View Full Version : cycling w/ FW fish poo?
spacepony
02/26/2010, 11:56 AM
As I force my tank into a proper cycle, I realize I have a beautiful supply of fish poo - my FW tank! :fish2: Can anyone see any concerns if I just siphon out a bit and squirt it into my SW tank?
Right now, it seems to me to be the perfect cycle material....
lordofthereef
02/26/2010, 12:00 PM
Probably what you see is precipitated detritus for the most part. I do believe it takes some work to actually get the stuff dissolved in the tank. IMO it would be more work than just chucking a shrimp in a blender and tossing the slurry into your tank.
wooden_reefer
02/26/2010, 12:35 PM
As I force my tank into a proper cycle, I realize I have a beautiful supply of fish poo - my FW tank! :fish2: Can anyone see any concerns if I just siphon out a bit and squirt it into my SW tank?
Right now, it seems to me to be the perfect cycle material....
Why not just use your own?
Any protein will decay to give ammonia.
Some aggregate does not decay as fast, however.
It is often better to know how much ammonia will be released. This is why knowing the amount of protein added is often a good idea. 15 grams of moist flesh will decay to give 1 ppm N ammonia in 100 gals of water.
diaz2010
02/26/2010, 12:51 PM
From what I've heard you should never add anything from a fw to a sw...
spacepony
02/26/2010, 01:05 PM
Why not just use your own?
Any protein will decay to give ammonia.
That's basically what I was thinking, and hoping. Of course, you make a good point by noting it's a good idea to know the ammount, too. I figure a 'small' amount (rough estimate) should immitate the natural process of a live fish being present.
From what I've heard you should never add anything from a fw to a sw...
My basic/limited understanding of pathogens is that they don;t often cross environments/species. For example, dogs and people don;t share cold viruses. Of course, on the other hand, we *can* get tapeworms from a dog....
wooden_reefer
02/26/2010, 01:07 PM
That's basically what I was thinking, ....
If you are a newbie, and you think that human waste will fuel a cycle, you are ahead of many in your peer.
wooden_reefer
02/26/2010, 01:12 PM
For my first tank in c. 1982, I cycled my tank with live fish, starting with a maroon clown, poor fellow.
For the second, I still cycled my tank but with chopped up shrimp.
For my third, I did not cycle my tank, but the medium intended for my tank in a separate container using emusified shrimp.
Later, I had also used my urine and inorganic ammonia, sometimes, and had not "cycled a tank" ever since. Reef tank with LR is the same way.
Michael
02/26/2010, 01:37 PM
huh, what sort of person actually cycles media using their own faeces, lol, even if its possible just who would actually do it, drop some flake food or a mashed up shrimp in instead, human waste lol.
spacepony
02/26/2010, 01:40 PM
If you are a newbie, and you think that human waste will fuel a cycle, you are ahead of many in your peer.
Thank you very kindly!
Later, I had also used my urine and inorganic ammonia, sometimes, and had not "cycled a tank" ever since. Reef tank with LR is the same way.
Scientifically speaking, absolutely cool!! The real test is whether or not it impresses the dinner guests....:)
wooden_reefer
02/26/2010, 01:46 PM
The real test is whether or not it impresses the dinner guests....:)
It depends on whether the guest is a scientist, or otherwise logical.
w16227
02/26/2010, 02:02 PM
From what I've heard you should never add anything from a fw to a sw...
<snip>
My basic/limited understanding of pathogens is that they don;t often cross environments/species. For example, dogs and people don;t share cold viruses. Of course, on the other hand, we *can* get tapeworms from a dog....
lol - well, to some extent that is true, but many human diseases can still be communicated by animals.
When I was a child - I had so many recurring bouts of strep, the doctor actually had my parents get a test swab from our dog to see if he was carrying the disease (mom was a nurse). Now - this was 30+ years ago so who knows about nowadays and the canine disease threat.....
But still - one of the more common disease treatments in a FW tank is copper. For this reason alone, I would not want to cross contaminate my SW tank with any FW. Plus- a raw shrimp or even some flake food is more than enough.
spacepony
02/26/2010, 02:12 PM
But still - one of the more common disease treatments in a FW tank is copper. For this reason alone, I would not want to cross contaminate my SW tank with any FW. Plus- a raw shrimp or even some flake food is more than enough.
Hmmm, very good point about medications. Currently, I QT my sick FW fish, so that wouldn't be a problem, but still a VERY good point for anything else one might add.
Come to think of it, I need to worry about a SW QT tank...been putting it off.
bertoni
02/26/2010, 02:19 PM
Use some fish food. It's safer to handle. :) Ammonium chloride is fine, too.
spacepony
02/26/2010, 02:23 PM
Use some fish food. It's safer to handle. :)
...And it makes a cute little snowstorm that helps me check for dead spots! :spin1:
Ston3
02/26/2010, 03:11 PM
Would one be able to put fw rocks and such into a sw tank to seed the bacteria in order to decrease cycling period? Is it the same bacteria or is it a different strain?
wooden_reefer
02/26/2010, 03:28 PM
Would one be able to put fw rocks and such into a sw tank to seed the bacteria in order to decrease cycling period? Is it the same bacteria or is it a different strain?
Likely yes if you do it gradually.
Hardly practical or necessary.
If you plan ahead, you would not mind waiting a few extra days.
Cycling is already extremely easy. Absurdly easy.
Ston3
02/26/2010, 03:32 PM
Yea I know I should just be patient. I've been cycling for about a week now. I'm using live rock and live sand. I just want to add my cuc already.
wooden_reefer
02/26/2010, 03:36 PM
Yea I know I should just be patient. I've been cycling for about a week now. I'm using live rock and live sand. I just want to add my cuc already.
Why are you adding any livestock, even CUC, before the medium in a tank has completed the cycle? Don't. Some CUC can be killed by elevated ammonia.
You never never never need to use excretion from livestock as the source of ammonia to cycle.
Why do people insist on complicating the extremely simple process of cycling?
Just add a source of ammonia, a medium of filtration, bacteria seed, aerate and circulate. The medium will then cycle within six weeks to handle any and all bioload, practically speaking, all at once. There will be no ammonia, in general.
spacepony
02/26/2010, 03:47 PM
Yea I know I should just be patient. I've been cycling for about a week now. I'm using live rock and live sand. I just want to add my cuc already.
Yeah, I'm really excited about my tank's prospects, too. For now, I'm just thrilled to see life on my LR - copepods, amphipods, ....algae...:spin3:
My tank is nearly 1 month, and I'm still practicing patience! Good Luck Ston3!
Ston3
02/26/2010, 03:51 PM
Dude calm down. I'm doing fishless cycling. I stated that I want to hurry up and add my cuc but I'm being patient.
Ston3
02/26/2010, 03:54 PM
Thanks space pony. I haven't seen any forms of life yet. I'm getting these little string protrusions coming out from under the sand and a few rocks. I can't wait! Gl to you too pony.
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