# 22" rhom help!!!



## piranhamagnet (Jun 30, 2004)

Since no one is responding to the post I made, I needed a more interesting topic title.

*reference to know what im referring to:*
info

ok, i spoke to two members on this board that said I could use bio-spira to get rid of ammonia in my tank and finish cycling. Is this true? I'd hate to get fishes and then put him in here when its not safe.

I already did a 50% water change to get rid of ammonia lock since I only did enough to treat 40 gals, my tank is 150gal.

Currently there are just 4 feeders in there, preparing to stock the tank once its ready. Please help! thanks


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## nitrofish (Jan 14, 2003)

Usually you add biospira before you have any bioload , but it certainly will help speed up the proccess.I have used it once and I never got an ammonia reading while cycling so I think it does work like it says. I just can't get myself to pay the high costs, instead I take old filter media from other tanks currently running and use them in my cycling tanks, it adds an existing bacteria colony to the tank and helps speed up things.

also if you cycle your tank with fewer fish or smaller fish than the fish you are putting in the tank,it will cause a "second cycle" because theres not enough bacteria to break down the larger amount of fish waste. personally I think you should add more feeders and wait just a bit longer.


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## fiveo93 (Jan 19, 2004)

nitrofish said:


> Usually you add biospira before you have any bioload , but it certainly will help speed up the proccess.I have used it once and I never got an ammonia reading while cycling so I think it does work like it says. I just can't get myself to pay the high costs, instead I take old filter media from other tanks currently running and use them in my cycling tanks, it adds an existing bacteria colony to the tank and helps speed up things.
> 
> also if you cycle your tank with fewer fish or smaller fish than the fish you are putting in the tank,it will cause a "second cycle" because theres not enough bacteria to break down the larger amount of fish waste. personally I think you should add more feeders and wait just a bit longer.


 they say its better to add bio spira when there is something for it to feed on, and yest the sh*t is expensive, it's about $20 for a pouch to treat 90 gallons. so your gonna end up forkin out about 40 bucks for 2 pouches, also if you do happen to find it in a lfs, make sure its cold. they need to have stored it in a fridge, if it gets warm, you just lost 40 bucks, cause the bacteria will die


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## 1piranhaman (Apr 21, 2004)

hey guys, ive never had a problem cycling tanks, but for future reference, is there a general rule for how many small fish you use for cycling as to inches in fish soon to be inhabiting that tank? (ex: 5 small convicts per 5" of fish)


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## HOLLYWOOD (Feb 6, 2003)

nitrofish said:


> I have used it once and I never got an ammonia reading while cycling so I think it does work like it says.


 1. Either the stuff worked or you had a bag full of dead bacteria.
2. Best to also test for nitrite and nitrate to see where your at during the cycling stage. Its about the only time I test for the two.


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## zygapophysis (Jul 16, 2004)

i wish i hada 22 inch rhom


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## DonD (Mar 11, 2004)

Regardless of bio spira or anything else, you are going to have problems if you dump a near two foot piranha in a tank that was cycled with only 4 feeders.
The bacteria will only colonize to a level that their food will support. 4 feeders are not goig to be putting out an awful lot of ammonia, so there wont be a lot of bacteria established. Hell, in a 150, I doubt there will be much of a spike in ammonia or nitrites if any. 
IMO, you would need about 2 dozen 2 inch or so feeders to get even close to the bacteria colony you will need to support that large a fish. Remember, a single 22 inch fish puts out more waste than 22 one inch fish.


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## hastatus (Jan 16, 2003)

I was requested to voice an opinion. I agree somewhat with DonH, however, because there has been a problem with the source of goldfish (ie; disease/parasite problems) from the store where he gets them from. Perhaps it would be a better recommendation to use something less likely to bring in problems, such as silver dollars or even a large cichlid. Both will crap heavily and release urine (ammonia) What do you think DonH?

Personally, I have never used feeders or any other fish to cycle a tank. I just let the tank run (4-10 days) and then add fish by slowly dripping the tank water into the bag water dumped in a bucket with the fish in it. Never lost a fish.


