This Has to Stop! Changing the Conversation About Aquarium Cycling
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- Опубліковано 27 вер 2024
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When people come to our fish store and ask for help with a problem, Cory doesn't ask them immediately if their aquarium is cycled. Instead, he starts off with, "How long has your tank been set up?" A mature, well-established aquarium not only is able to process ammonia, but it has a stable pH, tons of microfauna for fish to graze on, lots of hiding spots for breeding, and many other benefits that help your fish thrive, not just survive.
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At Aquarium Co-Op, we focus on your aquariums. We specialize in freshwater tropical fish, aquatic plants, and the overall betterment of the freshwater fish keeping hobby. Our goal is to help you with your first pet fish and graduate you to an advanced aquarium hobbyist. If you'd like to take it to the next level, subscribe to Aquarium Co-Op and check out our weekly videos.
Cory McElroy is employed by Aquarium Co-Op LLC. He also owns Aquarium Co-Op LLC. Therefore, all content is sponsored by Aquarium Co-Op.
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*Out of all your current aquariums, how long has your oldest tank been set up?*
Almost two years(my mini ponds)!
Around 2 years!
Over 4 years. Heavily planted with lots of surfaces.
I don't do water changes. I only add water.
two years next spring. 35 gallon patio pond with a homebred school of white clouds... I took a chance by overwintering them outside with a de-icer for frozen temps... They survived!! and bred again.. In summer, they jump and catch gnats flying at the surface... like lil trout
I had an 80 gallon going for 10 years but had to upgrade to a 180 for the common plecos sake, so 10 months now.
"Start with a garden" YES YES YES YES YES. I was forced to learn patience when I went away from my tanks for a month long trip. I carefully planned a barebones feeding schedule, made sure tanks were as heavily planted as possible before leaving, and when we got back we hadn't lost ONE fish. Since then, I relish the wait it takes to mature an aquarium. I love planted a garden, adding some snails, and seeing that ecosystem slowly settling into itself. I'm not so hasty to stock fish anymore, there's SO much more to enjoy about the aquarium process!
O my word!!! This reminds me of when we had our neighbors take care of our animals while we were away. I had her put some fish food in my 5 gallon tank with no fish cause I was trying to get ammonia in there and she asked me what she was feeding in that tank. I said.... "good bacteria" should of seen her reaction!!!
T his is where I am going to start from, plants before fish...
Honestly, it was my love for plants that have helped me with my aquariums. I also don’t like using “man made things” to get rid of ammonia spikes and such things like that. I literally just thought about how I propagate plants in water to grow roots and then thought about putting them in my aquarium along with underwater plants. I was busy trying to find out how to get rid of ammonia, meanwhile I have pothos plants in my house that I have grown in water to get them to reduce the ammonia and no harsh chemicals were involved! Plants literally fix so much in new and old aquariums
Most of our basic aquarium issues can be traced back to an excess of what are essentially plant nutrients in the water - how do you fix eutrophication? Bioremediation: more plants, Dilution: water changes, Elimination: stocking and feeding. It's that simple, people get too stuck in the details.
I actually did a little experiment. Took a potho’s cutting (2 leaves) and grew it out my fish tank. I water all my house plants with my fish tank water but for this experiment the original potho’s I took the cutting from got only tap water. 1 year later that little cutting is more than double the length of the original plant and the leaves are twice the size too!
@@began8674 interesting thank you for sharing!
When I set up my shrimp tank, watching it season before I added any shrimp was actually such an enjoyable experience, especially when I started seeing the little microorganisms swimming around in there. I 100% agree with you about setting up environments to thrive. It's so much more than watching the colors change in three test tubes.
I also loved seeing all the microorganisms and finding out what they each were. It was and is so interesting.
@@UnderPresser Apologies for messing up on terminology. I simply meant they were tiny.
@@jenmqkeeper we all knew exactly what you meant, no need to apologize!
How did you set up your tank, before adding the shrimp?
@@victorbryan8269 I put down substrate (soil capped with sand), set up sycamore sticks fory hardscape, and planted a bunch of plants. Then I let it sit and season for a while (I think it was a couple months, but I don't remember exactly how long) before getting shrimp. At some point before the shrimp I also added a few snails.
It’s so interesting how much goes into fish care that I’ve never even considered, which is part of the problem. Just because your fish is alive, doesn’t mean it’s thriving.
Ben, I'm really new to all this, as I only got my first tank in March this year, so your comment about your fish "thriving" made me smile.
Why did it make me smile? Because I'm trying to deal with five Polar Parrot pairs spawning at the same time and, rightly or wrongly, I take my population explosion as an indication that my fish are doing more than just "surviving".
