Cycling Damsels! MUST READ

demosthenes

Active Member
Well, for all of you animal-rights activists out there, try this method. Using store-bought ammonia is supposed to work well. Pour the ammonia into the water, and wait until it shows up on the reading. Then, once the ammonia is gone, pour some more into the tank until it shows up again. Repeat this process until the ammonia is gone within an hour or two. Your tank should be cycled, and you didn't have to use a single organism in the process. HTH
 

broomer5

Active Member
I'll say this until I'm blue in the face.
There's NO ONE RIGHT WAY to do anything in this hobby.
What works for me may not work for others.
What works for others may not work for me.
When I find something useful to share, that has led to some level of success - I think it's the greatest.
If someone else want's to try it or do it that way - it's their choice.
If they prefer another route - it's their choice.
There are dozens of ways to cycle a new tank.
None of them are the best.
None of them are the worst.
They mostly all work - but may have various outcomes.
Each person will either "choose" a method or go by another persons "advise".
Same thing holds true with most every other aspect of this great hobby.
If we were all sitting in a room, discussing our successes, failures and tankkeeping methods - I highly doubt that too many nasty arguments would break out. Maybe some heated debates, and interesting perpectives, but I would hope not too much name calling and nasty comments.
For all of us, typing on a bulletin board such as this, is a way to voice our "OPINIONS".
One should try and keep things in perspective, and avoid finger pointing and personal accusations.
We're all guilty of this occassionally - I know I've had my share of adding a crude remark over the last couple of years. I normally don't find it helps me or the group too much though, and try to refrain from doing it.
Passionate people many times feel their way is the best, that their opinion is the best, and that everyone else should follow their guidlines.
Having passion for a hobby is great.
It's how you handle yourself and share this passion that counts.
Comments welcome, and if you disagree, constructive replys are of course always encouraged.
This is only my opinion ;)
 

eseow

New Member
If you don't want to risk harming livestock to cycling tank, you can use Ammonium Bicarbonate. It comes with Red Sea's Merlin Fluidized Bio-Filters. Just thought I would mention it. Later <img src="graemlins//angel.gif" border="0" alt="[angel]" />
 

baronessbuni

New Member
Someone had posted up a few posts that damsels are mean, shouldnt be kept with other fish etc...
What i have read, and found, is that to be the complete opposite.
I have read that due to them being territorial, you really shouldnt have more then one.
I bought a blue damsel to cycle my tank.
The tank cycled, and I added more fish. Before my anenome died last night, the clown fish I got with him was VERY territorial of the anenome. When the damsel came over to investigate, the CLOWN chased him off. When i had originally bought the damsel, the LFS told me that he would take over the tank, Id never be able to catch him, and they recommended "getting rid" of him when his purpose was done. Im not a big believer in killing him, so I decided to sit and wait, if he harrassed the other fish, he was gone, however that has turned out to not be the case. Hes fine, happy as can be, and doesnt bother anyone else. I went from a smaller tank to a larger one, was able to catch him, and have had no problems....
ALSO IMHO Im not going to buy from any fish store that takes back fish. In fact I wont even buy from chain stores. Too much chance for disease or other problems!! Its all sorta like ---...if you buy a fish with lotsa miles (Ie lotsa different homes) you run the more of a chance of one of those "homes" to have had problems. the ONE time I bought fish from a chain store it wiped out my whole tank..and cost me over a hundred dollars, and LOTS of time, trying to repair. (Not counting the cost of fish that I lost!!) I now only buy from a small hole in the wall pet store. I order what i want, and it comes in on Thursdays!
 

richard rendos

Active Member
I am just now reading this and it kinda ticked me off. I have been in the fish hobby for over 22 years. 12 years in reef. I have always cycled my tanks with fish. Tetras in freshwater and damsels in salt. I will continue to do this. There are trends in fish keeping that are all the rage for a while and then die out. Cycling with dead piece of shrimp, plenums, DSB, algae turf scrubbers, refugiums, etc. Not that these methods don't work, but no one method is the answer. Next week or next month someone will say that cycling with dead shrimp is not the way to do it, and some people will believe this as the gospel. I will continue to read about different methods and use the ones that sound reasonable to me.
As for someone being a murderer, I guess that would be me too. I am not a vegetarian. I love to eat beef, pork, chicken, lamb, fish, shrimp, gator, etc. I will also conitinue with this even if someone does call me a murderer.
 

broomer5

Active Member
I'm with you Richard regarding the various methods of saltwater tank trends.
What was hot yesterday is old hat today, and tomorrow will bring new equipment and techniques.
The only fact that I see that will continue to be true - one must strive to have the best water quality - no matter how you get there.
and I'll take my steak medium rare please ;)
 

oracledba72

Member
Oh Broomer, HOW IN THE WORLD COULD YOU SAY THAT. How could you have your steak prepared that way. You should only eat it WELL DONE, because that is the way it is the best don't ya know. LOL, just kidding.
I'm glad to see you guys believe that everyone can make their own mistakes. My damsels are doing great. I'm glad that there are people who don't flame me for being a newbie too. I am learning (slowly), but learning. Thanks for answering all my questions everyone.
 

sterling007

Member
I cycled my tank with 3 yellow tail damsels. Two didn't make it, the third is still thriving. We named him "Rudy", after the guy on the survivor show. He gets along fine with the other fish.
 
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