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## piranhamagnet (Jun 30, 2004)

> because there has been a problem with the source of goldfish (ie; disease/parasite problems) from the store where he gets them from...










dam petsmart


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## elTwitcho (Jun 22, 2004)

hastatus said:


> I was requested to voice an opinion. I agree somewhat with DonH, however, because there has been a problem with the source of goldfish (ie; disease/parasite problems) from the store where he gets them from. Perhaps it would be a better recommendation to use something less likely to bring in problems, such as silver dollars or even a large cichlid. Both will crap heavily and release urine (ammonia) What do you think DonH?
> 
> Personally, I have never used feeders or any other fish to cycle a tank. I just let the tank run (4-10 days) and then add fish by slowly dripping the tank water into the bag water dumped in a bucket with the fish in it. Never lost a fish.


 You don't cycle at all Frank?


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## hastatus (Jan 16, 2003)

> elTwitcho Posted on Sep 5 2004, 11:20 PM
> QUOTE (hastatus @ Sep 5 2004, 07:00 PM)
> I was requested to voice an opinion. I agree somewhat with DonH, however, because there has been a problem with the source of goldfish (ie; disease/parasite problems) from the store where he gets them from. Perhaps it would be a better recommendation to use something less likely to bring in problems, such as silver dollars or even a large cichlid. Both will crap heavily and release urine (ammonia) What do you think DonH?
> 
> ...


Seems pretty clear I don't. I've been doing this for very many years. And while I admire the advanced aquarist and their penchant for complex methods, I use the old fashion way, or more specifically; K-I-S-S. I'm not an impatient man and tend to allow time to go by before adding fish. As long as your city water is free from chloramine (a big problem for some) and you allow for dissolving chlorine, my tanks have not suffered any problems. Call it luck or just plain common sense. I don't like introducing feeders because of the disease/parasite factor. I don't care how much you trust your source, sooner or later bad things can happen. So I reduce the risk by not using feeders, even for simple cycling. This not everyone's cup of tea, but my own preference on what experience has taught ME.


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## DonH (Jan 25, 2003)

There are different methods of cycling a tank, and I agree with Frank that it should not be taken as rocket science... Admittedly, I have started virgin tanks with piranha and many other species of fish. It just requires patience, monitoring your fish's behavior and water parameters. Would I do this on a VERY expensive fish? NO! But you can cycle with other fish (besides feeders) which are not as prone to disease/parasites) before receiving that prized fish.

Fortunately for me, I have enough tanks with established filters that I don't need to go through much of the cycling process when I set up a new tank.


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## MR HARLEY (Aug 12, 2003)

Dam I love both of you guys sometimes







Don H and Frank









Knowledge is power :nod:


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## stinkyfish (Jan 21, 2004)

MR HARLEY said:


> Dam I love both of you guys sometimes


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## asian_redtail_catfish (Sep 25, 2003)

I have been keeping fishes for eight years. I recommend having a cycled tank because if you do not, the ammonia from the uncyled tank will kill your fish. This is from personal experience. Anyone saying that an uncycled tank is okay, is dead wrong.


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## BKtomodachi (Jul 28, 2004)

If anyone says that they do not cycle their tank and then add fish.... they are wrong... period. Are there any members of this site who are proponents of fishless cycling? There are much better, less risky, and more humane ways of cycling tanks.... they involve either dosing liquid ammonia cleaning agents or just throwing an a couple of cocktail shrimp and waiting until they are gone...here is a really great link... I may eventually make it into an article for pfury.

http://tropicalresources.net/web/articles/...ss_cycling.html

I'd like to point out that I usually dont use the ammonia dosing, but rather just throw a couple of cocktail shrimp in (depending on tank size) and when they are gone add fish. This is all the ammonia you will need. Hope this helps.


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## JReezelle (May 18, 2003)

22'' RHOM GOOOOOOOOT DAAAAAAAMN...can't wait to see pics of that beast!!!


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