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Hello my friend gave me a 20G and its all set up in my room,
I am going to cycle it, my questions is.

I am planning to use the filter of an established aquarium, but I dont have the ammonia yet, can I still put the filter in the aquarium or do I wait till i get the ammonia to feed the bacteria?

I currently have plants in there. I just set it up 2hours ago.

10gallon: 8neons 5gallon: 1betta
1oto
2platys

if you have decomposing leaves in the tank it will create ammonia, is there any snails with the plants?

I'd be safe and wait until you have the ammonia. That way you'll be sure the bacteria won't die before you start the cycle. The decaying plant leaves will add some ammonia, but if the media is coming from a well stocked tank, the plant ammonia may not be enough to sustain the bacteria.

*Kristin*

You could always add ammonia drops to the tank. Follow the instructions though as you don't want to add to much. Do you have any other media like gravel, decor, plants that you can add? This might help alittle also. You could also drop in some fish flakes as they sink they will convert and should help alittle. Just a couple thoughts for ya.

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Live life to it's fullest
Who knows what tomorrow holds

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Unscented, uncolored ammonia works best, however like sideburns dave pointed towards any decomposing matter will work. Leaves, fishfood ect. Doing it that way will take a bit longer than ammonia drops though. So add a small crumbled sprinkle of food 2-3 days before adding the established aquarium.

When I used seeding material from a previous tank (gravel and a squeeze off of the filter sponge) I stocked slowly with the hardiest fish I was planning to use. If you dont have hardy fish in your stocking plans I'd suggest making sure your cycle is over entirely before adding any fish, especially if you're using ammonai drops.

^_^

OK, I'm only going to add the filter when I get the ammonia, I'm looking at a fishless cycling but I does not tell me how much to put in my aquatium, its a 20G.

Tha rocks and decore had to be washed because my friend who solf it to me had parasite problems.

Also he used cocking a year ago will this effect the fish, I washed it very well.

10gallon: 8neons 5gallon: 1betta
1oto
2platys

Someone on another site told me since i have an established filter and plants, I dont need to cycle it like useual, because I have an established filter, they said I should put some hardy fish in their a day before and then put in my filter so it has some ammonia...is this a good Idea because it makes some sense to me, they said I will not get any spikes with the ammonia.

10gallon: 8neons 5gallon: 1betta
1oto
2platys

Here are some pretty good articles on fishless cycling:

Good one
This one says to add 4-5 drops per 10 gallons until nitrIte peaks and then add 2-3 drops/10 gallons.

This one doesn't give an exact amount, but its a good article to read.

*Kristin*

But will what I said work?

Thanks for the Article though.

10gallon: 8neons 5gallon: 1betta
1oto
2platys

Yes it should work provided you stock slowly. This is how I set up a new tank and I never have problems.

Good luck.

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Before you criticize someone walk a mile in their shoes. That way you're a mile away and you have their shoes.

OK so Ill add 2 platys now and Ill put my filter in tommrow? Sounds good? No ammonia then?

10gallon: 8neons 5gallon: 1betta
1oto
2platys

That is what I would be doing.

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Before you criticize someone walk a mile in their shoes. That way you're a mile away and you have their shoes.

thank you.

10gallon: 8neons 5gallon: 1betta
1oto
2platys