will putting fish food in cycle my tank?

Question

i used a quarter of my old gravel for my tank but i cleaned it so thats the problem. will adding fish food cycle it?

ive left my tank alone for 6 days now. should i just go buy the neon tetra?

Answer 1

Anything that will rot in the tank will put out ammonia, so yes it will work. You could also try putting a cocktail or salad shrimp in a mesh bag or pair of nylons/pantyhose, works well. I wouldn't add neons to a cycling tank, they're not very hardy at all, usually end up dying within a day or two of buying them anyway. And they don't generally put out much of a bioload, so really won't help the beneficial bacteria to get established. Plus, they prefer to be in schools of at least 5 or more. I'd go the fishless cycling method, buy a test kit and keep an eye on the ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates for the tank to finish cycling before adding fish.

Answer 2

Adding fish food will introduce an ammonia source yes. The trick to fishless cycling is being able to maintain that ammonia source to fuel the nitrites and end cycle out the nitrates. I've never tried this before to say this works good or not, but you could add fish food as an ammonia source yes. You could just return the gravel to the other tank and take a new sample as well.

JV

FOLLOW UP:

No don't get the neon tetra just yet. This species of fish is very sensative to water chemistry, and the tank still cycling out won't be good at all for it. Wait until the tank has completly cycled out.

Answer 3

It will help the cycle as long as you don't put to much, but I would recommend getting a couple of zebra danios, they are very hardy fish and speed up the cycling process as well, here is a site that explains it
http://www.firsttankguide.net/cycle.php

Hope that helps
Good luck


Eb

Update:

Don't get the neon tetras, they are extremly sensitive
Get instead an ammonia and nitrite test kit, if both readings are at "0" you can start adding fish

Hope that helps

To whomever that gave me a thumbs down, you better read the link instead of judging

Answer 4

Yes but only use a tiny amount. Tiny little pinch every other day. Test and change water. Get a few very cheap fish to start. Good luck.

Answer 5

No, you need the ammonia to be created by living fish inside the tank. Food and/or gravel alone won't do it.

Love,
Snag