Cycling

[stb06]

I am about a week into cycling and I have a damsel in my aquarium to help facilitate the process. I have a 12g aquapod. About how long does the cycle take before I can start to add more fish/invertebrates/coral? Is there anything in particular I should do during the wait?

Thanks for the help.

[dustin_P74]

what you can do is take the damsel out because now that it is established in the tank it will likely kill any new fish you add to the tank, other then that there is nothing you can do but sit and wait

[cthegame]

Dustin is correct. After the tank is cycled, i would remove the damsel before adding any new fish.

You should monitor the cycle closely by testing the water regularly to be sure everything is going as planned. It takes a few weeks for it to complete. For me, it took 4 weeks but for some it takes less or more. After the test is complete, remove the damsel and you can add new fish. I would wait a few weeks more before adding corals.

[yote]

Like Dustin said,You'll thank yourself later if you go ahead and remove the damsel now.Then just sit back,relax and it cycle untill you have zero ammonia and zero nitrates.Could take a week,could take 6 to 8 weeks.

[Rcpilot]

The damsel has pooped enough to kick off the cycle.

Now take it out before it dies. There's really no need to use a fish to cycle a tank anymore. You could have dome the same thing with some fish food. A cube of Marine Cuisine in the tank would have done the same thing.

Lot's of people used to use damsels because they are hardy, but I think it's cruel. Why subject the little guy to all that ammonia and nitrite? All you need is something to rot. Fish food rots. Just as fish poop rots.

Take it out and give it back to the store. Wait about 6 weeks and then test for ammonia, nitrite and nitrates. If ammonia and nitrite are both zero, then you can do a 25% -- 50% water change to remove the nitrates. When you changed enough water to drop nitrates below 20, you are safe to put in a fish and a coral.

Did anyone mention damsels are EVIL? If you leave that fish in the tank, you can pretty much bet it will kill any other fish you put in the tank.

[Bifferwine]

I agree with all that's been said above. No point in using a damsel to cycle the tank, and it'll just kill anything you try to add anyways.

[RyanG]

Wow Biff I thought you would be much tougher on him. Unusually kind!

[Bifferwine]

I'm way too tired to be my usual nasty self today .

[RyanG]

haha....not nasty just firm!

[stb06]

Thanks for not beating me down Biff. But if I am doing something wrong please let me know or if I should do something different. Lay it into me.