the cycle, and (b) while I'm not about to encourage anyone to start using a fish to cycle, I've always done water changes during my cycles and never lost a fish to a cycle.

There is another possible advantage to the water changes. Without the water changes, the colony gets very large at the end of the cycle and the system, even after cycling is complete, may take a bit longer to come to a nice, stable equilibrium.

 

very true but as long as there is a stable supply of food it will somewhat remain equal LOL

but by that smame thought doing a 99.9% change as long as the ammonia remained at the bacterias comsumable rate then you should cycle in way less time.

 

that was a good read long but good.

 

Oh definitely, you're right. My thought (unconfirmed, and untested) is that there is this year long cycle after the cycle while a tank matures. This process is not well understood, but to the extent it is, its understood to be a series of subsequent mini-cycles for other nutrients and compounds in the system (silica, etc.). It may be the case that how you cycle for ammonia and how well you come out of that cycle has an effect on how quickly you get the rest of the process resolved.

I've seen some hints of this on other people's tanks; enough to make me curious if anyone has done a proper test. Some tanks after cycle are glorious, healthy affairs. Others ping-pong about, killing livestock on a regular basis. Both show numbers that are perfect on a test, but one of them has something going on under the radar that is not healthy.

 

The key to cycling IMO is limiting the ammount of ammonia introduced in the first place.If you start with less ammonia there is less chance of spiking the Nitrites and hence slowing down the cycle. Also with too much ammonia you are inhibiting the growth of the Nitrifiying Bacteria.If there are no fish in the tank why waste time and money on salt to give you a one day faster cycle?I would also expect to see his experiment turn out much differently if the ammount of ammonia first introduced was lowered.By adding a smaller ammount at the start you have less stockpiling of the ammonia and the need for a WC is moot.Why add too much ammonia and then remove it?

 

Honestly I do not know why it has to be sooooo complicated.

If you have want fish and inverts early on soft cycle: Do small water changes as needed and start with live rock. Do not stick fish and inverts to suffer the ammonia spike.

If your patient and not in a hurry just let the tank cycle for 8 weeks and ghost feed.

Too many variables in adding bottled beneficial right off the get go.

Words to hobby by:

"Nothing good happens fast in this hobby".
"It's a hobby not a race".
"Don't chase the numbers".

Newer people that rush cycles and stocking are usually not long term hobbyist. It's merely a passing fancy for something unique and self gratification.

JM2C

@Scrimshaw interesting read non the less.

 

Glad

Glad you guys found this as interesting as i did. I was always told that you cant do water changes during cycling.