As a beginner, I'm very fortunate to have an extremely experienced fish keeper, and eco-system creator close by and they have taken me under their wing which is what I attribute my success to, particularly when they've given me more plants to see if I've improved in "not killing them" to help build my eco-system.
Your absolutely right! Surviving isn’t thriving.
The number of customers I talk to who tell me that thier goldfish lived for ten years in a bowl and that they want a new one- Give me strength. You could probably live for ten years in a cupboard if someone dropped food in every day, but you wouldn't be happy! I use the surviving, not thriving motto on a near daily basis.
Problem is, a lot of people don’t seem to care if a fish “thrives,” they just want a pretty fish to swim around and amuse them. They don’t see them as seriously as a hamster or a dog, even though they rely on us more heavily (you’re in control of the very “air they breathe”). When I do get customers who listen to me because they’re concerned for their fish, it makes me so happy ❤
I was considering a fish tank since I've been without one for over 10 years. I'm now thinking maybe a dog instead, less work, and I'm really old.
I had a 200 African cichlid tank where I fought nitrates for years. I converted it to an Amazon biotope, added plants, fertilizers (no nitrigen), angels- among others. Over a year the plant growth exploded and the tank looked stunning. Recently my plants started to get some browning leaves while still growing well. Discovered my nitrates were zero and the plants were starting to starve. Now I am adding Seachem nitrogen to supplement fish waste nitrogen. An established aquarium is an ever changing environment
I've had 0 nitrates for years. I still don't bother to feed the plants though. The fish ammonia and snail poop does that.
@@giftofthewild6665 that worked for me until the plants took over and their nutrient requirements exceeded what could be provided by feeding, etc.
@@HalfManHalfCichlid you probably have higher lighting than I do then
@@giftofthewild6665 CO2 and dosing nutrients are driving the plant growtj
Cory is fast becoming legendary status in the aquarium industry and hobby by putting out videos like this.
That original “Is your tank cycled” video was enormously helpful to me. Observing how your tank balance shifts over years is a humbling, intriguing part of the journey. It’s probably the part I enjoy most!
My 2 cents is that a lot of beginners see the amazing tanks that others have and want that asap. The idea that it takes a lot of time and is a slow process is really discouraging for a lot of folks. I believe that the one thing that youtube has been a disservice for is that you see all the success a lot of people are having in an instant picturesque way but not the process of getting there and keeping it there for years on end. If you dig around (you have to put effort into it) you find the channels that really show you seasoned tanks and the journey they went on...but that's not the norm. Usually it's a quick video of an amazing setup with what went into the tank & equipment, but doesn't really break down the time to keep it going optimally long term. I think it's leading people to the idea that if you don't have perfection, it's not worth keeping the tank.
I would argue that the vast majority of picturesque tanks you see on youtube and magazines etc have only been setup for a few weeks and likely taken down not much longer after. These tanks are usually set up for competitions and contain few fish or are not even suitable for fish due to commercial substrates releasing ammonia etc. What you actually don’t see is how ridiculously difficult these tanks are to maintain and keep in balance. They are not true representations of the fish keeping hobby but more planted tank hobby. It does take a long time to season a tank but the work involved to achieve a beautiful set up is far less than these fake tanks with huge amounts of fertilisers and co2.
Most of the aquascaped tanks you see on UA-cam are set up for 6 months (just long enough to do an update on the tank), maybe even up to an year, and then broken down so the youtuber can do another scape for 6 months. They never become seasoned tank and in fact you'll often see on updates that the tank owner suffers with algae and has to constantly mess with the tank to fix things.
I’ve attempted fish tanks off and on for 20+ years. I always ended up giving up on them. Why? The constant maintenance and changing numbers. Almost 3 years ago, I came across your channel and I decided to give it a go again. But this time the main difference was, I decided to use live plants. It changes the entire dynamic. Is there still maintenance? Yes. Is it as often? Nope. Am I chasing numbers like ph? Nope. I just make sure it’s stable. In my humble opinion, live plants is the key. It makes balancing the tank so much easier and quicker. Thank you for all you do.
My 90 gallon aquarium is now 8 months old and it is just NOW beginning to thrive as its own ecosystem. The plants have grown, the substrate is finally able to feed the roots, the fish that I've added all along the way (and NONE at the beginning) are happy and the maintenance cycle continues to work but it's a moving target, and I know that. I watch my nitrates every week. I spend time nearly every day sitting and just watching. I look at the plants, their leaves, their growth and where the light and shade falls. This all changes. I watch the fish and where they swim. I watch the food fall and all the fish eat and observe where this all goes. Keeping a tank is so much more than cycling, as you mentioned, and I credit my understanding of that to you and a few of the other experienced authorities who promote this hobby. The fish, the plants and their ability to be happy and thrive matter to me. It clearly matters to you too which is why I follow you and also why I buy all my plants from you! I would buy my fish there too, but I'm 3.5hrs away and Snoqualmie is a nightmare this time of year:)
Your channel is a beacon to those interested in this hobby. I hope that it helps them understand the long term, delicate and enjoyable nature of this hobby and drives them to learn more about how and why these ecosystems work. It is not for those who want a quick result or a chance to brag about what they have. It's a way to learn about water and air, plants and fish and the science that explains why these details matter.
