My first real planted tank

[FreshyFresh]

The problem with using fish food is, it can take awhile for it to get nasty, rot and form ammonia. Like mentioned above, given you have seeded media installed in the filter for this new tank, I'd do a large water change (since it's cloudy), add some fish and monitor. IMO, you're ready to go.

 

[Tom C]

Alright, as per your insistence I've moved my 4 shrimp already (water values were all still good) and will be getting a school of about 10 green neons or small rasbora to start off with, adding more fish on a weekly basis until I have a nice collection.

 

[Tom C]

I added 25 minuscule green tetra and 20 tiny red cherry shrimp, all survived 24 hours so far (though one of each did not survive the trip). Plants are growing like crazy, I'll post new pictures every week

 

[dougall]

Just be sured to keep up with water testing for Nitrogen compounds until you are sure you're fully cycled.

 

[Tom C]

Just be sured to keep up with water testing for Nitrogen compounds until you are sure you're fully cycled.

Am doing

 

[Tom C]

Just did another round of tests (doing every morning and every evening now), NH4 is between 0.05 and 0.1 ppm, NO2 is less than 0.01 and NO3 IS between 0.5 and 1.

 

[myswtsins]

Good testing practices. What test kits are you using that you can tell such low values!? API's lowest result for NH4 and NO3 is .25 ppm and NO4 is 5.0.

 

[Tom C]

I got this one: http://www.theaquaticstoreonline.co.uk/JBL_TestLab/p1858512_14727713.aspx

Though I must say, I got it a lot cheaper, but looked for an English vendor so you'd understand the text, I doubt Dutch would be of much use to most people here

 

[Tom C]

So! Time for an update! Water values are all still good. I'm starting to detect NO3, and little to no NH4 and NO2, which makes me think the tank is cycled. Of my 25 green neons 2 have perished, same with my 20 red cherry shrimp. Plants are growing like crazy!

For comparison; 2 pictures, taken 1 week apart, first one is just after planting, second one taken this morning.

 

[Tom C]

So, we are a couple weeks on now, and things have progressed. I have added quite a few fish to my tank; 5 zebra danio, 4 platies, 5 galaxy rasbora and 6 Hemigrammus Bleheri (not sure of the English name, silvery fish with a red nose and striped tails, beautiful little animals). I also added a couple of larger, red plants (alternanthera reineckii) to add more colour, but those do not seem to be doing well. I did start adding an extra fertiliser for the plants, as the carpet plants send to have stopped growing as much. (Flourish excel is only carbon I think), and those are growing fine again. The althernathera have been in for 5 days now and their lower leaves are seriously melting. I'm contemplating adding 2 young angelfish to top it off, but not sure, with all the small fish I have they might eat the others no?

Anyway! Pictures!

General view of the tank:

Melting althernathera:

Beautifully growing moss tree:

4 platies

6 rednoses, again, not sure of the English name: