Airpump and airstones?

I added an airstone to my tank primarily for the looks. Originally I bought an Elite pump but took it back after I plugged it in and thought my pictures were going to fall off the wall (ok, slight exaggeration but it was loud). I replaced it with a Rena #50 and it is much quieter (not silent though) and not that much more expensive (Big Als in the US lists it for $8.99 on their site).

As well, if you are just using it to drive an airstone, you can save money by buying the smallest pump available. I have a 25 gallon and the Rena #50 creates bubbles through my one airstone just fine. If you are going with more airstones or need to power other decorations etc, then you will need to consider the size of the pump.

Hope this helps,

Eager
 
I cycled the tank with water conditioner and bacteria. The danios look like they're adusting in there.

If you add salt, how do you do it? Can you just go ahead and mix it in with the fish already in there? Just stir it in? They sell aquarium salt at the petstore. I guess that's what I'm supposed to use.
 
What bacteria are you talking about?

The only way for the tank to cycle is when there is a source of ammonia. The tank will esablish bacteria that can break down the ammonia into nitrites, and establish another bacteria that will break down nitrites into nitrates. If I just put an old filter cartridge in a filter of a new tank and leave it, nothing is going to happen. The bioload will shrink until it completely goes away. Adding chemicals like Cycle and Stress Zyme will do nothing for your tank. If all you did was add some gravel, filter media from established tank, and a chemical product to speed up the cycling process and then added those zebras, then your tank is still cycling.
 
Okay, I see. What I did was add water conditioner and a product called BioSpira with beneficial bacteria. Fishowners I know have successfully added (hardy) fish after this process. I did it over a few days. I know ammonia has to be produced now, so the tank is indeed still cycling. I was told that zebra danios could usually survive that process ok, but to wait a few weeks before adding anything else, to make sure the cycling process is done. Does this make sense?
 
And I do have a new filter, heater, thermometers, gravel and plastic plants. Filled the tank with filtered water w/o chlorine in it. Did this about three days ago.
 
Two of the smaller danios are looking a little listless, but the rest are happily chasing each other around. The store told me I might lose a few the first week.
 
I've got mine hooked up to the air intake of my power head.. I only run it for a little while at a time.. the few fish that are in there now seem to enjoy playing in it.
 
jaimaq, do 50% water changes every other day so that ammonia/nitrite/nitrate levels do not get too high and stress out the fish. Yea, the zebras are very hardy and are used most often to cycle a tank.
 
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