This is my first foray back into fish keeping after a 35 yr break. I was inspired by a YT video of a gent who did one similar, but smaller. I found the biggest cylinder vase I could, 24" x 10", and set to work. I won't rehash the headaches of starting a new aquarium from scratch but I am definitely pleased with the results. Two weeks in and everything is humming along nicely.
I started with some salvinia for the surface, dwarf sag up front and elodea for the back. I went the perhaps outdated, and sometimes hated, fish in cycle route with 26 neons, a blue mystery snail and sterbai cory. I used Tetra Safe Start+ to jump start things and it seems to be working.
I have the hygger 999 full spectrum led light on top and a marineland 160 canister filter. Yes, let me explain that. 160gph divided by 8 gallons is 20 times per hr, but my flow is cut in half by my inline heater and the 6' lift to the top of my tank. That flow is further reduced by a ball valve to lower the flow to 40gph, so 5 times per hour, perfect IMO and my fish and plants agree. As a bonus, the canister and long hoses add about 1.5 gallons (that's 20%) capacity.
Everything is growing like mad! I love it. With careful feeding my small neons are catching up to their bigger brothers. Mr. Bluey had grown 20% and the plants, they've double in volume in two weeks! I'm trimming and planting every couple of days. The salvinia grows so fast I have to toss some each week to keep them from blocking all the light. I am dosing Flourish products including tabs, so that helps.
I'd appreciate some input from you all on my cycle progress. On days 3-4 I saw .25 and .50 ammonia with 0 nitrites and 5 nitrates. A 20% water changed dropped them all to 0, 0, 0. Days 5 saw .25 ammonia, 2.5 nitrites (first and only time) with nitrates back to 5. Day 6 saw 0 ammonia, 0 nitrites and the now common 5 nitrates. Days 6-15 show 0 ammonia, 0 nitrites and 5 nitrates. Would you call that cycled? I expect, or expected, more nitrates at some point but maybe the plants keep them down that low?
Anyhow thanks for reading! I welcome any comments or questions.
I started with some salvinia for the surface, dwarf sag up front and elodea for the back. I went the perhaps outdated, and sometimes hated, fish in cycle route with 26 neons, a blue mystery snail and sterbai cory. I used Tetra Safe Start+ to jump start things and it seems to be working.
I have the hygger 999 full spectrum led light on top and a marineland 160 canister filter. Yes, let me explain that. 160gph divided by 8 gallons is 20 times per hr, but my flow is cut in half by my inline heater and the 6' lift to the top of my tank. That flow is further reduced by a ball valve to lower the flow to 40gph, so 5 times per hour, perfect IMO and my fish and plants agree. As a bonus, the canister and long hoses add about 1.5 gallons (that's 20%) capacity.
Everything is growing like mad! I love it. With careful feeding my small neons are catching up to their bigger brothers. Mr. Bluey had grown 20% and the plants, they've double in volume in two weeks! I'm trimming and planting every couple of days. The salvinia grows so fast I have to toss some each week to keep them from blocking all the light. I am dosing Flourish products including tabs, so that helps.
I'd appreciate some input from you all on my cycle progress. On days 3-4 I saw .25 and .50 ammonia with 0 nitrites and 5 nitrates. A 20% water changed dropped them all to 0, 0, 0. Days 5 saw .25 ammonia, 2.5 nitrites (first and only time) with nitrates back to 5. Day 6 saw 0 ammonia, 0 nitrites and the now common 5 nitrates. Days 6-15 show 0 ammonia, 0 nitrites and 5 nitrates. Would you call that cycled? I expect, or expected, more nitrates at some point but maybe the plants keep them down that low?
Anyhow thanks for reading! I welcome any comments or questions.
