snap in Pudsey
Confused by cycle
- Thread starter R84achey
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snap in Pudsey
Hardness
UK water companies make it sound harder than it really is. In Leeds, your water company should give a number for hardness if you're with Yorkshire Water.
www.yorkshirewater.com
Select 'check your water' tab, enter your postcode then look for this info (this is a friend's postcode)
It's the number you need under mg/l calcium.
Water changes
Once the tank is fully stocked, most of us change at least 50% a week. How you do the change depends on your preference.
Buckets - add the water conditioner to each bucket of water at the dose rate for the volume of water in the bucket. Eg you put 10 litres water in the bucket, so add enough dechlorinator for 10 litres into every bucketful. It is better for the chlorine to be removed before the new water goes into the tank which is why it should be added to each bucketful.
Hosepipe - add all the dechlorinator to the tank before you start to refill. Some water conditioners say to add enough to treat the whole tank, others say add enough to treat just the new water.
If you have a combi boiler, you can use hot tap water to warm the new water to roughly the same temperature as the tank. But if you have a heat only boiler with a hot water cylinder and a header tank in the attic, boil a kettle of water to warm the new water.
Fish
If the tank can clear 3 ppm ammonia in 24 hours, you can add virtually all the fish you want at the same time. Adding a few, then waiting is for fish-in cycling not fishless. But some fish do better if the tank has been running a few months. let us know which fish you intend and we can tell you if any should wait to be added.
Shrimps do need to wait though as they are sensitive little things.
UK water companies make it sound harder than it really is. In Leeds, your water company should give a number for hardness if you're with Yorkshire Water.
Yorkshire Water - Check your water hardness
Providing essential water and waste water services is only the start of what we do. Find out where we are now and where we plan to be in 25 years time. Do you have hard water? Find out more about the water hardness in your area with Yorkshire Water. Water hardness is the measure of the...
www.yorkshirewater.com
It's the number you need under mg/l calcium.
Water changes
Once the tank is fully stocked, most of us change at least 50% a week. How you do the change depends on your preference.
Buckets - add the water conditioner to each bucket of water at the dose rate for the volume of water in the bucket. Eg you put 10 litres water in the bucket, so add enough dechlorinator for 10 litres into every bucketful. It is better for the chlorine to be removed before the new water goes into the tank which is why it should be added to each bucketful.
Hosepipe - add all the dechlorinator to the tank before you start to refill. Some water conditioners say to add enough to treat the whole tank, others say add enough to treat just the new water.
If you have a combi boiler, you can use hot tap water to warm the new water to roughly the same temperature as the tank. But if you have a heat only boiler with a hot water cylinder and a header tank in the attic, boil a kettle of water to warm the new water.
Fish
If the tank can clear 3 ppm ammonia in 24 hours, you can add virtually all the fish you want at the same time. Adding a few, then waiting is for fish-in cycling not fishless. But some fish do better if the tank has been running a few months. let us know which fish you intend and we can tell you if any should wait to be added.
Shrimps do need to wait though as they are sensitive little things.
Thanks for the reply.Hardness
UK water companies make it sound harder than it really is. In Leeds, your water company should give a number for hardness if you're with Yorkshire Water.
Select 'check your water' tab, enter your postcode then look for this info (this is a friend's postcode)Yorkshire Water - Check your water hardness
Providing essential water and waste water services is only the start of what we do. Find out where we are now and where we plan to be in 25 years time. Do you have hard water? Find out more about the water hardness in your area with Yorkshire Water. Water hardness is the measure of the...
View attachment 133719
It's the number you need under mg/l calcium.
Water changes
Once the tank is fully stocked, most of us change at least 50% a week. How you do the change depends on your preference.
Buckets - add the water conditioner to each bucket of water at the dose rate for the volume of water in the bucket. Eg you put 10 litres water in the bucket, so add enough dechlorinator for 10 litres into every bucketful. It is better for the chlorine to be removed before the new water goes into the tank which is why it should be added to each bucketful.
Hosepipe - add all the dechlorinator to the tank before you start to refill. Some water conditioners say to add enough to treat the whole tank, others say add enough to treat just the new water.
If you have a combi boiler, you can use hot tap water to warm the new water to roughly the same temperature as the tank. But if you have a heat only boiler with a hot water cylinder and a header tank in the attic, boil a kettle of water to warm the new water.
Fish
If the tank can clear 3 ppm ammonia in 24 hours, you can add virtually all the fish you want at the same time. Adding a few, then waiting is for fish-in cycling not fishless. But some fish do better if the tank has been running a few months. let us know which fish you intend and we can tell you if any should wait to be added.
Shrimps do need to wait though as they are sensitive little things.
I’ve just tested again as I’m impatient although I am about 5 hours early ? ph still 7.5mg Nitrite 0.3mg Nitrate has risen the colour is inbetween the value of 25mg & 50mg & NH3 & NH4 has dropped to 0.25. I will test again in 5 hours.
