hi first post here

[camshaft]

hello.
i bought a 55 gallon last weekend. this is my first aquarium. i did a little reading up before i bought it but not enough apparently.

so anyways i set everything up and let the tank run for 2 days, then i added 6 neons. they seemed to be doing great so 2 days later i added 2 young bala sharks. they seem to all be doing great but will everything be ok without cycling? im going to get an ammonia test kit tommorow and check it out. i have the temp set at 79 btw.

thanks.

 

[bigmick474]

neons are fragile fish.
check your levels daily, maybe more than once, and if the read high, ammonia or nitrIte above 0, do a large water change.
Good Luck

 

[Torrean]

http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showforum=58

pay special attention to the one about avoiding and treating new tank syndrome

 

[bluefire]

i wouldn't add any more fish for 2-3 weeks now, just keep an eye on the ones you have and once you have the test kits make sure you test heaps, maybe once every day or two. If they are doing fine add no more than 6 fish after two weeks, and keep doing that until your tank is fully stocked.

 

[gadazobe]

they seem to all be doing great but will everything be ok without cycling

A mature tank must cycle - there is no such thing as a mature tank that hasn't cycled. Neons are not the best fish to have during a cycle as they are quite delicate and need a stable environment, but you may be lucky with yours. Keep an eye on the water parameters and change the water when the levels of ammonia and later on nitrite get higher. It may take a couple of days before you see any level of ammonia because your fish are small and the tank is quite big. Keep to bluefire's advice and don't add any new fish now, and when you do, add slowly.

 

[OohFeeshy]

I'd take the balas back ASAP, they need to be in groups of 6+ and get to about 12''. If your cycling with fish, I'd use danios.

 

[FalconStorm]

A 55 gallon should be okay for bala sharks, and they should be happy if there are at least three. They certainly prefer higher numbers, but I don't think this is a case where they should be taken back to the lfs. Just my opinion, though.

 

[camshaft]

ok thanks for the advice. i wont add any more fish for at least 2 weeks. ill see how things go.

 

[cheekeyarab]

Best of luck with the neons, I'll be interested in how you get on. I will be waiting the full 6 months before getting mine because I'm the type of person that the saying "if it wasn't for bad luck I'd have no luck at all" was invented for!!

 

[camshaft]

hi folks.
here is an update to my situation. i got an ammonia test kit and tested the water. it tested "safe" but there was a lower test reading which was "ideal." the tank has been running for a week today so im going to do a 10% water change, wait a day, and test it again.

i saw at the store that they sell a product that gets ammonia out fo the tank. is that stuff any good? should i keep testing it every few days and changing water untill i get an "ideal" reading?

the fish all seem to be doing fine by the way. the balas swim around frantically at times but other times they just chill. the neons are doing great.

thanks!

 

[OohFeeshy]

No, don'y buy anything like that. All the chemicals you need are test kits and meds. And dechlor. Most other stuff is a waste of money that does more harm than good. Just carry on with the cycle for now.

 

[GSD]

i used
bactozym
and it really helped alot and speeded up cycling.it dosent FINISH the cycle just speeds it up


http/www.tetra-fish.co.uk/tetratropical/...p?productID=196

it says you can add the first fish after 24 hours but i wouldnt advise it

 

[OohFeeshy]

Really? I found it a load of rubbish. I put some in my tank and it still took 3 weeks to cycle. Its just a powder, how can it help?