How & When to stock a tank?

RobUK

RobUK

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Apr 16, 2004
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Hi all,
I have been running a 35g for a few months but I am now starting a 44g tank up aswell and just relised I have little idea of how to stock up a tank correctly :(.

Ovoiusly when you cycle a tank the bacteria grows to the size the levels of ammonia etc can support.

But what happens once the cycle has finsihed and your stocking..... How fast can you really add fish and I guess more importantly how long does it take for your bacteria to grow to be able to handle the extra ammonia etc aftering adding new fish????

Also is there any really method to stocking, big fish, aggressive fish, bottom feeders first etc etc???

Thanks all for any advice, and sorry MoDS about the constant threads but I want to learn and I'm to tight to buy a pile of books :D
 
Well I believe it depends a lot on whether you do a fishless cycle or fishy cycle. If you do a fishless cycle, from my understanding you can stock fairly heavily once the cycle is complete since a pretty large colony of bacteria should already have developed. On the other hand, if you do a fishy cycle, I believe you have to add fish slowly, like just a few at a time, in order for the bacteria to keep up with the new bio load. I am no expert though so hopefully some of the more experienced members will answer this question as well.
 
The bacteria can live for a while without any food(I think about a week or so, but I'm not sure). So once you have finished a fishless cycle add a significant portion of the full stocking level(like 1/4 or 1/3). Leave them in for about 2 days and then check the ammonia and nitrite level. If everything is at 0 then add another portion and repeat. If not then wait until everything is at 0 and then slowly add to the tank until full, all the while monitoring the levels of toxins.

Watcher
 
Cool, thanks

I was gonna do a fishless cycle but here in the UK pure ammonia is like gold dust

I have however managed a minor miracle in that I have free'd up my fluval 204 ext from my other tank (the residents are curently elsewhere) so I am hoping for the fasest new tank setup on record :D as that filter has been running for a few months now and is nicely established

I have given a couple of goldfish out of my pond a little holiday in the tank this afternoon to see if they will cause either an ammonia or nitrite spike in the next few days, if not I guess I am good to go?

I do have a large parrot fish (Bubba) hes about 4in and quite "plump" so hes not going in for a while as hes a huge bio-load

Is there any rule when it comes to a fishes size/aggressiveness that means there are good times and bad times to consider adding it to a tank?
 
With an already established filter you should be good to go from day 1. Throw in a little gravel from an established tank for insurance if you like.

The goldfish need only stay in long enough to verify that the filter bacteria are doing their job, and then you can remove them and plug in the "Parrot" fish right away.

Good luck and keep us posted.
 
As has been said, with the transfer of a filter you are probably fine at day 1. Just watch your levels, and make sur nothing weird happens. Essentially the fluval should have enough to handle the equivalent of what was in your other tank. in other words if it was running on a tank with two tetra's you might have reason for concern. if it was running on a tank with three oscars it will handle almost anything reasonable.

whenever adding stock to a tank which hasn't been conditioned for large loads (fishless cycled) it's best to add one or two fish at a time, wait 5 days to a week and add one or two more fish monitor closely especially the first two days after additions. this gives the bacteria time to replicate and compensate for the additional load. remember he bigger the colony of bacteria the faster they replicate to additional load sp as you get closer to your full stocking level the easier it becomes. this is the real huge advantage to fishless IMO. the tank is ready for maximum load right away.
 
I am going to double check over the next few days, All parameters are still perfect this morning.
I think providing nothing has changed in the next 24hrs or so I will add my Parrot fish (have to make sure as hes still a bit battle scarred from his previous woes :()

Thanks all, I'l post some pics when its up and running (particalry proud of the sand substrate :D)
 
As far as stocking goes I think it's best to start with the most peaceful. Then add the aggressive or semi aggressive ones later. Usually this keeps the aggressive ones from killing anything you decide to add. This works well because the fish who have to adjust to the 'newcomer' will be peaceful and if they've established any territory they're more willing to share it. If you do it the other way around, the aggressive fish sees the peaceful fish as an invader and will defend his territory.
 
Ok thanks...

Does that moving decorations/plants trick work as my parrot is going to be the first one in the new tank (more circumstantial, than choice)

Also I thought about making a separetor up for the tank out of some very thin "water safe" wire mess and some wood. So when a new fish that may give or be on the recieving end of agro goes in I can speaparte say my parrot fish from it?

That way giving them some time both to get used to each other and for the newcomer to settle in and start eating etc without being harrassed.
 
the rearrangement thing does work. Just take out the fish, rearrange and put it back in. I'd make sure I had a territory issue before I went through that thought.
 
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