With regards to fish honestly I don’t have a clue as every time I think oooo I like that I then find out that you can’t have that kind of fish with this fish or it’s not a beginner blah blah blah... my head is fried... no pun intended ?
I have what those in the hobby would consider a tacky tank ? but I love it... the only real plants in there are 4 Marino moss balls. I do in time intend to get some more (easy) live plants at some point. I have the external fluval 307 & 2 air stones running. I have the Hugo Kamishi decorative substrate which is fine rounded black glass gravel. I believe that stops me from having some fish too... honestly I thought I’d be able to walk into the pet store and say I’ll have some of those some of those etc etc however there’s clearly more to it. All I know is I want colourful interesting fish ? any reccomendations would be appreciated. I also struggle with how many I’m allowed to keep without overstocking.
Have you looked up your hardness yet.......?
It’s slightly hard 53.5mg/l calcium. A picture of my tacky tank for reference
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There are about half a dozen units of measurement for hardness and fish keeping uses just 2 of them. Fish profiles will use one or the other but mg/l calcium is not one of them. However, we can convert it into the two units.
Your hardness is 7.5 dH and 134 ppm.
In other words, the upper end of soft. Most soft water fish will be happy (except the odd one or two species which must have very soft water) and you need to avoid hard water fish (most livebearers, rainbowfish and Rift Lake cichlids)
Looking at your photo I can see why you want colourful fish, to mix in with the decor
Unfortunately a lot of the really colourful fish don't suit your water (livebearers, rainbowfish and Rift Lake cichlids are hard water fish).
is the tank the curved front Vision rather than the flat front Rio? It looks curved in the photo though that could just the the way it looks in the photo.
The curved front Vision 180 has a swimming length of 92 cm/36 inches, so no very big fish.
Do you want lots of small fish or a few big fish?
Your hardness is 7.5 dH and 134 ppm.
In other words, the upper end of soft. Most soft water fish will be happy (except the odd one or two species which must have very soft water) and you need to avoid hard water fish (most livebearers, rainbowfish and Rift Lake cichlids)
Looking at your photo I can see why you want colourful fish, to mix in with the decor
Unfortunately a lot of the really colourful fish don't suit your water (livebearers, rainbowfish and Rift Lake cichlids are hard water fish).
is the tank the curved front Vision rather than the flat front Rio? It looks curved in the photo though that could just the the way it looks in the photo.
The curved front Vision 180 has a swimming length of 92 cm/36 inches, so no very big fish.
Do you want lots of small fish or a few big fish?
It is the curved one. I want as many fish as I can get whereby they are happy and safe. If that means sacrificing ones of any size then that’s fine... I’m all about the colour as you can tell, I know it’s tacky lol!!! But that’s the look I’m going for ? i would like one show piece though.There are about half a dozen units of measurement for hardness and fish keeping uses just 2 of them. Fish profiles will use one or the other but mg/l calcium is not one of them. However, we can convert it into the two units.
Your hardness is 7.5 dH and 134 ppm.
In other words, the upper end of soft. Most soft water fish will be happy (except the odd one or two species which must have very soft water) and you need to avoid hard water fish (most livebearers, rainbowfish and Rift Lake cichlids)
Looking at your photo I can see why you want colourful fish, to mix in with the decor
Unfortunately a lot of the really colourful fish don't suit your water (livebearers, rainbowfish and Rift Lake cichlids are hard water fish).
is the tank the curved front Vision rather than the flat front Rio? It looks curved in the photo though that could just the the way it looks in the photo.
The curved front Vision 180 has a swimming length of 92 cm/36 inches, so no very big fish.
Do you want lots of small fish or a few big fish?
I do have another 120l tank that I bought before this one so I may end up setting that up once I 100% know what I’m doing. I will make sure that it is a little more respectable for the fish forums ?
I’m really sad that I can’t have the really colourful ones. I thought I had moderately hard water ?? see why I need all this extra advice. ?
My other friend again same water parameters has an Angel and a kissing gourami with others are these suitable?
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German blue rams (and any of the other varieties of Mikrogeophagus such as electric blue rams, gold rams) can be tricky fish. They prefer water warmer than most fish like. If kept too cold - and 25 deg C is on the cold side for them - they can die quite quickly.
Apistogrammas live in the same tank region as rams; the males of some species are bright, and the females are yellow. Look at the cockatoo cichlid, Apistogramma cacatuoides
www.seriouslyfish.com
Ember tetras are small shoaling fish, bright orange when settled in, though washed out in shop tanks. A group of 10.
www.seriouslyfish.com
I'll think of some more after I've cooked dinner
No to kissing gourami - they get too big for the tank. They need a tank at least 150 cm/5 feet long
www.seriouslyfish.com
Angels - maybe. Though they tend not to be very colourful. The tank is just about tall enough for them, but at 90 cm/36 inches it is probably a bit too short.
