Next lot of questions!

Hiya again everyone, and thanks for all the help yesterday.

I have read the info on here about the fishless cycle and have just got a couple of questions if its ok - sorry about this but I just want to make sure I understand what I am doing.

In the cycle it says that when there is ammonia in the tank the bacteria start to multiply do their stuff. Where does the bacteria come from? Is it already in the filter, do you add it somehow, is it in the water or what?

Do the bacteria stay in the tank even after the cycle? Is it ok to have bacteria in there with the fish - I would have thought it would have made the fish sick?

Sorry, I am sure these are stupid questions but I just dont have a clue!

The bacteria are in small numbers in the water, the air pretty much everything, they then feed on the ammonia and colonise the filter sponges/foam/rings whatever you got in there and that makes the filter work - it is basically a miniature fish sewage works.

The friendly bacteria get rid of the ammonia and nitrite during the cycle, building up a large colony that can then hamdle the waste the fish produce.

You definitely need to leave them in there! They are different bacteria from the ones that make fish sick, these ones keep fish healthier!

Don't clean your filter too often either - only when it clogs up really or when the sponges are literally falling apart and when you do clean it just clean one sponge then wait a week or two before doing the other and so on. You don't want to reduce the good bacteria too much at any one time.

I dont think I can add to anything there - love the description of it as a fish sewage works! Really sums it up :lol:

What's the name of your 'laughing' plec by the way?

Diana wrote:

I dont think I can add to anything there - love the description of it as a fish sewage works! Really sums it up

Well given all the solid gunk that I rinsed out of my filter sponges on Sunday, it's a very apt description...

(The Laughing Plec is Mr Tentacles)

:lol: ah, he's great!