Thank you for continuing to post videos like this. Long time fan here, and grateful for all you do.
In the saltwater world they are discovering that the reason new tanks get the “ugly stage” is that micro biome in the aquarium is basically non existent and that when compared to an aquarium that’s been set up for longer with less disturbance the micro biome is so much more diverse. You’re 100% correct in what you’re saying.
I can't express how grateful I am for your work over the years. Despite losing a couple betta fish and other critters, I've never lost a whole ecosystem and with time, patience and your videos to help inform my carefully chosen changes my tanks have only been getting better and more stable. Currently I am enjoying some Neon Tetra friends and they're doing well in a tank that's been up for a few years already. My old aquarium garden is much more energetic with them.
STT! Seasoned Tank Time!
My heart goes out to folks who are struggling to "cycle" new tanks. It's so much work and worry! But it's difficult to engage with them in forums/FB groups because they're just so dead-set on working through the process. They like the idea of a step-by-step with quantifiable goals, and I get that. I personally like the "plonk some plants in there and see what happens" method, but when I was newer to the hobby I wanted proof that I was doing the right things. Watching the ammonia/nitrites drop and the nitrates climb is more reassuring than "yay, algae! But what kind? Is it diatoms? Those are bad, right? Is it black beard? I've heard that's impossible to get rid of! WHAT IS HAPPENING IN THIS TANK?!?!?"
I never intentionally knew what I was doing when I cycled my tanks lol, even my first one. I just put plants and one of those bioballs in, let it run for 3 weeks, then tested the water to make sure it was safe once I saw nematodes and other microbes swimming around :)
Maybe i should have spent more time fussing with the parameters and checking each of the steps, but i'm a fan of the low-maintenance natural method lol. My cycles seem to go much faster that way.
I hope this message gets out there far and wide because THIS is what people need to know about the hobby. You've done so many wonderful and helpful videos over the years, but this might be one of the most important. Thank you.
It's great to see these conversations being had.
Cory - your videos always make so much sense. No fluff, just info that is easy to understand and delivered in a way that seems attainable to a majority.
Personally I've found 4 to 5 weeks is when things start to get quite stable.
However 6 months seems to be the sweet spot for tanks becoming an ecosystem.
I agree. Mine really hit its stride around 6-8 months in. Now that it’s 18 months in it’s really become resilient. I can add or remove lots of plants without it having issues. Heck, I even take half of the filter media out sometimes for my quarantine tank and it doesn’t even seem phased.
My plants are also a huge part. I started off with only rooted plants and always had some algae issues. Once I added in floating plants, that went away too. I also barely vacuum my gravel.
@@Banditomojado A very similar story with me. Plants are key! They do all the heavy lifting on my end I have a decent sized canister filter but if that were to stop the plants would take care of things pretty well regardless. I just like the extra clear water a canister filter provides.
I wish I had found your channel when I first started 4 years ago! You’re great at explaining things plainly, why you feel they work, showing the behind the scenes, your failures and successes. A lot of other sources act like everything they do was perfect the first time, every time and you’re obviously doing things wrong if you don’t have the same results.
Don't beat yourself up too much over this. Most of the responsible Fish Tubers have told us the same thing. Use filter media from another aquarium, use the quick starters from different companies, only start a new tank with a very small amount of fish, check the water every day for a week in the beginning, look for algae to form, use live plants... You're doing a great job, and I'm so glad I discovered you and Rachel and Prime Time Aquatic when I was restarting with aquariums a few years ago. I now have 4 nano tanks with happy healthy prolific fish and happy blooming plants which give me joy every day.
Man this is such a great conversation. For the longest time it seemed like people didn’t focus on the fact that this is a habitat you’re creating. I run a reef tank and I am still constantly dealing with stability issues a year and a half in. I just keep working at it though knowing that it will continue to mature and get better.
I really appreciate the recap of all these individual discussions! I have seen the individual videos and livestreams but having the recap is great!
I had a tank set up for 3 years without any real issues. I moved and bought a bigger tank, they were good for about 6 months and I had an ammonia spike and lost half my fish before I figured out what I was doing wrong. I appreciate your videos and all the people on your team. It was really helpful to refer to when I had fish dying daily and didn't k it what else to do. You and your team's calm, common sense approach was awesome. Thank you
It's all about balance. I now see myself as a bacteria keeper. The whole picture of nature is really hard to show someone that's never been in nature.
