How To Make Cycling Easier On A Goldfish? Options

[Hamad]

I was away from home for about a year and while I was away I had a tank set up there and before coming back I gave away all the fish except one that I brought with me. I didn't really calculate things when I decided to bring the poor oranda with me.

I have a 2 ft tank that I filled with water already and I'm going to add the heater and a filter soon [didn't decide yet, I have many filters around and not sure which one to pick...might end up using two sponge filters cause it's not a large set up and just one 5" fish].

Now I know that once I put everything together and have the fish released inside, the next step is waiting for ammonia to rise and the cycle process begin. I really love this fish and I don't want to loose it or have it stressed up because of cycling the tank. I don't know anyone that has a tank to keep the fish with him/her so it's stuck with me.

Is there anyway to make the tank's cycle go easy on the fish? Like perhaps changing 50% of the water daily? Or maybe anyone have other suggestions that would keep the fish comfortable till the aquarium cycles?

Thanks...

[HappyBuddha]

I have two suggestions:

First, even if you intend to set up a canister filter system, put in those sponge filters first. I have noticed sponge cycles much quicker then bio-media such as ceramic or sinter glass. I don't know why this is so.

Secondly, maybe you want to consider cultivating green water. The fastest is to get some good green water from someone and seed your own with it. Within 2 days your tub should have matured green water that is perfect for your fish. I know about the possibility of diseases transmitted from someone else's green water... but if the green water is well kept... it should be relatively safe.

Failing which, I'd constantly change water like you mentioned to keep the ammonia level low. Although this would result in a longer cycling period, at least the fish will not be stressed.

[mountain]

fastest is to get some good green water from someone and seed your own with it

hmmm ... :siaoleow tats perhaps the best and fastest way...

[Hamad]

Thanks for the replies, I don't know anyone at all that keeps green water, do you think starting from scratch would be good Or is it going to take a long time to develop green water? Besides it's winter now and most of the day it's cloudy so I think it'll be hard anyway unless I try to get the required equipment and do it indoor but I never tried this and don't know how easy/hard/expensive it is.

I can deal with 50% water changes daily if that's what it takes, no problem with me cause it's not a big set up but I'd like to know now which is better:

- 50% daily water changes

OR

- greenwater from step one [without seeding] indoors?

Hope to find a reply soon!

[HappyBuddha]

Sorry, I thot you already know how to cultivate green water. Unfortunately it's not easy to cultivate green water from scratch. Too many factors are involved and many bros here experienced failures but only suceeded after a few attempts. The easiest method is to get some (5% of your tank's volume should do) from someone and use it to seed your own tank.

I'd go with 50% daily water change. Can you get a SeaChem Ammonia Alert meter in UAE? It's a great little gadget that tells you the ammonia level round the clock... and it's pretty accurate. It beats going through the hassle of using a test kit to show the result.

Meanwhile maybe you can cycle another filter in a seperate tank using pellets to generate ammonia. The fish-less way to cycle a filter spares your prized oranda from going through the cycling process.

[Hamad]

Sorry, I thot you already know how to cultivate green water.  Unfortunately it's not easy to cultivate green water from scratch.  Too many factors are involved and many bros here experienced failures but only suceeded after a few attempts.  The easiest method is to get some (5% of your tank's volume should do) from someone and use it to seed your own tank.

I'd go with 50% daily water change.  Can you get a SeaChem Ammonia Alert meter in UAE?  It's a great little gadget that tells you the ammonia level round the clock... and it's pretty accurate.  It beats going through the hassle of using a test kit to show the result.

Meanwhile maybe you can cycle another filter in a seperate tank using pellets to generate ammonia.  The fish-less way to cycle a filter spares your prized oranda from going through the cycling process.

Oh wow! That would be such a relieve to have but I don't think it's available, gotta check but I'll also search online and try to order it off the net.

