A Good First Fish?

[Robot_Rooster]

I have tested my water and had:

PH 7.0 - 7.5
and i just tested the nitrates and it looks liek somewhere between 0.1 mg and 0.25 mg

on the packet it says continue adding filter start do i add it everyday?

 

[Robot_Rooster]

says on bottle every 2 days in 7 doses....so when i have 0 mg i can start to get fish?

 

[oakes]

Sorry i don't know what that product is.
If it is 'bacteria in a bottle' it will be of no benefit if your tank is already cycled, and it will not reduce nitrates. But also you do not need to get nitrates to zero.
Have you been testing for ammonia and nitrites?
I suggest you check the pinned topics in this subforum re setting up a tank and cycling, then let us know where you're at.

 

[OldMan47]

A mature tank is just that. When your cycle has finished, you have a new tank that it is safe to put some fish into. At that point many other biological processes that happen naturally in a tank are just getting started. As the tank is occupied over time, many of the other biological processes also reach an equilibrium in the tank and changes start to happen less rapidly. At 6 months, many sensitive fish will do fine that would die if exposed to a new tank. At a year almost any of the very sensitive fish can be kept with success. It takes time for the complete ecosystem in your tank to mature and become stable but in the first month you can remove the worst of the poisons, ammonia.
As others have said, once you have an established nitrogen cycle in your tank, adding more miscellaneous additives will do nothing to actually help your fish. It will line the pockets of the local fish store owner so I am sure they will continue to promote them.

 

[raptorrex]

A mature tank is just that. When your cycle has finished, you have a new tank that it is safe to put some fish into. At that point many other biological processes that happen naturally in a tank are just getting started. As the tank is occupied over time, many of the other biological processes also reach an equilibrium in the tank and changes start to happen less rapidly. At 6 months, many sensitive fish will do fine that would die if exposed to a new tank. At a year almost any of the very sensitive fish can be kept with success. It takes time for the complete ecosystem in your tank to mature and become stable but in the first month you can remove the worst of the poisons, ammonia.
As others have said, once you have an established nitrogen cycle in your tank, adding more miscellaneous additives will do nothing to actually help your fish. It will line the pockets of the local fish store owner so I am sure they will continue to promote them.

how perfectly described, nice post oldman47

 

[waterdrop]

Yes, I agree boboboy, nice write-up OM47. And I also agree that neons need mature tanks (6mo.+) and guppies are not in the least territorial, sheesh!

 

[hellohefalump]

Glowlight tetras are fairly hardy fish. They have a red stripe along their side and can colour up rather nicely.

Definately DON'T get neons. Even when you tank is mature, neons need soft, acidic water.

Otos are also very sensitive.

 

[Robot_Rooster]

in surprise my mum took me to a fish shop and i had a good talk with the guy and he seemed to have a lot of knowledge about fish, i asked what he would recommend and he showed me zebra danios ( which some of you said) and they looked a lot nicer than in the book, so by excitement i purchased 10 zebra danios and two pink tailed corydornas, they seem to be peaceful in the new tank