We have these pristine aquariums, but when you go to a creek it looks filthy . It's the way nature works.
Learning ecology in highschool gave be a fair starting point to enter the aquarium hobby, but the hobby has taught me far far more than my school teachers ever could, about ecology, biology, animal behavior, botany, and even philosophy.
It's a surprisingly magical hobby, it's so connected to nature yet so transcendent of it, the balance of the natural and artificial, we learn so much about ourselves and our role on this planet, keeping fish has actually given me new perspectives on socialising with humans, it has taught me some skills that help with handling my mental health and I believe made me a little bit better as a friend and citizen.
The number of times I see people on forums asking why their fish are dying when "all the parameters are good", with no other context about what they did with their tank...
I'm in the process of setting up my first tank.
I've got it in my head that I will plant it and cycle the tank for two to three months before introducing livestock.
Think I may have conflated the water cycle with a larger process so I was a bit confused watching the video at first. lol
I set up my 29 gallon aquarium 11 months ago. Having done this previously about 35 years ago, I knew that I love a well-planted aquarium with a focus on a balanced ecosystem. It's taken a few wrong turns to find out what plants grow the best for my aquarium, getting the right lighting, proper feeding, etc. It is now lush and beautiful with tons of thriving plants, and my fish love it as well.
this a video that has needed to be made for so long. thank you wish more of the people i see with tanks could have watched this earlier
I set up my first aquarium in ages AFTER watching all of your videos about seasoning, etc.... and let me just say, I will NEVER do it any other way! My plants (which I also bought from Aquarium Co-Op) and my fish are incredibly healthy - my testing levels are perfect - and I have never had a tank become so healthy and stable! Started back in May of this year!
Nothing has given me more patience than setting up a marine tank. Such a slow process, but so rewarding. It's only two months old and still has so far to go before it'll be a fully functioning ecosystem- but seeing the shrimp and copepods flying about gives me endless entertainment.
Yessss!!!! Thank You Cory so much for making this video. What you said needed to be said esp now a days in this hobby.
I'm actually lucky that I was afraid to add fish to my first tank for around six months. It was important because I learned along the way. What's this algae that's growing? What's that little worm? What's that brown stuff? How do I grow my plants? I became educated about many things without the fear of it harming my fish. And while I was learning, I was growing a seasoned tank that's been running smoothly ever since. Right now it's handling an accidental overstock of guppies, which it adapted to with no problems. Watching your past videos about cycling is what helped me so much. Thank you to all at Aquarium Co-op!
This is the absolute best video I've seen you make. I retired and moved to Colombia 3.5 years ago. Here there is a much larger emphasis on establishing a biosphere since we have the largest bio diversity in the world. So I have to prepare my wife when we setup our first aquarium (waiting to move into a larger home) that the aquarium will only have plants and wood and leaves for about a month before we add the discus. Though we may add a handful of tetras to feed the bacteria. Before we even bought it I tested the water so that we know what we need in a setup. No surprise here it is below 6.4 pH! Our city water comes from the various tributaries that feed the Rio Negro. And I also told her that when we get the fish they may be juveniles but we need to stick to set numbers. We may have many people asking why the tank is so empty...but we can just tell them to wait and see.
This is a brilliant video. I work in a pet store and I have this conversation with people every day. Thank you.
Very well said. I've always tried to ask questions like this to customers for the exact reasons you mentioned. I also try to tell others on reddit they need to rethink how they try to help... still working on that front, but people often bring you up in discussions so hoping this helps others help better.
I stopped using my tap water conditioner (dechlorinator) over a month ago because the tank seemed to get a little sluggish whenever I did. Now I just top off my tank with tap water that hasn't been conditioned at all, and so far everything is fine. I have a filter in my tank with biomedia, and the filter just picks up any dirt that the plants don't or can't deal with, and makes the water move enough to avoid the tank being stagnant. I have mystery snails and ramshorn snails to do the big waste clean up, and inherited some acroloxus snails and ostracods from the plants that help with algae removal and bottom feeding. There are some bladder snails in the tank too, I had more but their population became too large too quickly so I removed them and am gonna sell them to my local pet store. I'm keeping some because they are adorable and are also helping with the waste management.
I did have a fungus issue in the tank two weeks ago, and my betta did start white spot disease. The fungus actually died/disappeared on its own as fast as it appeared, my guess is the snails took care of it, and I treated the betta with pimafix. The tank handled the pimafix fine, there was zero clouding of the water. The betta cleared up super fast too, probably because I caught the white spot disease early.
