Just Starting Off

[dodolidot]

Hi everyone I just started up my aquarium with some Zebra Danios and wanted to know just about how long the aquarium becomes cycled I had them for 2 days in there and they seem to be in good shape still zooming about the whole tank.
Also I was planning on getting some other fish for it something cool such as the Dragon Goby I read up about them and I think I am ready to get one once my tank is ready,if anyone has any advice please tell.
Thank you

 

[aly_starh]

Welcome to the forum!

Fish-In cycling will take 4-6 weeks.
What size is the tank and have you got a Test-Kit?

 

[dodolidot]

I have a 20 gallon tank 4 danios and a couple of plants, and no test kit

 

[aly_starh]

Cool
Well, you will need a Liquid Test Kit. (API Master Test Kit) so you can keep an eye on how many time you should be doing water changes.

In the mean time, just do a 50% water change every 2 days. (Ideally every day)

 

[dodolidot]

Is it possible to not do water changes I got a filter on or is it unavoidable?

 

[aly_starh]

Is it possible to not do water changes I got a filter on or is it unavoidable?

Yes, once its 'cycled'. (Water changes should then be carried out once a week, youmight get a way with once every 2 weeks)


ATM, your filter is uncycled. If you dont do water changes now, your fish will get poisened by all the ammonia they are swimming in. Meaning they will die.

You will have to wait for a few weeks till the beneficial bacteria has produced.


as a side note: dont wash the filter media at all during cycling.
and even when you do eventually clean the filter, onl clean it lightly in old tank water. Not tap water, as it will kill the bacteria.



HTH

 

[dodolidot]

Ok so what levels of nitrate,nitrite, ammonia would be safe for most fish?

 

[aly_starh]

Ammonia- 0ppm
Nitrite- 0ppm
Nitrate- 40ppm (less than this)

 

[dodolidot]

OK thanks ill see what i can do about this petsmart gives free water tests so i think ill be going there sometime next week, also do you have any advice on caring for dragon/violet gobies I think theyre awesome

 

[aly_starh]

If Ammonia, Nitrite or nitrate, show higher, it means you need to carry out a water change.

Eg. If ammonia is 0.25ppm, do a 25% water change
if ammonia is 0.50ppm, do a 50% water change
(then test again, and levels should be acceptable in most cases)

if ammonia is more than this, the you will have to do 2 or more water changes on the same day, till levels are acceptable.

OK thanks ill see what i can do about this petsmart gives free water tests so i think ill be going there sometime next week, also do you have any advice on caring for dragon/violet gobies I think theyre awesome

Good!

nope, sorry. dont knnow anything about Dragon Gobies. Am i right in saying they are Oddballs? Try looking in that section of the forum something should come up.

Or have a look here;- click

 

[NinjaSmurf]

If I remember correctly dragon/violet gobies are actually brackish, they're just often sold as freshwater though.

 

[drobbyb]

Yeah, they are brackish and are specialist feeders. I don't know why petsmart sells them, they don't even take care of them properly.

To the OP: You should take some time and read the topics in the beginners resource center, and pay special attention to the nitrogen cycle and fish-in cycling.

All the information you will need to be successful is contained on that page.

 

[dodolidot]

I have understood most of the important things so im just waiting to see if there are any problems that would surface but it seems things are OK so gonna check the water condition next week.
And yes petsmart doesnt take good care of the gobies so I just felt like saving 1 of them at least since their quite expensive XP
But if i were to get a dragon goby would shrimp pellets work? I read somewhere else its fine and they are hardy and would easily adapt

 

[NinjaSmurf]

I would be surprised if shrimp pellets work, and they need brackish water. They don't adapt well, and are not hardy. They can choke on a piece of gravel, and from what I've seen (worked at a petsmart) are one of the easiest fish to kill. I've seen whole tanks of them starve to death. Drobbyb, you think petsmart selling them is bad, walmarts been carrying them for months And puffers :0

 

[dodolidot]

Really? I read somewhere when I was researching that they could adapt but needs time they just like to hide and it said that sinking food is best as theyre like filters well what do you think?