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Hello I'm currently cycling my tank (63 litres) and 2 1/2 weeks in. I'm adding ammonia every day at the moment to get it to 5ppm, with it being 0 the next day. My nitrites WERE high up till today but when I tested this a.m the ammonia was back down to 0 (as usual) the nitrites were down to...

Just measured it. Exactly 24" so hopefully it'll be okay for them. Thanks for your advice - will get 5 tetras and 4 pandas.

Okay, how's this sound for a 63 litre tank (PH 7.3/soft water) - 6 rummy-nose tetras 3 panda cories Is that okay on stocking? More/less of either? Was at the LFS yesterday and had a really good look at all the fish. Both the rummy-nose and the cories were just so INTERESTING and busy...

Phew, ta!! :)

I thought you were meant to get the ammonia to 5ppm then wait for the nitrites to go up (spike) and fall the ammonia to drop back down below 1. Once the ammonia was back at this low level add in another load of ammonia to 5ppm and repeat the process with the gaps between adding ammonia, seeing...

Aha! Thank you so much. I was getting my sponge filters muddled with my foam pads! :S Okay, got you. I'll change the carbon sponge once a month and clean the filters regularly (in tank water) but bin them after 6 months [but not bin both sponge and foam bits at the same time]. :nod:

Sorry, to explain. Its a fluval filter that came with my tank. Just a bog standard cylinder one that goes inside the tank, stuck on the side with suckers - its a "fluval 2 plus underwater filter". Here's what I have: http://www.theaquariumshop.co.uk/fluval-uno-600-o-20.html You open the...

I'm using a carbon filter sponge in my tank because I have partly rainwater in the make up of my tank water and understand carbon is best in this instance as it clears any possible organic nasties. A few questions about it: Can carbon filters be cleaned or do I need to change it to a brand new...

Yep, leave it and just test every day. The ammonia should fall off and nitrites rise. Once the ammonia goes back down to 0 top it up again to 5. Carry on repeating this process until you find you are adding in ammonia every day with it being 0 the next day. So long as this has happened and...

Have just done so after having a piece in soak for a while. Looks nice :) I have that, an artificial mangrove root thing and a real rock with a nice hole in it for them to swim through. Getting some plants Saturday. I do feel I am stuck between a rock and a hard place a little. My tap water...

The guttering is on a low extension - I'd know if something died in it. I would also test the butt water BEFORE adding it into the tank to pick up on ammonia should anything have died. However remember mine is a small tank. We are not talking gallons and gallons required just to do a water...

Okay, a few here might remember me bemoaning my appalling London tap water - PH8 and very hard. Well after advice on this board I decided to quit my fishless cycle, drain my 63l tank and start again using a mix of tap and rainwater from my waterbutt. I used a 60 rain/40 tap water mix (thanks...

I have a new tank - a Fluval - and in the blurb on the info sheet it said: For tropical fish remember 1cm of fish for every 2 litres. So, for my tank at 63litres thats about 30cm of fish. Which is 10 fish of 3cm (for small fish). I'm going for 4 glowlights and 4 purple emperor tetras and...

This information is super helpful Ian - thank you so much. I've decided to start again with my tank. Drain the lot and begin again using rainwater (my tap PH is 8, my waterbutt PH is 6.7). I'll do as you say with the ammonia. Means a week added to "when I can get fish" but never mind, its...

Woo, now I'm getting exciting about using rainwater and kissing my PH8 goodbye. Given I've just started my fishless cycle, I reckon I can start over again, drain out the water I've used and start again with what's in my waterbutt. The only problem is drought. ha ha, I know its been not very...

Mmm, maybe I should get myself to homebase. I wanted to be all organic but if its going to cause me hassles using flake then I can change tack. I'm using flake as it was suggested to me by someone. Oh well. How do you know how much ammonia to use. A teaspoon full a day, something like that...

Hello :) I looked into this too and yes you can, but beware as there can be problems with it. Firstily airborne contaminants in the rainwater - acid rain. Apparently you can avoid these by only collecting water in heavy rain about 30 minutes in once the air has been 'cleaned' by the rain...

Welcome to my world. My PH is 8 too. Its been a bit of a blow given I had grand ideas about the type of fish I wanted and now find I'm a bit limited. My tank that I'm setting up is only small, so was aiming at tetras and barbs. Most tetras don't like a high PH but SOME are tolerant of it...

Me again :blush: I'm cycling my (63l mini!) tank at the mo. Only 4 days in mind. Anyway, putting in a pinch of fishflakes every day and hiked the heater up to 81 to kickstart the production of bacteria/ammonia Wasn't expecting any readings yet really (I'm guessing using fish flakes takes a...

Simply, is this a very very bad idea? http://www.tropicalfish4u.co.uk/ or not?

Okay, London seems to have the most unfishfriendly water I've come across as its hard and my PH is up to 8. I'm setting up my new 63 litre tank and its on its fishless cycle. Its a small tank and I think a couple shoals of small tetras would look beautiful and would be interesting. Can they...

Hmmm, I'm thinking it will be fairer on the fish if I don't get a cory then as my PH won't be nice for them. Would be like asking me to sit in a room full of smoke continuously. Yep, I could adapt but I wouldn't like it. What a shame. They look wonderful!. My PH is a real bind. Back to the...

Thanks all for your very helpful replies. Nothing like experience :) Anyway, I'm a bit unsure about the cories mainly because cory people on their forum here say my water is a bit high on the PH side for them to thrive. Possibly pygmy cories will be okay. Anyway, going to go for: 6 glowlight...

Excellent - thanks!

The man in my LFS said there's no need to plant real plants in a new tank until you add the first batch of fish. Is this true? Does it matter? Does adding real plants effect to any major degree the chemical balance of the water? My 63l tank is at the start of a fishless cycle and I've a few...

Hallo everyone I'm in the process of doing a fishless cycle on my first ever tank (63l) and thinking about what fish I would like. I love the look of Cory's. They have bags of personality I think. :nod: But my dilemma is, which one? My tank is 60cm x 30cm x 35cm. My PH is 8 and my water...

Yeh, as I thought. Sounded ALOT of fish! The tank is 60cm by 30cm by 35cm so not massive. I just want to get little shoaling fish really. The Siamese Fighter because my 5 year old liked the look of them but advice taken. Having been reading more they look great but aren't right for my tank...

Okay, I have my first tank cycling in my living room. It not big (60cm tank @ 63litres) as I'm a beginner and wanted to run before I could walk! Anyway, I've been thinking about fish (funnily enough!). My PH here is 8 and the water is medium hard. I've used an online "fish stocking"...

Hello there - I'm just intoducing myself to you all as a newbie here and a newbie to fishkeeping! Have a 60l tank which I've recently started to cycle (fishless). Its a crash course in chemistry for me... my amonia is kicking in today so I must be doing something right though. :) Jo