I do trim the plants to avoid overgrowth, and occasionally remove the water lettuce if it started to prevent the UV light from penetrating the surface. Otherwise I leave the plants alone. They are helping to balance the tank more than anything else in there. The way I have always seen it, is that you have to let things do what they are meant to do, and not try to control or force things to function differently. I think some hobbyists are control freaks and care so deeply about the aesthetics of the tank that they forget about the actual health and stability of the aquarium.
Also, "Is your tank cycled?" is an unanswerable question. There's really no way to determine if a tank is cycled. You can determine it is balanced by watching the ecosystem thrive, you can test the water to determine if the pH, ammonia and nitrate and nitrite levels are appropriate, but you cannot define "cycled".
Videos like this are why I've been Subscribed to Aquarium Co-Op for years. Love these videos and how truly educational they are, and the love for the hobby AND the fish that is expressed through these videos. It's also thanks to these types of videos that I've managed to keep a beautiful tank for so many years. Thanks for everything you guys do Cory and all those at Aquarium Co-Op! Keep up the great work!
Always giving out the best knowledge for free! Great video! Thank you!!
I have learned so much from you. I have followed but it’s my first time commenting. My oldest aquarium has been set up for 2 years now (75 gallon). Thanks for all the great content. I really love the hobby, it has been my outlet since I set them up. !
We also need to change the "water change" mindset in the hobby. People on the interwebs... including very popular fish keepers ... use water changes as a crutch for poor fish keeping practices. Or... they believe water changes are the cure all for every problem. They don't want to actually investigate the cause of the problem, they just want a quick fix that makes them believe they've solved the problem.
Hi there!
I am trying to do as much research as I can on a planted tank for my goldfish, and your videos have been a huge help!
A little background, I won this fish at a fair, (I had ZERO intention of actually getting one and felt terrible about the animal cruelty I contributed to immediately after). We've had him since October 14th and is doing swimmingly, thanks to the help of an excellent fishkeeper friend who gave us a 10 gal tank (we need a bigger one, I know) substrate, multiple used filters, food, and tank decorations.
Lil Buddy has grown significantly and we've learned a ton about fish care, but are far from experts yet. Just wanted to thank you so much for all the videos you've put out, helping novices like me to do the best we can by our fish. I am in love with the hobby and am so, so excited to get my planted tank started. I definitely want 50+ gallons with gravel at the bottom, black sand on top, and a lucky bamboo forest with moss balls and river rocks. (Not sure if lucky bamboo is okay for goldies yet, still have to research) but I can't wait to share.
Thanks again for all your tips! We appreciate you so much!!!
Heck yeah, here’s to watching lil buddy grow up.
I've been selling cherry shrimp on my local Facebook marketplace and I agree, you really need the story behind their hobby and the tanks the fish or plants are destined for. I used to ask more technical questions to ensure the shrimp had a good chance of surviving outside of my home (I really don't like the thought of them going somewhere to suffer or die), but you get weird answers. The story is key, because more often than not you can extrapolate really useful information (and it's a lot friendlier, too). I've come across quite a few people hoping to add shrimp the same week or even day they're putting a tank together.
It’s nice to see more advanced thoughts on what makes what I call a “mature” tank. Can’t exactly do a build except say time and patience.
Phenomenal video! This really hit home for me. When I was first starting out, if I asked questions, the first response was, "Is your tank cycled?". I was getting frustrated with this question because my issues were never being solved. I think you've hit the nail on the head about creating an ecosphere and not just making sure tanks are cycled. It took me a long time to really learn this point. I'm in love with fish keeping and will continue trying to help my fish thrive. Also, as a side note, your teeth look great! This is the first of your videos that I've watched in months, and I didn't know you had gotten braces. I bet that is going to feel so great when it's time to take them off. Good luck with everything! I love and appreciate the time and effort you put forth in your videos! Keep it up!
Again, outstanding. Been in the hobby for 11 years and have NEVER encountered this very sane philosophy. Looking forward to less anxious fussing with my tanks, more planting, more patience.
This makes so much sense! I am a newbie, but no one is messing with ponds out in the wild, some thrive some don't, but many that are thriving are not being manipulated by people!
As someone who works in a big box pet store I wish this was more common knowledge a fish tank should run like an ecosystem and that takes a lot longer and a lot more work than just running a filter for 5 days, keep doing your thing and inspiring others
I got so excited when algae started to grow in my tank. I let it get "gross" and then I added my snails and shrimp. Then I started adding fish. Setting up new tanks tests my patients, but it's so rewarding in the end.
THIS is exactly why I ask the "how long has your tank been set up?" question every single shift at work. I work at p*tsm*art and every fish sale I do begins with "how big is the tank" and "how long has the tank been set up" because that matters more than if it's cycled, and most times customers don't even know what cycled means yet. It cuts right to chase about whether or not I should be selling the person a live animal, and I won't sell it if I can't guarantee the animal will be Live in a few hours/days
I had to learn this the hard way but I now pride myself on my planted ecosystem!
