Cycle and readings

[sandersj89]

History

13 gallon imperial tank, 10 gallons of water once gravel, bog wood etc taken into account. Tank set up start of december, seeded with plants, gravel and bog wood taken from cold water set up. Under gravel filtration driven by 2 powerheads. Gravel depth between 2 and 3 inches. 2 Platys added after one week. Readings for Nitrite and ammonia have not exceeded 0.1mg/l. Small trace of nitrate, pH 7.5.

Present

Well things have moved on a little since my last post pre Christmas. Got home Christmas eve to find a bag floating in the tank with 4 zebra danios whizzing around. An early Christmas present from my wife as she was fed up with just the 2 Platy’s swimming around in the tank looking “lonely”!!!!! They seemed fine and healthy and I had no option but to release them into the tank once the temperature had equalised.

I tested for nitrite and ammonia before I let them free and both were 0.1mg/l. These readings have in fact been pretty much static for about 2 or 3 weeks now. I have a small trace of Nitrate, between 10 and 20mg/l and pH is 7.5.

Christmas day the readings were the same and have remained so since. I have changed my test kit. At first I was using an Interpet dry tab system, now I am using a liquid system from Hagen which I do prefer for ease of use.

The 4 new fish have added a new element to the tank with their rapid movement and their delight in swimming into the outlet flow of the power heads. Feeding times are now also a lot more manic with them rushing to grab the flakes. I am also now feeding once a week with blood worms that come in a small foil sachet.

As I have not seen any spikes in nitrite or ammonia since I started the tank at the start of December I assume I am still in the cycle, and the addition of 4 new fish may cause either a new cycle to start or a mini cycle. Post introduction of the danios the readings have remained the same. How long should this take to settle down?

When do you think I can add some more fish?

The only other thing I have had to do was to top off the tank with about 2 pints of treated water left to stand over night with an air stone running in it due to evaporation from the main tank.

The water is still perfectly clear, no cloudiness at all. There is some brown algae in evidence but only on the power head units themselves, the tank walls are fine as are the plants. The only other algae is a green tufty looking stuff on parts of the bog wood. The platy’s seem to peck at this a little but do not really eat it. I may invest in an algae eater of some sort later to help control this. Suggestions anyone?

Oh and I think the female platy is thinking about dropping some young, she has been getting rounder the last few days but is very happy and mobile.

Happy new year one and all.

Jerry

 

[cichlidmaster]

You make no mention of any water changes yet. If this is so, I would recommend a 10-15 % change at this time and continue to monitor your levels.

CM

 

[sandersj89]

Correct, no water changes as yet, just the topping up due to evaporation.

Thanks

Jerry

 

[wetwetwet]

Hi Jerry,

you should expect your nitrate readings to increase as these are the final product of the nitrogen cycle and removed only by water changes and also used by plants (some being better at it than others) upto 30mg/l is nothing really to worry about.

With using the gravel and decor from an existing tank I think you may well have allready finished your cycle very quickly.

What fish do you intend to keep? - When adding fish to a new set-up check for ammonia and nitrite and if theres any fluctuations then do a 25% water change.

Bristlenoses are supposed to be very good algae eaters and stay small.

My clean up crew consists of 8 ottocinclus and ten shrips along with 4 SAEs which seem to do a good job, and a gold nugget plec (but I don't know how good he is at eating algae as I rarely see him eating anything )

Regular maintenance, testing and weekly water changes is the best way to keep everything in top condition

btw happy new year

 

[sandersj89]

>>>>>>you should expect your nitrate readings to increase as these are the
final product of the nitrogen cycle and removed only by water changes and
also used by plants (some being better at it than others) up to 30mg/l is
nothing really to worry about.

It is funny as my tap water has a higher nitrate level than my tank. I can
only assume this is because the plants are using it all. The tank is very
heavily planted, around 18 plants in there all told of a fairly wide
variety.


>>>>>>>What fish do you intend to keep? - When adding fish to a new set-up
check for ammonia and nitrite and if there's any fluctuations then do a 25%
water change.

As I am fairly limited on room in the tank not sure as too how many more
fish I can add. Not much over 10 gallonsUK of water in there. It will be a
community tank and the choice of fish is some what dictated by my 5 year old
son. He loves the flashier coloured fish some sort of tetra and maybe
guppies. I think these will settle in with Platy's and danios. At first I
had my heart set on a clown loach but now know they need to be kept in
groups and will grow far too big for my set up.

Maybe a Dwarf gourami of some sort would be OK but not sure if the currents
in my tank are too strong for this species.

>>>>>>Bristlenoses are supposed to be very good algae eaters and stay small.

That sounds ideal, thanks.

Ultimately the plan is, (don't tell the wife though as she has no idea), to
relocate this tank to my sons bedroom for him to enjoy and learn about
caring for the fish. To be honest it is not a great tank as it is a double
hexagon so a pain to look after. It is also over 2 foot wide but due to
it's shape and the two connecting tubes the volume is vastly reduced
compared to the physical size of the tank. Then I will install a 3 foot tank
in it's place at some stage in the future.

Thanks

Jerry

 

[Great Lakes]

Sounds good so far. You will be ready for a larger tank before you know it!!!