I Have A New Tank!

[PinkyPerky]

Got my Fluval 600 (63 litres) on Tuesday and set it up yesterday. Followed all the instructions in the accompanying booklet, added 2 cap lid fulls of Nutrafin Cycle and Nutrafin Aqua Plus, only thing I haven't done yet is added some fish flakes. Going tomorrow to get a testing kit and will probably add some food tomorrow.

I'm getting confused about cycling though, everything I read seems to say something different. According to the Fluval booklet, I only need to add the Cycle and Aqua Plus when I first set up the tank (yesterday) and when I get new fish or do a water change. So, does this mean that I don't do anything now until after 14 days when I got to get my first fish? - dependent on the water test results, of course.

Was thinking of getting some guppies as my first fish, then after a couple of weeks some cardinal tetras followed by a loach of some sort. Does this sound OK?

 

[rfisher]

Hi I recently bought a 27.5 UK G FLuval tank and with regards to the Cycl and Aqua Plus treatments I thought the bottle said that you put in 2 capfuls per 7.5 Gallons of water. Can anyone confirm this?

!! Sorry I dont mean to worry you, but possibly one of us has made a mistake somewhere !!

 

[PinkyPerky]

Hi I recently bought a 27.5 UK G FLuval tank and with regards to the Cycl and Aqua Plus treatments I thought the bottle said that you put in 2 capfuls per 7.5 Gallons of water. Can anyone confirm this?

!! Sorry I dont mean to worry you, but possibly one of us has made a mistake somewhere !!

The bottle said 2 caps per 70 litres, my tank is 63 litres. I've just re-read it and yes, you're right, there's a seperate bit that's about new tank set ups, so I've just added another 2 caps. Thanks

Anyway, have now added 3 flakes of food and today went and bought a testing kit, results are:

pH = 6.8
KH = 0
GH = 3
NO2 = 0
NO3 = 0

It says that the ideal pH should be between 6.5 and 8.5, so I think I'm OK. It says KH should be between 3 and 10, and GH should be between 6 and 16. As my KH and GH are too low, it says to add calcium carbonate, dolomite stone or marble chips. As calcium carbonate is chalk, can I just grind down some chalk dust and add that?

 

[KyleJ]

I got the same tank mate, mines just cycled now, took 4-5 weeks mind, put 2 fish in after a week to help cycle it.

People will say the fishless cycle is best which I agree but didnt relise untill I put fish in, anyway look the fishless cycle up and if u pefer to put fish in, dont rush anything as you may loose some fish on the way.

 

[PinkyPerky]

I got the same tank mate, mines just cycled now, took 4-5 weeks mind, put 2 fish in after a week to help cycle it.

People will say the fishless cycle is best which I agree but didnt relise untill I put fish in, anyway look the fishless cycle up and if u pefer to put fish in, dont rush anything as you may loose some fish on the way.

Thanks Kyle. How do you know when it's cycled? is it when all the test readings are correct? The guy in the aquatic shop told us 14 days, the guy in Pets at Home said 14 days, but the leaflet he gave me said 7 days and everything else I look at says 14 days. Why did your's take so long?

I'm really worried about doing something wrong, I don't want to wait 2 weeks and then do something wrong and have to start the whole process again. Starting to think maybe I should've got a rabbit

 

[KyleJ]

I got the same tank mate, mines just cycled now, took 4-5 weeks mind, put 2 fish in after a week to help cycle it.

People will say the fishless cycle is best which I agree but didnt relise untill I put fish in, anyway look the fishless cycle up and if u pefer to put fish in, dont rush anything as you may loose some fish on the way.

Thanks Kyle. How do you know when it's cycled? is it when all the test readings are correct? The guy in the aquatic shop told us 14 days, the guy in Pets at Home said 14 days, but the leaflet he gave me said 7 days and everything else I look at says 14 days. Why did your's take so long?

I'm really worried about doing something wrong, I don't want to wait 2 weeks and then do something wrong and have to start the whole process again. Starting to think maybe I should've got a rabbit

Well after a week or so theres bacteria in the water to break down Ammonia which is Nitrite I believe, dont quote me tho.....then you can put fish in although its not nice on the fish and there could die. The fishes waste is ammonia, the nitite will remain high for around 3-4weeks too high for the fish to live happily or even at all, then Nitrate i believe breaks down nitrite to a stable level which is when you add more fish and they should be fine. You'll always have nitrate which is removed buy water changes but i believe that controls the ammonia and nitite levels so the fish will live happy.

Hope that makes sense and is correct of course, like a say read up on wishless cycle, you add the ammonia yourself as if fish were living there and once the levels are stable add fish and there a lot better for it.

good luck anyway and try not to loose any fish, iv lost some and had to start again, its not nice at all!

 

[Ayanna]

hi, i was told to wait three weeks before putting fish into the tank.
after three weeks i put in some danios which are really hardy fish.
make sure you go to a proper fish shop as they will have more idea about it then a pet store etc.
i think you should wait more than 14 days to put fish in but it is up to you if the tests are all coming out ok and if you get some hard fish to start of i think you will be ok.