This is why I am still subbed to you! You’ve been the one and only that’s been true and honest in the hobby, and not like the aquascape community - whom I despise…
I rarely put people up there on the top, but you sir are among the few there! If I ever in my lifetime do a trip again to America, I’ll be sure to visit you! Thanks for what you’ve done and still deliver to the community, respect and Godspeed to you, your family and colleagues! Love and hugs from Sweden!❤
My oldest tank is only 3 years old. Had a break for over 25 years until I got back into the hobby, 38 right now.
Great video. I’ve always kept planted tanks and always will. To me plants are as important as the water
I wish there was a love button for this. Such good advice. I am all about the eco system.
Great video, so many people get confused when it comes to starting an aquarium. It’s not about “cycling” the tank it’s about creating a miniature ecosystem. Starting a tank with live aquatic plants is a great idea. Problem is many people who first get into the hobby have no patience and want instant gratification.
Thank you for sharing your experience with us, I have learned so much since I’ve started this hobby because of people like you! I love every product I’ve purchased from aquarium co-op and I will continue to do so. You’re 100% right, nearly every website online says “0 Ammonia, 0 nitrite, some nitrate means your tank is cycled” but there is so much more to it than just the BB.
I’ve primarily been a reptile keeper, but I really got into aquarium keeping when I rescued a neglected betta fish. I have all my reptiles in naturalistic ecosystems so the experience there really helped me get into this. Still only have my betta, but he’s an old guy, his time is nearing, I still want to do more when he’s gone. I credit this channel and other like it heavily for my success here.
4 tanks at home, fish in day 1 on all 4 and never an issue.
But boy did i do some research and plenty of the information was thanks to you good sir. You need to be prepared to give them plenty of attendance.
I'm doing a whole lesson in my classroom about setting up an ecosystem! I agree that our approach should be more holistic. It will take months to get it established.
I have a 5 year old 55 planted tank with a 50 feet pathos vine growing out of it. The vine was 2 feet when I got it. It sucks everything out of the water. I love it 🥰
Thank you thank you thank you. My aunt has wanted to follow what I've been doing with my two aquariums, but she refuses to listen to my advise because I am only 19 and she feels that I'm too young to be listened to. She has already killed quite a few fish and it absolutely breaks my heart. Thank you for sharing this, I'm going to send it to her in hopes that she will listen to you.
Absolutely brilliant video,more hobbyists should try to understand this,nothing good happens quickly in aquariums,only bad things happen quickly
I'm getting my first aquarium tank tomorrow morning! It's going to be a 10 gallon I can't wait to use the knowledge aquarium co-op taught!
This is SO helpful to me as a beginner. I'm doing a lot of research to set up my first tank so that I don't jump the gun and bring fish into an unstable home. I do see experienced fishkeeprs adding fish pretty quickly after setting a tank up with added bacteria and a used filter sponge. But since I lack experience, that intimidates me. I assume that they have the knowledge to tell if something is wrong and can act quickly. I don't have that skill yet, so I'd rather take it slow and get the tank to a place where it is stable before adding animals.
I'd like to hear more about the pros and cons of really deep substrate! I saw your interview with Ocean Aquarium that talked a little about it, but have struggled to find any more detailed information on it in my searches. Of course all the big UA-cam aquascapers prefer thier thin in the front, deeper in the back substrates. None of them go as THICK as Ocean Aquarium does though. I'd like to know what situations to use it.
Love this concept. Also very informitive, thank you Cory.
This was such a refreshing outlook on beginner questions to ask, I hate the term Cycled tank, In my eyes a tank never truly cycles, As you said it's an "Eco System" a snippet of a river taken and therefore will "ALWAYS" be evolving and growing....My 2 x 60ltr cubes I set up cycled put a few fish in loads of plants and haven't cleaned out for months and they are running Beautifully. Ok occasional algae removal from glass but that's about it. Oh and water level top ups........
Very refreshing outlook and video. lets change the term for good. Nice video..... Seasons greetings from the U.K. (England)
On one of your older videos I have left a long rambling comment basically wanting crazy details so I don’t screw up my soon to be created 10 gallon planted tank. I over think everything.
Just wanted to say THANK YOU for this video. I’m listening. I’ll do my best. And I’ll learn.
A concise and frank appraisal of how i look at the craft.
Videos like this one are why I subscribed to the channel and have ordered from your site multiple times. You're working with live plants and animals, things are going to fluctuate. There is no "magic number" to achieve so you can set it and forget it. Keep up the great work!
Exactly. All ecosystems are dynamic. The smaller the ecosystem, the larger the potential swings.
Adding a school of fish doesn't actually affect the environment anywhere near as much as the increased amount of food provided.
