Better Late Than Never

[eaglesaquarium]

Glad to help.

 

[Blue Guppy]

Just an update..

It's been 2 weeks with just having 2 guppies in the tank and have been doing 80-90% water changes everyday

Today before the water change I did a test and hopefully it's getting there...
The Ammonia test was that hard to see if there was any green I tested the tap water to check the colour and had to leave them for at least 10 mins to see a very slight colour diff..
Still not that sure if one was just slightly more darker yellow....

Ammonia = 0.05 ??
Nitrite = 0
Nitrate = 10 - 20
Ph = 7.6

So will continue maybe just 50% water changes and keep testing daily for any changes..

Hopefully I will be able to put another Guppy in before Xmas

 

[eaglesaquarium]

It's looking good! You are getting closer.

 

[Blue Guppy]

Well for the past couple of weeks I have been doing 70% water changes every 48 hrs , as it's been taking that long to see any sign of ammonia..

Today after waiting 72 hrs without changing the water I have for the first time seen 0 ammonia and at last a slight nitrite rise .25

Not that it's good but it means at long last the ammonia is being processed..
Just going to do a water change now.

Hopefully the nitrite cycle won't take as long..

 

[eaglesaquarium]

It probably won't, as the nitrite has been being partly processed all along, and the nitrite bacs prefer levels under the 0.25ppm threshold. Have you been keeping up on nitrate tests? It should be rising between water changes - as a sign that ammonia is being processed all the way through the cycle.

 

[Blue Guppy]

Have you been keeping up on nitrate tests? It should be rising between water changes - as a sign that ammonia is being processed all the way through the cycle.

I haven't been doing the nitrate tests but,,,

Just done a complete test a liitle after 24hrs since the last 50% water change and..

Ammonia = 0
Nitrite = 0
Nitrate = 40-80 So hard to see the difference between the 2
PH = 7.6

So the nitrate is up from last time I tested for it.

Will not change the water today but will test all again tomorrow morning,

Also I will start feeding every day, as at the moment I feel like I staving them as just giving them 2 - 3 flakes each every other day..

Thanks

 

[eaglesaquarium]

That is enough food for them, but getting that amount daily is also fine - they will just poop more.

Your nitrates being so high is a really good sign.

You can use a diluted tank/tap water mix and test that to get a better gauge of where the nitrate is. Take 1 mL tank water and 4 mL of tap water and test it that way. Whatever you get as a result, multiply by 5 to get the proper level for the tank. (Assuming your tap water has zero nitrates.)

 

[Blue Guppy]

I will do that test tomorrow, when I get back from collecting my new tank lol

I have just bought a Fluval Roma 90, as this is the biggest tank I could fit into this small flat.

What I intend to do is..

Get it all up and running and next week then remove half of the foam from the biord filter(if all cycled) add it to the new tank, then do a fishless cycle then move the Guppies over and slowly add some more.

This is an addictive,but rewarding hobby

Thanks again for the help....

No doubt I will need some more..

Well in fact was thinking of using an tetra Ex600 instead of the internal fluval one ???
More space in the tank, and better filtration..

 

[Blue Guppy]

Another day with good readings...

Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Did the Nitrate test as you said...

But didn't realy help as it's between 10 and 20... so I would say 75

Have now got the 90 Litre tank... Man it looks huge compared to the Biorb 30, also the external filter.

I will give it another week to make sure it reads 0 for ammonia and nitrite, then remove some of the foam and the substrate (biorb says this is where most bacteria live??)
As I have put more substrate in just so I can remove some.

I will then add this to the new tank filter and start a fishless cycle.

Hopefully this won't take too long.

Then I have to decide on what fish...
I do like guppies so will go for a few more of them.
Am I right in thinking that Bettas are a little aggressive, so not sutible to mix with male guppies ?


Thanks

 

[eaglesaquarium]

Bettas and male guppies are a bad mix. There are a few people who have done it successfully, but I think they just have the more docile individuals. You'd be really rolling the dice. The bettas generally are very intolerant of fish with long flowing fins as they appear to be more "betta-like". Also, you want to avoid fin nippers with bettas, as they are very slow swimming and can't really defend themselves against those types of fish - like tiger barbs.

 

[Blue Guppy]

Bettas and male guppies are a bad mix. There are a few people who have done it successfully, but I think they just have the more docile individuals. You'd be really rolling the dice. The bettas generally are very intolerant of fish with long flowing fins as they appear to be more "betta-like". Also, you want to avoid fin nippers with bettas, as they are very slow swimming and can't really defend themselves against those types of fish - like tiger barbs.

Thought so, thanks for confirming it.

I may well just stick with about 6 Guppies as the couple I do have are very active and enjoyable to watch.

Them after a good few months have past with no hicups I will add say 8 Cardinals.