Question: Old filter cartridge for cycling - Please help!

[AxolotlChris]

Ah, that's what I thought you meant but I wasn't sure! Yeah, I'm doing a fish-less (or, amphibian-less I guess!) cycle!
I wasn't sure what to use as a source of ammonia, and I read on another thread that using flakes of fish food will help your cycle along, since the flakes will decompose and give the growing bacteria a food source, therefore enabling the cycle! Does that make sense or am I way off the mark?

Yes you can use fish flakes, or a shrimp. As it decomposes Ammonia will be created beginning your cycle. I think you will need to use more fish flakes to create enough ammonia compared to a shrimp. I used to put pellets and fish flakes in a tea bag which I had sliced and emptied, so I could contain the mess but allow ammonia to filter into the water.

Read those links I posted on cycling, they will get you going and give you the basics of the Nitrogen Cycle!

 

[SammyTheLotus]

Yes you can use fish flakes, or a shrimp. As it decomposes Ammonia will be created beginning your cycle. I think you will need to use more fish flakes to create enough ammonia compared to a shrimp. I used to put pellets and fish flakes in a tea bag which I had sliced and emptied, so I could contain the mess but allow ammonia to filter into the water.

Read those links I posted on cycling, they will get you going and give you the basics of the Nitrogen Cycle!

The tea bag idea is really clever, I never would have thought of that! Thanks for all the helpful links, I think I'm on the right track.
Do you know how often I should be changing the water while I'm cycling? I've done two 25% changes in the two weeks that I've been cycling and I'm not sure if that's enough or maybe even too much! :{

 

[AxolotlChris]

Water changes are to stop the Ammonia spiking, if too much Ammonia is produced it could crash the cycle by overloading and unbalancing the cycle. Around 4ppm ammonia is what you'll want in the beginning

 

[SammyTheLotus]

Water changes are to stop the Ammonia spiking, if too much Ammonia is produced it could crash the cycle by overloading and unbalancing the cycle. Around 4ppm ammonia is what you'll want in the beginning

Oh okay, mine was around 0.25 as of earlier today and the highest it's been since I started was 0.50!