A large trim of plants reduces some of the beneficial bacteria as well as reducing the capacity of the plants to remove toxins.
We kid ourselves that an aquarium is in balance, when really the ecosystem is in a constant state of flux.
All the best.
This is so true, thanks for this video!!
You made some beautiful points and articulated them impressively. This video resonates with me
I have been using your methods and products fornthe last 3 years. My tanks are stable and enjoyable. Thanks for all the good advice.
I agree 100% ! So much about our consumer culture wants instant gratification. And that isn't how mother nature works!
OMG THANK YOU!!!!!!!! My aquariums have been doing well with minimum "cycling", by using substrate from an established tank, water from an established tank and lots and lots of live plants. A bit of murkiness sets in for a few days and then it clears - and I usually "use" them as water gardens instead of aquariums, and they are going without anything but snails for months and sometimes even years... I'm moving continents and will be needing to set up a tank without my trusty borrowing of soil from an established tank, not looking forward to that, tbh
I’m so proud of the tank in our bedroom
There are daphnia, shrimp, lots of different snails, a few plants, rocks, wood and a few tetras
It’s beautiful as it’s an eco system
Thank you for a great presentation Cory. I am still new... and, I have so much to still learn. My 6.6G Betta Kit Tank is doing great... started in October. I am starting a 50G Community Tank Room-divider, along with a 20G Long to move my Betta and his few friends to once they are ready. I have 1 5G Quarantine Tank and 1 10G Quarantine Tank. I just started another 5G and another 10G Quarantine Tank. I am looking for 3 to 5 Bronze Cory Cats to make a small shoal to get started. The Betta has been getting along with these 2 Bronze Cory Cats and 2 Chocolate Kuhli Loaches, plus 4 Nerite Snails. I have 5 Chocolate Kuhli Loaches in one of the Quarantine Tanks and last month picked up 5 Brown Bristlenose Plecos at the local Aquarium Club. They will eventually go into the 55G after it matures and is stable. And, I'll be moving Taylor and his friends to the 20G long once it matures and it is stable. I am retired and recovering from a serious fall... so I have the time and I am in no hurry to rush as I did my first tank setup.
When I moved Taylor from his first 1.7G Betta Starter Kit Tank to this 6.6G tank, I had learned a lot and was not in a hurry... and seeded this 6.6.6G with Plants, Rocks, Driftwood, Water-Filter media, a few handfuls of gravel from the existing tank, and some water. My thoughts were to create a similar environment to what he was already in, but just a bit large.
I started to set up this 10G Aquarium the same way, but then learned that I could move Taylor and his friends into a
20G Long Aquarium without stressing him by making him swim higher to reach the top of the water column for air. Originally, I was planning to move him into this 55G, but realized that with his long tail, that that would not work. If I make this 20G as heavily planted as it is and give him the caves and rock tunnels that he has in this smaller tank, that he'll find it to be just as safe and fun as he has now.
This is what I have been thinking about.
Besides, with me being 70, having doctors appointments, and being on a limited budget, I have to go slowly with the aquascaping. Good thing that I had been buying Rocks and Driftwood 2 years before I bought my first tank back in October days before I turned 70. It was the start of a commitment... the first step.
You spoke about tap water. The one young man at the local pet store suggested to bring in my water to test. I did. The levels over and above the Chlorine shocked me. I am still Filtering my drinking water and cooking water for decades, now. This is the same filtered water that I give my dog and plants... and now fish.
Such a wonderful video! Thank you!! I started keeping fish back in 2020 and I can’t really say any of them have been successful. I was always running into different issues wether it be super cloudy water, hair algae, “random” deaths and at one point all my fish died but my corycats are completely fine???? I now how a 30 gallon tank just sitting in my basement empty because I felt like a failure or maybe I just can’t get a good tank going but this video really gave me some perspective and a spot to start again so thank you!!
This is so right on.. I used to have a big aquarium, and only used to top up water and maintain filter and rarely did even a major water change. Filter had 2 sponges, only cleaned one at a time to keep the bacteria.. Had lots of fish and plants, and removed plants now and then to to remove the nitrate they had absorbed. The aquarium basically became more robust over the years, as you say...
I love this video, especially the conversation it brings up and what it stands for. Interestingly enough tho if you have everything in the fish tank that it needs to thrive you can add fish the very next day. Most people just dont have nearly enough bacteria and organic matter to handle there tanks bioload so they have to cultivate for possibly months but even after that time they still dont have ENOUGH. You have to introduce bacteria into your tank if you want fast results. it wont develop on its own in the amount of time an impatient hobbyist is willing to wait for, i.e a year or two
P.S. you’re the best Cory! And all of aquarium coop included
hey Cory, i was watching your video and over heard you say that you dont see this style of fish keeping enough. Im writing to you from ontario, Canada to assure you, your content is extremely informative. Within 1 year i have 12 tanks running complete ecosystems. Some of the tanks arent super mature however i have learned so much from you. i am now breeding corys, guppies (5 lines), balloon molly (2 lines), neocaridina (6 variations), pea puffers, and ember tetras.
