My Juwell Rio125 Adventure

So i thought i might start a little journal to document the trials and tribulations of my new tank and maybe get a little help and advice along the way.
 
It all started a couple of months ago when i decided the cabinet in the lounge needed something other than a table lamp! having kept tropical fish previously with varying degrees of success in the past, i thought that was the perfect answer. not sure the mrs did but as usual i won
 
so after a month or so researching, plotting and scheming i decided to take the plunge and on the friday after work purchased myself a rio 125 with a tetra ex1200 filter, inline heater and an api test kit . The tank was taken home unboxed, checked for leeks and placed on the cabinet untill the following saturday when the backing was added and the filter connected.
 

 

 

 
 
 
 
 
 

So after the mornings work to get to that stage it was time to go shopping again for substrate and wood. After a few hours at a few different lfs i returned home with tetra plant substrate a bag of silver sand and some wood. The tetra plant was spread even over the bottom of the tank and after a quick cuppa the sand washing process began. two hours later and id washed nearly 20kg of sand! if only i knew then that i didnt need that much! oh well at least its clean when the tank requires a top up
 

 

 
I knew the wood would require soaking as it was most likely going to float to start of with so was placed in the only reasonable spot, given a good scrub and left for a full week (on and off!)
 

 
will follow on with the following weekend after dinner lol
 
 

The following week the wood was removed from the bath much to the misses delight and aranged over and over in the tank untill i came up with a look i was fairly happy with. A smattering of black pebbles and corner of a brick later (eventually covered in moss) and i was ready for the big fill. The water was treated with nutrafin aqua plus and the quantity measured exactly as it was added for future reference. 106 litres later and the tank was full and the filter primed, switched on and spray bar adjusted.
 

 

 

 
The tank was then left for two days untill the monday when the 0.9ml of ammonia required to start the fishless cycle. this was left for and hour before i checked the ammonia levels along with doing full tests for ph, nitrate, nitrite on both tap and tank water.
 
 
tap water
ph - 7.8
ammonia - 0ppm
Nitrite - 0ppm
Nitrate - 10ppm
 
tank water
ph - 7.6
ammonia - 3ppm
Nitrite 0ppm
Nitrate - 10ppm
 
 
 
 
 
so the thread is now up to date and im looking forward to doing my readings tonight to see whats happening

Looking good! 
 
Well, looks like you are well on the way to setting up everything needed, glad to see you have API liquid test kit, bottle of ammonia as well as de-chlorinator .
 
Are you planning on adding any more live plants or anything like that to fill in the tank a little? I do like the wood you have placed in tank.
 
Now basically a waiting game for bacteria to start colonising in your filter and nitrite to appear etc etc (I enjoyed doing my first fish less cycle!)
 
Good luck, if you get unsure about the fish less cycle process, just simply post a query and we'll be happy to answer  

hi and thanks.
 
yes i will be planting the tank up at the end of the cycle when i do a water change to make it that bit easier. then maintenance feeding ammonia for a week before adding livestock. im sure there will be many questions along the way seeing as im a relative newb

Towards the end of the cycle plants will help out with the nitrates. Looks good!

You can put in plants anytime if you want to.

is it ok to feed co2 to the plants before the cycle has finished?

Actually, I have no idea about that. Co2 during fish less cycle is not a question I've come across yet, hopefully someone can answer this for you.
 
I'd be interested to know myself to be honest.
 
Think plants should be fine for a month or two while doing fishless cycle and once cycle completed successfully then you could start adding C02.
Thats just my opinion on that though.
 
Would wait for a definitive answer from someone who know a bit more about C02 though.

cheers, may post the question in the cycling section and see whats said. i did do a quick search but couldnt find anything.

so seven days into the cycle and ammonia down to 1ppm, nitrite 0ppm. thought i may have started to see some nitrite by now maybe but we'll wait and see.

so a little bit of excitement this morning as after 13 days ive now got some nitrite haha. ammonia between 0.5-1 1ppm and 0.25ppm of nitrite wahoo were on the move. taken a while but i think that might be down to me and a slight overdose when dechlorinating the water when i filled the tank.

just thought id update on the cycle.
 
It seems to have taken a while, i think due to declorinator overdose, but i have now redosed original amount and am one test away from doing a maintenance feed. Hopefully completed cycle shouldnt be to far away now.
 
I have also started to think about planting, however as my lfs arent very well stocked with plants its looking like i may have to get them online. either way they should be helped to grow by this little lot i received for crimbo
 

 
 

Excellent! I am planning on doing the exact same thing, a DIY co2 system.
 
Let us know how you get on and if its easy enough to set up a diy co2 system.

so i think ive finnaly decided on my plant list for the tank and will prob order start of this week seeing as my tank is not far from been cycled.
 
the list comprises of
 
mocrosorium pteropus narrow
alternanthera rosaefolia
hygrophila pinnatifida
cryptocoryne becketti
bacopa crenata / monnieri
staurogyne rubescens
alternanthera reineckii 'mini'
utricularia graminfolia
marsilea hirsuta
taxiphyllum barbieri (java moss)
and a small moss ball
 
think some may be quite hard to grow for a relative novice but going to give it a go as i want the differnt colour contrast that these should eventually provide. 
 
One question i have is how would people fertilise the plants while still doing a fishless cycle? i will eventually be dosing ei ferts but understood that the day 7 water change isnt really ideal during the cycling of a tank. would i be better using something like tetra plant untill im cycled? i will most likely be feeding co2 so guess they will require some form of fertilisation?

Well after a late night at work last night i woke up eventually late morning knowing my plants were arriving today. so after a bit of breakfast i set about plumbing in the co2 which proved a bit of a challenge with the tubing seemingly having a mind of its own! anyhow i got there eventualy.
 




 
not the greatest pictures in the world but think you get the idea. well that was it untill the plants arrived, lets see if dpd are true to there word and deliver between 13:30 and 14:30