Question about using old media to cycle a tank.

[FishyWarrior]

8 white clouds in a 40g is a nice light bio load provided you don't overfeed. A cycle should be slow and steady. 6-8weeks. I'd do a 50% weekly water change every week at a minimum.

Plants will help use ammonia (or nitrate or nitrite) if they are healthy and growing.

The faster the plant grows, the more it will use (and more of other nutrients too, including CO2 and light).

So, you might be better with lots of slower growing plants than a few faster growing. Or growing something terrestrial, but aquaponically in your filter would work well (Say Pothos)

But you should be fine, just keep watching your water parameters and change water where needed.

Cool, that's good to hear! I was originally going in to get 4 or 5 small fish, i was a little skeptical when the guy at the store told me i could keep 10 white clouds in that tank while it's cycling, so i got 8 instead. Would i actually be ok getting 2 more? I know these little guys like being in larger schools, and i really liked the longfin versions of them.
On a side note, how long should i wait to get trumpet snails or shrimp? should i just wait out the full cycling period first with just the clouds?

When i was looking into using tetra safestart it seems like it can cycle a tank within about 2 weeks? and it also states on the bottle that i can't do water changes until after two weeks. (that has me a little worried, but it does say that it's makes the water safe for fish so i'm choosing to trust it)

The plants i picked out were java fern, dwarf baby tears, wisteria and another that i forgot the name of (it was the only one i didn't plan on getting, but the store didn't have any chain swords so i thought they were a good replacement)

Here's a picture of my tank by the way, i want to go back to get a taller plant like an amazon sword to go in that back corner with the ferns. I think that would complete the tank nicely.

 

[fishorama]

Sounds like a nice beginning. I've never tried Safe Start but I've heard it does work. Whiteclouds are a good choice for first fish, they're pretty & pretty hardy.

Plants are always good to have. Easy but slow growers like anubius & java fern will help a bit. I think it's best to start with easy fish & plants & have some success before jumping into the whole "dream tank" plan right away.

How about posting some pics? We'd love to see...

 

[FishyWarrior]

Sounds like a nice beginning. I've never tried Safe Start but I've heard it does work. Whiteclouds are a good choice for first fish, they're pretty & pretty hardy.

Plants are always good to have. Easy but slow growers like anubius & java fern will help a bit. I think it's best to start with easy fish & plants & have some success before jumping into the whole "dream tank" plan right away.

How about posting some pics? We'd love to see...

Ah right, here's some more pics!

 

[fishorama]

Thanks, I was posting as you were, lol.
It's looking great! Those look like some kind of cryptocoryne, lucens maybe. & the grassy plant might be dwarf Sagittarius (sag). Both are good choices. Don't be surprised or alarmed if the crypts loose some or even all their leaves; if the roots are healthy you'll get new leaves soon. They'd like some root tab ferts soon a little away from the crown.

I hate to be a buzz kill, but dwarf baby tears are HARD to grow well, especially in sand. Don't be sad if they don't grow, live & learn. They're 1 of those plants that want co2, I've killed it more than once, lol.

 

[FishyWarrior]

Thanks, I was posting as you were, lol.
It's looking great! Those look like some kind of cryptocoryne, lucens maybe. & the grassy plant might be dwarf Sagittarius (sag). Both are good choices. Don't be surprised or alarmed if the crypts loose some or even all their leaves; if the roots are healthy you'll get new leaves soon. They'd like some root tab ferts soon a little away from the crown.

I hate to be a buzz kill, but dwarf baby tears are HARD to grow well, especially in sand. Don't be sad if they don't grow, live & learn. They're 1 of those plants that want co2, I've killed it more than once, lol.

Ah ok, i hope mine do turn out well in the end, i did dose with some flourish so i hope that will also help them out a little. It isn't too big a loss if they don't grow in the sand, i mostly wanted them to grow on the driftwood and rocks, i just stuck whatever little pieces i had left into the sand. I didn't have anything to tie them down with so i kinda just had to wedge them in between little crevices and pray they take root. (hope i did it right)

I just went back to the store and bought a couple more plants as well as two longfin clouds. They actually seem much more active and happier with the two extras. After this i am definitely waiting a while before adding any other fish to the tank. But here's an updated pic.

https://68.media.tumblr.com/8b0bb1d8bc12dd5d27deb3ac66531213/tumblr_os154lmgFk1r1qib4o1_1280.jpg

 

[fishorama]

Are those red "ferny" looking plants real??? I don't know them & I belong to a plant club...enablers all, lol. Really, try different plants, but don't be disappointed if they don't grow well for you, especially in sand. Some need co2, as much as I'd like them to grow for me...I've killed many ., but mine are always free! Time for a little more plant research before you waste a ton'o'$$...Maybe ask us before buying more, we love to help & save you some $$ & have some plant success.

You're getting there...keep up the good work!

 

[FishyWarrior]

Are those red "ferny" looking plants real??? I don't know them & I belong to a plant club...enablers all, lol. Really, try different plants, but don't be disappointed if they don't grow well for you, especially in sand. Some need co2, as much as I'd like them to grow for me...I've killed many ., but mine are always free! Time for a little more plant research before you waste a ton'o'$$...Maybe ask us before buying more, we love to help & save you some $$ & have some plant success.

You're getting there...keep up the good work!

Haha, yeah they're real, the name escapes me but i think they look really nice! I do research before hand, i heard a more good things than bad about baby tears so i thought getting them would be ok. I usually go in to the store with a plan, but that doesn't always work out when it turns out the store either doesn't have the plant i'm looking for or the ones they do have don't look the greatest. So then i just wing it after asking the employees a little bit about them. Same went for the fish, i went in really wanting celestial pearl danios to start with but they didn't have any so i ended up getting the clouds instead (ones my sister picked out after the unanimous decision against zebra danios from everyone else lol).

Speaking of which, i think they're fighting now? They flare up their fins and then tackle each other and they're going after their reflections too. I'm not sure what brought this up suddenly when they were fine all day today and yesterday. I'm guessing this might be because there might be more males than females? (i'm not entirely sure, i can't really tell them apart) Now i'm worried they're going to end up killing each other...

 

[fishorama]

No worries, that's just how males display to females & other males...kinda like "look at my bada$$ self, everyone". A sign of fishy happiness. Whiteclouds are not aggressive enough to go beyond flashing fins that I've ever seen. Maybe you'll have fry, that would be awesome!

 

[FishyWarrior]

No worries, that's just how males display to females & other males...kinda like "look at my bada$$ self, everyone". A sign of fishy happiness. Whiteclouds are not aggressive enough to go beyond flashing fins that I've ever seen. Maybe you'll have fry, that would be awesome!

Oh! Then that's great news! So glad it's probably nothing bad, would hate to already lose one my babies. So i'm guessing this is a good sign that they aren't distressed or anything then?

 

[fishorama]

Yes, it sounds like you're good to go, but keep testing!! That's the only way to be sure. Just be ready to change 50% water or more if needed to keep ammonia & nitrite .25 or less. You're so close!!

Females have larger tummies than males. Males are more colorful & more slender...& girls are most interested in food than in boys, lol!