Apistogrammas live in the same tank region as rams; the males of some species are bright, and the females are yellow. Look at the cockatoo cichlid, Apistogramma cacatuoides
Apistogramma cacatuoides (Cockatoo Cichlid) — Seriously Fish
www.seriouslyfish.com
Ember tetras are small shoaling fish, bright orange when settled in, though washed out in shop tanks. A group of 10.
Hyphessobrycon amandae – Ember Tetra — Seriously Fish
www.seriouslyfish.com
I'll think of some more after I've cooked dinner
No to kissing gourami - they get too big for the tank. They need a tank at least 150 cm/5 feet long
Helostoma temminkii (Kissing Gourami) — Seriously Fish
www.seriouslyfish.com
Angels - maybe. Though they tend not to be very colourful. The tank is just about tall enough for them, but at 90 cm/36 inches it is probably a bit too short.
Fab will look at the ones you’ve suggested and look forward to the other reccomendations after I too have cooked dinner xGerman blue rams (and any of the other varieties of Mikrogeophagus such as electric blue rams, gold rams) can be tricky fish. They prefer water warmer than most fish like. If kept too cold - and 25 deg C is on the cold side for them - they can die quite quickly.
Apistogrammas live in the same tank region as rams; the males of some species are bright, and the females are yellow. Look at the cockatoo cichlid, Apistogramma cacatuoides
Apistogramma cacatuoides (Cockatoo Cichlid) — Seriously Fish
Ember tetras are small shoaling fish, bright orange when settled in, though washed out in shop tanks. A group of 10.
Hyphessobrycon amandae – Ember Tetra — Seriously Fish
I'll think of some more after I've cooked dinner
No to kissing gourami - they get too big for the tank. They need a tank at least 150 cm/5 feet long
Helostoma temminkii (Kissing Gourami) — Seriously Fish
Angels - maybe. Though they tend not to be very colourful. The tank is just about tall enough for them, but at 90 cm/36 inches it is probably a bit too short.
About the same size as ember tetras is the green Microdevario kubotai, common names neon green rasbora and even green tetra.
www.seriouslyfish.com
Neon and cardinal tetras, Paracheirodon innesi and P. axelrodi - blue and red.
Something to contrast with your decor - black neon tetras (which are not related to neon tetras)
www.seriouslyfish.com
Perhaps cherry barbs
www.seriouslyfish.com
Apart from apistogrammas, the fish I've mentioned are shoaling fish which need to be in a group of at least 6, with more being better.
Avoid serpae tetras and all the colour varieties of tiger barb. These two are among the nippiest fish around and their tank mates will have bits missing.
Microdevario kubotai (Microrasbora kubotai) — Seriously Fish
www.seriouslyfish.com
Neon and cardinal tetras, Paracheirodon innesi and P. axelrodi - blue and red.
Something to contrast with your decor - black neon tetras (which are not related to neon tetras)
Hyphessobrycon herbertaxelrodi – Black Neon Tetra — Seriously Fish
www.seriouslyfish.com
Perhaps cherry barbs
Puntius titteya – Cherry Barb (Barbus titteya, Capoeta titteya) — Seriously Fish
www.seriouslyfish.com
Apart from apistogrammas, the fish I've mentioned are shoaling fish which need to be in a group of at least 6, with more being better.
Avoid serpae tetras and all the colour varieties of tiger barb. These two are among the nippiest fish around and their tank mates will have bits missing.
Ok so I’m liking the ember tetra, the green ones & the cardinal tetras are nice. Cherry barbs I like as well. I really like the galaxy rasbora too. How many of each can I keep in my tank without overloading it.About the same size as ember tetras is the green Microdevario kubotai, common names neon green rasbora and even green tetra.
Microdevario kubotai (Microrasbora kubotai) — Seriously Fish
Neon and cardinal tetras, Paracheirodon innesi and P. axelrodi - blue and red.
Something to contrast with your decor - black neon tetras (which are not related to neon tetras)
Hyphessobrycon herbertaxelrodi – Black Neon Tetra — Seriously Fish
Perhaps cherry barbs
Puntius titteya – Cherry Barb (Barbus titteya, Capoeta titteya) — Seriously Fish
Apart from apistogrammas, the fish I've mentioned are shoaling fish which need to be in a group of at least 6, with more being better.
Avoid serpae tetras and all the colour varieties of tiger barb. These two are among the nippiest fish around and their tank mates will have bits missing.
With regards to the apistorammas am I best just sticking with a couple? What sex would be best x
Apistogrammas - I would get just a male and a female. If you manage to get to choose your own fish, look for a male and a female that stay close to each other. A male which hasn't accepted a female won't allow her to stay near him. Your photo shows a few cave type ornaments which these fish need. They are cave spawners, though it's unlikely any eggs would survive to hatch with other fish in the tank.
I prefer larger numbers of fewer species rather than the minimum number of lots of species. In a 180 litre tank with these small fish, you'd probably be OK with 15 of two species, or maybe 8 of 3 species.
I prefer larger numbers of fewer species rather than the minimum number of lots of species. In a 180 litre tank with these small fish, you'd probably be OK with 15 of two species, or maybe 8 of 3 species.
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