Hi, I'm new to the forum and fishkeeping so have patience with me. Here's what I have: 37G with eclipse hood with light, filter and biowheel, heater, 2 airstones, 2" gravel, wood and rock decor with plastic plants. Two days ago we got eveything set up and added water, some cycle and biosafe. Current readings are: Nitrite 0ppm, PH 7.6, Ammonia .25ppm, Gen Hardness 10 drops (179ppm). The readings were all the same on day 1 except for the GH, I added a softener pillow because I realize I have very hard water and in the future I think I will do my water changes with distilled. How does everything else look? I think my PH is too high but have no idea how to get it down. My current temp is 79, should it be lower? I plan on keeping tetras and a couple cory cats. After reading the sticky on cycle I have decided to do a fishless cycle, just seems easier and there's no need to make fish suffer for my ignorance. Should my next step be to add ammonia? If so, how much for my size tank? After the ammonia, then what? Do I understand correctly that I do not need to do a water change until the end of the cycle, about 4 weeks? Then I can add a whole tank full of fish. My sister has a 3.5G with 2 goldfish, she's had it for about 4-5 months, anything I can use from her tank to speed the process up? Sorry this post is so long, but even after reading books and cruising the forums, I'm still confused! I feel like I need to go back to school for a chemistry class and a freshwater biology course. Help, please!! I look forward to your responses, Thanks.
Help, I have no idea what I'm doing
- Thread starter CAgargoyle
- Start date
First of all I like to say welcome to the forum, I hope that you don't hessitate to ask any questions you might have no matter how stupid they may seem. Second, as far as getting your tank to cycle, stop using cycle, get some ammonia from wal-mart (or wherever you shop) shake the bottle, if it foams don't get it, you want pure ammonia (pure ammonia will not bubble or foam). Start off by adding about 2 ml of ammonia, wait about 30 minutes, then test for how much ammonia is in the tank. You want to keep ammonia up to 4 ppm. More than likely you will have to test for ammonia and add as needed everyday once the bacteria starts to colonate. Don't worry too much about your pH level for now, just keep it between 7.0-7.8 ppm. Also you want to check your alkalinity levels about every other day, the higher the better. Once your ammonia spikes (drops to 0 ppm within 24 hours) cut the ammonia your putting in the tank by half. Keep monitoring your nitrites until it spikes, then do about an 80% water change. If you can get some filter media, gravel, or plants from your sister, that will help speed things up a little.
Or you can skip all of this and order some bio-spira (if it is in stock) online. Can't remember any sites right now. Bio-spira (if you don't know what it is) is the beneficial bacteria found in aquariums and will work within 24 hours. It is the only product out there that is garaunteed to work and does, I can't stress this enough.
Hope this helped out some.
Good luck
Or you can skip all of this and order some bio-spira (if it is in stock) online. Can't remember any sites right now. Bio-spira (if you don't know what it is) is the beneficial bacteria found in aquariums and will work within 24 hours. It is the only product out there that is garaunteed to work and does, I can't stress this enough.
Hope this helped out some.
Good luck
Importing bacteria from the other tank
You can get the very bacteria you need from your sister's filter. Have her clean the filter in tank water, you want it nice and dark brown, a cup or so of brown slimy stuff. Pour that into your filter or into the tank. Let it run overnight.
At this point I usually add some fish, but only lightly. Keep testing the water for ammonia and do water changes if the ammonia is at all detectable.
If you do locate Biospira, do follow the directions, I've only read of failures when people mixed ammonia based fishless cycleing methods with the BioSpira, if you add it first, and then stock fish as directed, it works great.
PS, check your water supply re chlorine or chloramine. The tested ammonia in your water may be "bound" ammonia or "free and harmful to fish" ammonia depending on the dechlorinator you use if you have chloramine treated water. Some ammonia tests use 2 bottles and these will give you only the "free and harmful" levels. Also, the Seachem Ammonia Alert reads the harmful levels only.
You can get the very bacteria you need from your sister's filter. Have her clean the filter in tank water, you want it nice and dark brown, a cup or so of brown slimy stuff. Pour that into your filter or into the tank. Let it run overnight.
At this point I usually add some fish, but only lightly. Keep testing the water for ammonia and do water changes if the ammonia is at all detectable.
If you do locate Biospira, do follow the directions, I've only read of failures when people mixed ammonia based fishless cycleing methods with the BioSpira, if you add it first, and then stock fish as directed, it works great.
PS, check your water supply re chlorine or chloramine. The tested ammonia in your water may be "bound" ammonia or "free and harmful to fish" ammonia depending on the dechlorinator you use if you have chloramine treated water. Some ammonia tests use 2 bottles and these will give you only the "free and harmful" levels. Also, the Seachem Ammonia Alert reads the harmful levels only.
No cycle
This probably isnt going to help, but when I started my tanks I didn't let them cycle at all, but just got the pH, ammonia, and nitrate levels where I wanted them. The only way I lost fish was by others picking on them (bought some fish from a local store that didnt know much, but I knew less!). I've had the tanks up and running for a few months now, and have managed to get a happy medium for all and havent lost any of them in recent memory, but they are growing fast!
One thing I would say is to not over feed the fish - this plays havoc with the levels in the tank. Also, be aware of acclimating the fish to the tank. Never pour the water from the fish store into your tank - you'll just be asking for trouble - my tank got ich that way and its a pain to get rid of if you have a variety. Also, be informed about the fish you want. I have a Gourami that is just a nasty fish and will pick on anything that is smaller than it (fortunately not much now).
This probably isnt going to help, but when I started my tanks I didn't let them cycle at all, but just got the pH, ammonia, and nitrate levels where I wanted them. The only way I lost fish was by others picking on them (bought some fish from a local store that didnt know much, but I knew less!). I've had the tanks up and running for a few months now, and have managed to get a happy medium for all and havent lost any of them in recent memory, but they are growing fast!
One thing I would say is to not over feed the fish - this plays havoc with the levels in the tank. Also, be aware of acclimating the fish to the tank. Never pour the water from the fish store into your tank - you'll just be asking for trouble - my tank got ich that way and its a pain to get rid of if you have a variety. Also, be informed about the fish you want. I have a Gourami that is just a nasty fish and will pick on anything that is smaller than it (fortunately not much now).