 

[PinkyPerky]

Thanks.

I'm a bit confussed about adding ammonia during the cycle. The Fluval booklet said to add a few flakes of food to add the good bacteria. I've also been reading other people's water test results and see that during cycles they have nitrites above zero - should I be waiting til I've got a higher reading and followed by a zero again?

I keep reading fishless cycle info and getting more confussed - should've chosen one book and stuck to it

My husband had a tropical tank when he was younger, but after reading all the books etc I give shoving at him, he says "I don't know, it's all changed since I had my fish tank, all I did was add some Blackwater conditioner, there was none of this cycling and water testing when I did it"

 

[KyleJ]

I was the same as you, you should get a water testing kit to check levels of bacteria, the test tell you what level it should be at and how to get it down. My Nitrite was way too high for around 3-4 weeks nly recently it got to zero and ammonia is at zero. Im not sure about the flakes, it could work, good luck anyway

 

[Ayanna]

Thanks.

I'm a bit confussed about adding ammonia during the cycle. The Fluval booklet said to add a few flakes of food to add the good bacteria. I've also been reading other people's water test results and see that during cycles they have nitrites above zero - should I be waiting til I've got a higher reading and followed by a zero again?

I keep reading fishless cycle info and getting more confussed - should've chosen one book and stuck to it

My husband had a tropical tank when he was younger, but after reading all the books etc I give shoving at him, he says "I don't know, it's all changed since I had my fish tank, all I did was add some Blackwater conditioner, there was none of this cycling and water testing when I did it"

all i did when i set up mine was add a few fish flakes each day untill all the readings where ok and
that was it

 

[PinkyPerky]

I was the same as you, you should get a water testing kit to check levels of bacteria, the test tell you what level it should be at and how to get it down. My Nitrite was way too high for around 3-4 weeks nly recently it got to zero and ammonia is at zero. Im not sure about the flakes, it could work, good luck anyway

I tested the water today, the results were:

pH = 6.8
KH = 0
GH = 3
NO2 = 0
NO3 = 0

I used the Tetra strip, which I've now read aren't that accurate, so will go back to shop tomorrow and get a full kit. Once I've altered my KH and GH which are too low, if the nitrite and nitrate stay at zero and the ammonia is zero, can I put a few fish in?

 

[diademhill]

Ok - rather than give another link to fishless cycling & cause more confusion I'll try & simplify things.

Fish produce wastes = ammonia, this is toxic. Bacteria break down this waste into nitrite - also toxic.
Another set of bacteria break down the nitrite into nitrates whhich are much less toxic.


During cycling you add food for the bacteria so the colonies can grow - you can used pure ammonia, fish food, frozen prawns and you add this throughout the cycle.
Monitor the ammonia while it peaks & drops to zero, then the nitrites while peaking & dropping to zero.
Once both have peaked and are back at zero you do a 95% water change using dechlorinated water & the tank is ready for the first fish.
This typically takes three to four weeks and during this time you don't have livestock or do any water changes.

If you try & cycle with fish you need to do water changes up to daily and you don't add any extra food.

The off the shelf bacteria are a waste of money.
Easiest way to up kH slightly is to put a piece of cuttlefish "bone" in the filter or in the tank.

Blackboard chalk is actually gypsum = talcum powder.

 

[PinkyPerky]

Ok - rather than give another link to fishless cycling & cause more confusion I'll try & simplify things.

Fish produce wastes = ammonia, this is toxic. Bacteria break down this waste into nitrite - also toxic.
Another set of bacteria break down the nitrite into nitrates whhich are much less toxic.


During cycling you add food for the bacteria so the colonies can grow - you can used pure ammonia, fish food, frozen prawns and you add this throughout the cycle.
Monitor the ammonia while it peaks & drops to zero, then the nitrites while peaking & dropping to zero.
Once both have peaked and are back at zero you do a 95% water change using dechlorinated water & the tank is ready for the first fish.
This typically takes three to four weeks and during this time you don't have livestock or do any water changes.

If you try & cycle with fish you need to do water changes up to daily and you don't add any extra food.

The off the shelf bacteria are a waste of money.
Easiest way to up kH slightly is to put a piece of cuttlefish "bone" in the filter or in the tank.

Blackboard chalk is actually gypsum = talcum powder.

Thank you. You've definately simplified it for me.

 

[PinkyPerky]

Put some flakes of food in last night and a couple of frozen prawns. Today the nitrite reading was 10, so looks like things are moving in the right direction

 

[sylvia]

Just a little note - don't try to change your gh kh or ph - fish will do fine in your water as it is as long as you acclimatise them slowly or the LFS has similar parameters. Fluctuations in these values are far more dangerous than values which aren't quite 'right' according to the booklet Oh and you need an ammonia test as well or you won't know if ammonia's dropped completely...