First Freshwater Tank.....juwel Rio 125L (33G)

[SIZE=9.5pt]Hello all[/SIZE]
 
[SIZE=9.5pt]So my adventure started in Dec 2015.[/SIZE]
 
[SIZE=9.5pt]Completely new to fish keeping and made TONS of mistakes.....[/SIZE]
 
All I had in mind was some sort of semi planted tank with Neon tetras
 
[SIZE=9.5pt]After much research and limited options on choice, I ended up buying a starter kit tank Juwel RIO 125.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=9.5pt] [/SIZE]
[SIZE=9.5pt]10th Dec 2015[/SIZE][SIZE=9.5pt], bought the tank, leak checked everything in the bathroom. Setup the tank empty, ran it overnight with treated (Prime) water, heater set at 28C[/SIZE]
 
[SIZE=9.5pt]11th Dec 2015[/SIZE][SIZE=9.5pt], Fishless cycle with no added bacteria. Managed to find ammonia, dosed 4 ppm[/SIZE]
[SIZE=9.5pt]KH 3, GH 6, pH 7.2.[/SIZE]
 
 
PS....stupid question, how do I start a second reply column....I tried using the 'reply to this topic' and it just attaches everything to my first post...

It does that for a certain timeframe after your initial post. I think it assumes that you forgot something and want to tack it on or something.

jag51186 said:

It does that for a certain timeframe after your initial post. I think it assumes that you forgot something and want to tack it on or something.

Click to expand...

thanks

[SIZE=9.5pt]12th Dec 2015[/SIZE][SIZE=9.5pt], decided the tank was too empty so with ZERO research, I went and got some plants, rocks, 2 big driftwood and [/SIZE][SIZE=9.5pt]ADA[/SIZE][SIZE=9.5pt] soil.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=9.5pt]16th Dec 2015[/SIZE][SIZE=9.5pt], nothing happened, ammonia remained at 4 but pH dropped from 7.2 to 6.4 or less[/SIZE]
 
 
[SIZE=9.5pt]Requested a lot of help from 2 different forums, discovered the Driftwood and Soil was reducing my pH and soil was giving off ammonia too[/SIZE]
 
[SIZE=9.5pt] [/SIZE]
[SIZE=9.5pt]Even if I had all the right bacterias appear, the pH would make them 'dormant'[/SIZE]
 
[SIZE=9.5pt] [/SIZE]
[SIZE=9.5pt]Drained tank, removed all the soil.........that was one heck of a task....[/SIZE]
 
[SIZE=9.5pt]17th Dec 2015[/SIZE][SIZE=9.5pt] restarted everything with nothing in tank...[/SIZE]
..
...
.....
 
[SIZE=9.5pt]20th Dec 2015[/SIZE][SIZE=9.5pt], parameters remain unchanged. Impatient so I went and got Seachem Stability.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=9.5pt]Tetra SafeStart and Dr Tim's One & Only are not available in [/SIZE][SIZE=9.5pt]Hong Kong[/SIZE][SIZE=9.5pt].[/SIZE]
[SIZE=9.5pt] [/SIZE]
[SIZE=9.5pt]Within a couple of days, ammonia started to drop, Nitrites appeared, Nitrates remain same (@ tap water amount)[/SIZE]
 
 

[SIZE=9.5pt]23rd Dec, bought a second tank 8G, a lot cheaper, tank, heater and aquaclear 20 HOB. Intention was to use it as a Quarantine Tank.......that didn't go according to plan either[/SIZE]

 
[SIZE=9.5pt]28th Dec, a friend came back from US with a bottle of Dr Tim One & Only[/SIZE]
 
[SIZE=9.5pt]So I used it on the QT[/SIZE]
 
[SIZE=9.5pt]3rd Jan 2016 QT stalled with 0 ammonia, 10+ nitrites and some Nitrates.[/SIZE]
 
[SIZE=9.5pt]After 3-4 email exchanges with Dr Tim, he advised[/SIZE]
[SIZE=9.5pt]1) do not add ammonia ( bacteria dont need breakfast, lunch and dinner....everyday)[/SIZE]
[SIZE=9.5pt]2) 50% water change to reduce Nitrite (its hindering the cycling process)[/SIZE]
[SIZE=9.5pt]3) keep pH above 7[/SIZE]
 
[SIZE=9.5pt]Tank cycled on day 8......on 6th Jan 2016[/SIZE]
[SIZE=9.5pt]To double check, I dosed 2 ammonia again and in less than 24hrs, Amm and Nitrites were 0, Nitrates 60+[/SIZE]
 
QT went from sparsely planted tank to sand & stone tank
 
Now it has 5 guppies in it.
 
 

[SIZE=9.5pt]4th Jan 2016 Main tank was stalling too.......[/SIZE]
[SIZE=9.5pt]There was just enough Dr Tim left for the minimum dose for the 125L tank so I used it.[/SIZE]
Stopped the ammonia dosing, 50% change of water.....
 
[SIZE=9.5pt]Main tank cycled on 7th Jan 2016 [/SIZE]
 

[SIZE=9.5pt]I still wanted soil and sand aquarium so I did a 2/3 sand, 1/3 soil substrate setup.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=9.5pt]I first removed the filter media and placed it in a bucket with tank water.[/SIZE]
 
[SIZE=9.5pt]For anyone new, get everything before you start, to try and plant after the tank is filled is extremely hard. Even without water, it will take a while to create your aquascape.[/SIZE]
 
 

Final version of main Rio 125 tank
 
Naturally I have overstocked it according to a certain fish stocking website but it was based on adult sizes...
 
FISH:
10 Harlequin Rasbora (hyper fish)
6 Cardinal Tetra (unfortunately lost 8, didn't know they needed well established tank)
4 Sterbai cory (my favourite, hyperactive little guys)
6 Pygmy cory
10 rummy nose tetra
4 red cherry shrimp
 
most of the fish are still small ranging from 8mm to 18mm
 
PLANTS & SUBSTRATE
 
ADA amazonia soil
Sand & Aragonite mix
 
Anubias nana
Java Fern
Java moss
Kabomba
Amazon sword
Staur0gyne repens
Alternanthera reineckii
Bacopa caroliniana
 
Temp 22.5C, pH 6.8, Amm & Nitrite 0, Nitrate 50, KH=4, GH=7
 
 
 
 
 

For future reference, Aquasoil is mainly used to start out planted tanks well in advance of adding fish. The ammonia it leeches is mainly due to it being an enriched substrate, but most people do 50% water changes daily for the first week or two even in a plant-only tank because the level of ammonia it leeches can be hard on the plants. However, it is very beneficial in the long run if you plan on having a heavily planted tank.

Lovely looking tank Boshk - and it goes to show what planning and patience can achieve.  Well done, you must be very pleased!

Great set up and fish, look forward to seeing it mature.

thanks!