Quote Originally Posted by steveboos View Post
Yeah my family has had fish for at least 15 years, but to each their own. How do you expect the tank to even start a nitrogen cycle without any waste? That's why you add fish slowly over time. I've never had any fish die from being stressed, but patience is key.
There are products you can add to the water to provide an ammonia source. Some people will use cooked shrimp (or fish food) to start the nitrogen cycle as the shrimp will begin to rot in the tank, providing a source of "fishy ammonia". This starts the cycle and once the cycle is complete you can remove the rotted shrimp and add fish slowly.