Cycling Tank With Mature Gravel

[bitsnbobs]

I am currently setting up my new tank...I have a 20 gallon tank plus a Fluval Edge which was just too small at the end of the day, and the fish were just not happy in it, so I'm letting the Edge go - nice idea though and the tanks do look nice set up, pity they are not bigger. The Edge had been running for months and was mature so I put all the gravel/ornaments in for the bacteria. There is a new Interpet PF2 filter running in the new tank, and its been running for around 2 weeks during which time I added a flake or two of food each day to feed the bacteria. All the readings were fine, so I added a couple of White Cloud Mountain Minnows 3 days ago to get things going - they are doing well and appear to be healthy.

I am planning on adding another couple of Mountain Minnows in a few days - if these do as well as the two that are in there already can I start to add the fish I want slowly?? I made a lot of mistakes with my large tank (my first for many years) and I don't want to do the same with this one.....also this new tank is a Via Aqua 418W, a cube shape - 57 litres. Will this be a suitable tank for Black Skirt Tetras as this is the species I am planning on putting in? I have heard they need a 24 inch long tank....if so, I will have to move my Dwarf Gouramis to the new tank and put the Black Skirts in my bigger tank.

Any advice much appreciated!!

 

[KittyKat]

Flakes don't produce enough ammonia for a cycle, especially as they take some time to decompose. The best way to seed a new tank is by using the sponges from an established filter in the new filter. Decor which has been in an established aquarium for a few months will have only a tiny amount of bacteria on it.. not really enough to seriously seed, but enough to encourage slightly quicker bacterial growth in a new tank.

Black skirt tetras really do need swimming space, especially as they are one of the larger aquarium tetra species. Unfortunately they are often kept in aquariums which are just too small so rarely reach their full potential in size and age.

 

[bitsnbobs]

Hi Kat and many thanks for the reply.....I am about to put one of the sponges from my Fluval U2 into the Interpet PF2. How long should I give the tank to cycle after doing this? do I just keep checking the stats and do water changes? Even if I move my Gouramis I need to know the tank is cycled enough to put them in.

The Mountain Minnows are doing really well in the new tank, infact they are getting a bit "fruity" with each other, so it must be ok in there...... I know they are hardy little fish and I quite like them so thought I would add a couple to help the cycle....and am planning on adding another 3 before anything else.

thanks Kat - Julie

 

[Curiosity101]

Hi Kat and many thanks for the reply.....I am about to put one of the sponges from my Fluval U2 into the Interpet PF2. How long should I give the tank to cycle after doing this? do I just keep checking the stats and do water changes? Even if I move my Gouramis I need to know the tank is cycled enough to put them in.

The Mountain Minnows are doing really well in the new tank, infact they are getting a bit "fruity" with each other, so it must be ok in there...... I know they are hardy little fish and I quite like them so thought I would add a couple to help the cycle....and am planning on adding another 3 before anything else.

thanks Kat - Julie

Do you have a test kit? If so just test the water and see if there is a reading for ammonia and/or nitrites. If there isn't then clearly you have enough bacteria for the two minnows so you should be fine adding the extra 2 minnows.

However personally I wouldn't have minnows in less than a 2ft tank as they're pretty active (and very closely related to danios so it's not surprising). Black skirts on the other hand I wouldn't have any issues with in your tank. They're not sedentary by any means but you can often tell just by the shape of the fish how active it will be. Black skirts are tall and disk shaped, as such they're in the mid range with regards to activity. Normally just 'wandering' round the tank rather than just zipping from end to end.

I also wouldn't ever try a pair of dwarf gouramis in less than a 20gal tank (and even then I'd be hesitant), males are often extremely territorial... even towards females outside of breeding. Hence needing a relatively large tank to give males a chance to set up a territory and females a chance to escape harrassment. So unless you only moved one, I'd leave them where they are for now if it's working.

 

[bitsnbobs]

Again thanks for the advice! When I bought the Dwarf Gouramis the guy tried to sell me two males, and I said no thanks! I'd read up on them before hand and I knew they were territorial. I have 1 male and 2 females in my big tank and they are doing really well, therefore don't want to move them really..so will leave them where they are. When the new tank is stable I will put the Mountain Minnows in with the Gouramis -and they will have more room I only have the 3 Gouramis plus 2 Peppered corys and a Panda Cory, so theres heaps of room for them to dash about, which they are doing in the new tank - from top to bottom, playing in the water flow and having a great time.

I have a master test kit so will check the stats and if all is well will add the other two Minnows.
Appreciated...

Julie

 

[bitsnbobs]

Update.....other 2 Minnows are in the tank, stats fine and all is well. I will leave it until late next week and then add a couple of Panda Corys. Many thanks for the advice, I might just get this tank set up properly without losing any fish...... !!

 

[KittyKat]

Hi Kat and many thanks for the reply.....I am about to put one of the sponges from my Fluval U2 into the Interpet PF2. How long should I give the tank to cycle after doing this? do I just keep checking the stats and do water changes? Even if I move my Gouramis I need to know the tank is cycled enough to put them in.

*Some* fish would be able to go in immediately (otherwise you would need to add ammonia to keep the bacteria ticking over). For the filter to become fully seeded, it would still take 4-6 weeks, but the first stocking can be low to medium and you might then be able to get away without special water changes (so only usual weekly maintenance).

However personally I wouldn't have minnows in less than a 2ft tank as they're pretty active (and very closely related to danios so it's not surprising).

Agreed.

I also wouldn't ever try a pair of dwarf gouramis in less than a 20gal tank (and even then I'd be hesitant), males are often extremely territorial... even towards females outside of breeding. Hence needing a relatively large tank to give males a chance to set up a territory and females a chance to escape harrassment. So unless you only moved one, I'd leave them where they are for now if it's working.

And agreed.

[...] 2 Peppered corys and a Panda Cory, so theres heaps of room for them to dash about, which they are doing in the new tank - from top to bottom, playing in the water flow and having a great time.

Corys really benefit from being in a school, you should consider adding more of the same species you have if there is room.

I will leave it until late next week and then add a couple of Panda Corys.

I don't want you to lose any fish either.. so just a last warning from me that Corys usually do best when added to a well mature set up, in schools and with a lot more space (except dwarf Corys, 6-8 of whom would fit quite well into a tank that size)

 

[bitsnbobs]

Hi and thanks for the advice.....I have tried and tried to get more Panda Cory's (did have two but lost one in the Fluval Edge, its got to go) but can't seem to get any, keep ordering them and none arrive. The one I have is fine though,I love these little fish! hes just dashing around the tank doing his job....I will add another Peppered Cory to the big tank also, then there will be 3 in there so they will be happier.

I know there are some Dwarf Cory's at my local Garden Centre (who quarantine the fish for 10 days before they will sell them which has to be good) so I will put some in my new tank in time, and thanks for the advice on the tank and the 4 week mark, I will add a very few fish very slowly, although I don't want to put Black Skirts in there unless there are at least 5 or they will get stressed and ill....so maybe I should wait for a month and leave the Minnows in there for now? they seem fine in the tank, they just dash up and down it instead of along it as its a high sided cube with a very good water flow from the PF2. Or would it be ok to add 5 Black Skirts in a couple of weeks if everything is testing ok?

Sorry to pick your brains....!! lol.... Julie