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Hi,I am currently cycling my tank (165 litres) so have spent some time trying to come up with what to put in it! I want a nice friendly community tank so here are my thoughts- 6-Black ruby barbs 6-Black widow tetras 6-Panda corys 4-6 Platys (not sure which would be best) I would also like maybe...

Yes thats the one,worth the extra few quid! Just make sure you get the one you need ie freshwater or saltwater.

Have you been re-dosing every day despite the ammonia reading or just when its dropped near to zero?

Hi mate,If you can afford an extra couple of pound get the API master water test kit.They are suppose to be the best.

PM sent. Cheers. :thanks:

Thankyou very much,its really appreciated.Its hard enough being a newbie in the hobby and trying to do things right,finding out that youre testing your water with the wrong cards in the right kit just makes it a whole lot harder.!! How do I go about getting you my address?

Great!!! I dont even have the right cards in my freshwater kit! I dont suppose anybody has spare cards they could send me do they? I need a freshwater high pH card and a freshwater nitrate card! I thought these were suppose to be good kits!!

Hi I do have the freshwater kit! I have four cards in total,a pH freshwater colour card,freshwater ammonia card,fresh and saltwater nitrite card and a saltwater nitrate card!! Is that right? This is what the kit came with.

Todays test results updated!! Im confused,can somebody explain to me what my results mean,do I need to top up my ammonia again?. Can I just check that on my API test kit the Nitrate colour card says saltwater,is that right? Also should there be a seperate colour card to measure high pH?

Can anybody help me please??

I have removed the carbon cartridges from the filter system,and have bought some more black sponge and also some fluval pre-filter. I am a little confused on where to put this pre-filter stuff? Sorry if that sounds a stupid question! Would i be ok putting the new sponge on top (ie first thing...

Has anybody any thoughts on the above before I rush out in the morning to get what I need?

Feel a trip to the LFS is on the cards for tomorrow then!! Replace the cartridges I think with some foam or ceramics. They are the carbon cartridges with the white wool stuff on the top.Are these still ok to remove? One more question,working from the top where the water enters the filter...

I did ask that question on another thread and was told there was no problem leaving the carbon cartridges in.Can somebody please clarify so I can remove them and replace them early on before anything starts to happen. Will do a tap pH test a bit later and update.

Tank Is An Aquaone ar850-165 litres,36 uk Gallons. Filter system built into hood containing- top-black sponge,fluval prefilter,more sponge and finally ceramic noodles Temperature set to 84 degrees. Tank cleaned and filled with dechlorinated water,ammonia topped up to (as far as i could tell)...

Never thought of the syringe!Think I`ll have to purchase one for the next time I top up. Does anybody else find it difficult to tell the colours apart? Also I see some people say they have readings of 5ppm of ammonia,how do they know as on the API kit ive got it goes from 4 to 8ppm!

Thanks for the reply.I was going to just measure 7ml out in the way you suggested using the api test tube,however as everybody seems to use some kind of pipette I thought I would do the same!! I have had a search online and it seems to be that on average 5ml would be around 100 drops from a...

Just how many drops is it going to take to get to 4ppm? I calculated that i needed 7ml of ammonia using the calculator on the forum. Has anybody how many drops 7ml would equate to?

Right guys,I have rehoused the goldfish emptied the tank,cleaned,refilled with dechlorinated water and have had it running now for 24hrs. Set temperature at 84 and have just added my first dose of ammonia!! Will test the level shortly and keep going until I get to the 4ppm!! Have I missed anything?

Thanks for that. Can anyone confirm this is the case for a larger tank? Can anybody clarify the situation with the carbon cartridges in my filter system?

Thanks again for the advice. I have now emptied the tank,refilled and added the chlorine remover.How long do I need to wait before adding the ammonia? Also if I test and the ammonia is not at the required 4ppm and I need to add more ammonia how long should I wait after topping up with ammonia...

Thanks very much for the advice,maybe I will start a thread as you suggest. One more thing,I have an Aqua one ar850 tank which contains carbon cartridges in the filter tray.Im sure I have read that these are no good and are not required,if this is the case what would you suggest I replace them...

Thankyou very much for taking the time to explain.Yes I am in the UK so its off for a trip to boots!! Am in right in thinking no water changes at all at this point either? Best temperature to set water at? I have already bought myself the API test kit.

Thanks folks,Just did the calculation for my 165 litre tank i reckon I need to add 7ml to start with.Am I right in thinking I only add the ammonia until i get to 4ppm and then add none until it gets down to zero? Then top back up to 4ppm again? Just got to find somwhere that sells the stuuff...

Hi Im just about to start my fishless cycle! I am aware after reading this thread that I need to dose to 4ppm of ammonia to start with,but If you dont mind,how much ammonia does this equate to? How much do I put in and how? Sorry to hijack your thread a little.

Hi again, I am going to carry out a 50litre water changein an attempt to bring down the ammonia,am I right in thinking i need to turn the pump etc off whilst doing this? Also if i use two 10litre buckets (one for out,one for in)should I treat every 10 litre bucket with chlorine remover...

any thoughts please folks? Should i be removing the carbon pads? Am I right in thinking they would stop the effect of a dechlorinator during water changes??

Hi,thanks for the replies guys.Your help is really appreciated. I have bought myself the API test kit today and have just done my first couple of tests! PH 7.2 Ammonia 0.25ppm at my best guess So is a water change the only way to bring down the ammonia level? If so what percentage of water...

One more thing,has anybody any experience of the Ar850 tank? It has the two carbon cartridges within the filter system,but I have read that these are not really needed,if this is the case what is the best thing to replace them with?

So I would be best to wait until the goldfish goes to the giant tank in the sky or I give it a seperate home? How can I start to cycle the filters in the tank with the goldfish still present? Is that possible? I dont believe my filters or water is very good at the moment as its a completely new...

Thanks for the reply.The problem I have is that I want to keep tropical fish which is why i bought the bigger tank and heater etc,if I now buy more coldwater fish I will never get to the point where the tank is suitable for tropical fish,if you know what I mean? That is exactly what I had read...

Hi Just signed up to the forum as it seems full of helpful advice,which I need a lot of!! I have just bought an Aqua one Ar850 tank which Is 165 litres.The problem I have is that I want to begin keeping tropical fish in this tank,but at the moment it is home to a rather large goldfish 8" or...