How did we ever have aquariums 40 years ago? I remember setting up aquariums with gravel, adding some kind of filter, a heater & once the water is warm enough, add the fish. We very rarely lost fish. No one cycled them.
The ammonia spike from water changing using tap water is what killed my goldfish :( I changed 25% of a 20 gallon tank and dechlorinate the new water and the next two days he passed away..
great video, I'll be sharing this often as I get this everyday on various Facebook pages. I've been using the term 'seasoned' but that goes over peoples heads.
Cory, what I have noticed on UA-cam is another of influencers show this is how to set up a tank. But the majority seem to forget that a newbie does not have a used sponge filter they can throw in the tank. So they end up watching a 10 to 20 minute video on how to set up a tank. I have not seen one influencer do a time laps with date stamps on how to set up a well balanced ecosystem tank.
I have been out of the game for three years for work and I have recently set up two 75 gallon aquariums, mainly to get my step son evolved in the hobby. A lot has changed in three years. I used to get on forums and ask to buy trimming and plants that people want to sell. That has seem to just go out the door. My step son is 11, so he is short on funds, we tried the aquarium clubs but they seem to be stagnant from covid no one returns emails or messages.
I feel sorry for him some days cause we are doing a fishless cycle. So far it's been 5 weeks of feeding a tank every day with nothing in it. He has saved up 10$ and went and bought a plant. He sits there and looks at it and says to me when can we add fish. I say to him when the cycle is complete, the tank is seasoned, and when u have a forest growing in your tank. Then he looks at my tank with just substrate and water and says I will have a better aquarium than u cause I have a plant.
Sorry got off track. But yeah we need some time laps videos on how to set up a well established tank.
I quickly realized how important is that that you said “First get a garden”, it is very important to have those plants really bond with the soil. Then forget about it. One day you’ll come back to it and will realize there’s a lot of moss. Then get a snail and eventually some shrimps. If everything is thriving then get the fished
I've followed this channel for a while now on this account and my old one. I've watched pretty much all of the videos. I think this is my favourite of all of them. While you've put out an amazing amount of wonderful, educational videos and I don't want to diminish the value of them on individual topics - I think this really speaks to the "heart" of the hobby as a whole. I was just nodding along and going, "Yes, this!"
Love the style of this video as well as the wealth of knowledge given! Such a good perspective that is usually left out of the conversation.
Your videos are very informative. Im a very low tech guy I just like to watch the fish. I have gold fish, fat head minnows, small aquatic frogs and 3 snails in the same tank. We have some cheap plants I think and everything has been going great for 2 years now. Its a 30 gallon tank. Thanks for making your videos. We like that your not a fish snob.
I don't just like this video, I appreciate that you've taken the time to say this! Thank you for always being an awesome, caring & thorough instructor!! ❤️ I've watched your videos more than I'd like to admit 😂
Probabilmente il video più istruttivo che abbia visto fino ad ora.
Ed è esattamente così 😎
I think Cory is the best. Have been watching Aquarium Co-Op forever.
Thank you, I was touched and encouraged by the "spirit" and not the "letter of the law". Years ago I had an amazing 55g... if I'm able to with moving into a new apartment I want to revisit the fish world, but maybe will only be able to have a 20g... Learning from your "messages". Great vid - from a reborn newbie. lol
I like the message of this video! Great video and topic!! Well done!
This is so true! Yes cycling is the first step... But it needs to be a eco system! Why is my cycled tank having a ammonia spike? A nitrite spike?
Because we need to see it as a eco system, it is its own little world and it and there is so much that goes into it.
I've been keeping fish for years,and honestly when I think I got this... I learn something new.
im about 3 months into the hobby this video is very eye opening about doing it right!! I appreciate the wisdom
Thank you! This is a great affirmation for me. I just set up my second tank - as a garden first to prep it for future fish or a better home for the fish I have. Glad to hear I'm heading in the right direction.
Loving the B roll
😊
Loved this video! I started my tank with only plants, not necessarily knowing it would create a stronger foundation for my aquarium. It was during Covid so i couldn’t get out to buy fish, and just decided to cultivate the plants and environment I already had going. I learned a LOT about water testing, plant feeding, as well as just keeping something alive in general! Highly recommend this method!
Well said and agree. We need to educate and help each other in order for this hobby to continue for generations to come. Fired Up!!!
I get it. I've yet to start my daughter's aquarium, but I see precisely what you mean when you say "seasoned" after watching the clips you've provided in this video!