I have checked this Thread for indoor green water information so I went to the LFS an hour ago to search for PL lamps [really expensive] and the most they have is 15000k and as for watts 38w. Now in that thread I read that you use two 7000k [which is available in the LFS] but does the watts have to be so high?

I'm planning to have indoor green water as a side plan, the main plan is going to be 50% water changes daily, and I don't mind failing the first few attempts as long as I'm going to get it sooner or later and when I do I will transfer the fish into it.

Thanks HappyBuddha for all the advices!! I really appreciate your help!

[CyberET]

for a more cost effective solution, MH lamps would be better
PL lamps degrade too quickly, so replacement tubes would roughly work out to the same price as a MH lamp

[HappyBuddha]

Oh wow! That would be such a relieve to have but I don't think it's available, gotta check but I'll also search online and try to order it off the net.   
   
I have checked this Thread for indoor green water information so I went to the LFS an hour ago to search for PL lamps [really expensive] and the most they have is 15000k and as for watts 38w. Now in that thread I read that you use two 7000k [which is available in the LFS] but does the watts have to be so high?   
   
I'm planning to have indoor green water as a side plan, the main plan is going to be 50% water changes daily, and I don't mind failing the first few attempts as long as I'm going to get it sooner or later and when I do I will transfer the fish into it.   
   
Thanks HappyBuddha for all the advices!!  I really appreciate your help!

They make 15000 kelvin PL lamp now? Wow! The highest kelvin I know of and made by Osram is 12000 kelvin and I was already impressed.

In a very simple terms.... kelvin is the colour of the light. Daylight white is about 6500 kelvin. 10,000 kelvin is still white but with a hint of blue, while on the other end, 3500 kelvin is yellowish in colour (like your typical halogen light bulb.)

Wattage, is how bright the lamp emits. You probably have used 60 watts tungsten bulb (about 3000 kelvin), and knows the effect of changing it to a 100 watts - the room is now much brighter.

So... a 36 watts 6500 kelvin PL is not as bright as a 55 watts 6500 kelvin PL although both has the same white colour.

Given a choice, I'd go for a higher wattage over a higher Kelvin. PL is already not powerful enough (over the long haul as its output would decrease gradually) while, IMO, day-light (6500 Kelvin) is good enough.

Actually, I've been reading praise over Metal Halide lamps. It may cost more up front but over time it's actually significantly cheaper to use as the output does not deteriorate as quickly as PL. The only pissy thing about MH is... it heats up an enclosed room but since it's winter now, it might be a good choice for you.

You can use specially made MH lamps for aquarium (side note), or buy off the shelves from lighting supplies store these for commercial application kinds which are cheaper.

Side note: If you can... ask the supplier if the MH lamp filters out UV. I *suspect* those made for aquarium use (usually it's the marine pple that use MH lamps) delibrately want UV so as to kill off algae. I have no proof on this though but... I can just imagine a sales brochure claims "Why buy a UV filter when our lamp emits UV to kill alage!" Erm... you don't want that to happen if you want green water.

[Hamad]

Ohh thanks guys for explaining that!!

So if I go with Metal Halide lamps, they don't have to be for aquarium use right? Because I'm 100% sure there aren't any of those in the stores I went to today.

And in case I couldn't find/order one, could I get green water with a clouded sky or direct sunlight is the only way?

* Thanks for the links HappyBuddha, bookmarked them in case can't find any around!

[Allan]

And in case I couldn't find/order one, could I get green water with a clouded sky or direct sunlight is the only way?

Hi there

Cloudy day is fine but definitely not ideal. During the moonsoon season here in Singapore where the sky will be cloudy for days, my green water tubs don't turn intensely green as quickly. I now have the habit on checking up the weather forecast just before I change my green water. If the forecast calls for cloudy days in a roll, I would seed more old green water, failing which my fishes would suffer that week.

Try to find a spot in your garden where you can get maximum exposure to direct sunlight. You can always move it to a less brightly lit area if the green intensifies too quickly.

Cheers.