# Fishless, plantless cycle, How long does it normally take?



## yoink (Apr 21, 2005)

tpl*co said:


> I want to use the tank already! .


You could change all the water and stuff it full of fast growing plants. No need to wait.


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## esarkipato (Jul 19, 2005)

I remember it took my tank at least a week, maybe two. 

I agree with yoink, and no more fishless cycling for me! Just add the fish slower than all at once, and have healthy plants, and you are fine! (seeding is always good, too).


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## spypet (Sep 15, 2006)

I would wait a whole Month before adding any valuable fish or plants.


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## JenThePlantGeek (Mar 27, 2006)

I did a project with a class I taught and had the guys graph out their cycle. This is one of the better ones:










I would say it was fully cycled on 3/3, so roughly 3 weeks. This was using a small 3 gallon hex and a betta. Seeding and increased levels of ammonia due to fishless cycle additives would speed it up I bet.


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## tpl*co (Nov 4, 2006)

Ack, so long! Oh well, I've waited this long...

Here I used 3/4 of the media from another canister and squeezings from sponge filters and it still may take weeks . I'm glad I was playing it safe and did the fishless cycle before adding the fish and plants instead of thinking that it had enough bacteria though. It's a shock to see the ammonia level not going down or the nitrite and nitrate levels going up as fast as I thought after all that. Goes to show you that even with filter media from another tank, a new tank may still need to cycle. I've seen posts from others that transfer equipment to another tank then add the fish immediately after and then wonder why their fish get sick a little after, could be another cycle started.

OK, I'll wait and try to be patient a little longer, DH wants fish in that tank though!

Tina


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## RachPreach (Jan 16, 2006)

HI, i figured i would just ask on this thread instead of starting a new one. I have a 10 gallon that im trying to cycle with out fish or plants. Im going to use it to raise my baby angels in so its going to be bare bottom. I set it up saturday feb. 3rd and I put a cycled filter from my other 10 gallon tank in there. Today I just did a 20% water change and replaced the water with water from another cycled tank. How much longer before its safe to put my babies in there?


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## JenThePlantGeek (Mar 27, 2006)

If your filter is already seeded you should be able to put them in there as soon as you set it up. The whole idea of the cycle is to grow nitrofying bacteria in the filter. Just double check your water params and look for 0 ammonia and 0 nitrIte.


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## RachPreach (Jan 16, 2006)

oh ok i didnt know that...well i guess ill put them in there...they have only been free swimming since last sat. though so i dont know if that is too soon or not.


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## yoink (Apr 21, 2005)

RachPreach said:


> HI, i figured i would just ask on this thread instead of starting a new one. I have a 10 gallon that im trying to cycle with out fish or plants. Im going to use it to raise my baby angels in so its going to be bare bottom. I set it up saturday feb. 3rd and I put a cycled filter from my other 10 gallon tank in there. Today I just did a 20% water change and replaced the water with water from another cycled tank. How much longer before its safe to put my babies in there?


If you had nothing in the tank, then a good portion of the bacteria will probably be dead. They need food(ammonia and nitrite) to survive just like fish and plants. Without anything producing ammonia, your tank will never cycle.


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## RachPreach (Jan 16, 2006)

ok well i have some feeder fish i could put in there(endlers). I did check the ammonia and the level is elevated a bit. Would that be ok to put them in there?


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## RachPreach (Jan 16, 2006)

i dont want to hurt the endlers though by burning their gills if there is any chance of that...


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## yoink (Apr 21, 2005)

If there is ammonia you shouldn't have to add the fish.  I'm not sure what a "safe" level of ammonia is to add fish.


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## RachPreach (Jan 16, 2006)

ok so what are u suggesting I do then? Just wait until it drops?


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## yoink (Apr 21, 2005)

I would wait until ammonia and nitrite are both zero, then proceed as planned. I would also wait for someone else to reply, I'm hardly an expert:icon_lol:


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## John S (Feb 27, 2004)

what i would do if you have other tanks i would take like 80 % of the old water and use that for your baby fish.


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## RachPreach (Jan 16, 2006)

what do you mean? Could you explain a little further?


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## Rex Grigg (Dec 10, 2002)

Using the old water will not help that much since most of the helpful bacteria live on the surfaces of the aquarium.


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