Liverbird's New Fishless Cycle

[Liverbird36]

Hooray !!!!!!! seems like i'm finaly getting somewhere !!!!!! AGAIN !!!!! Nitrites this morning are at 0.25pmm.

 

[Liverbird36]

Went to my LFS today to check out what to stock and fell in love with the Rams. Didn't know there were so many different types of Tetra !! I really loved the X-Ray and Glowlight Tetra's. Funny how you have in your mind an idea of what you don't really want and then when you see them in all their scaly glory they have a completely different effect on you. Gonna try and do a stock list later.....just hoping the Nitrites stay down now; looking like it could well have been the filter flow after all that messed things up a bit. Oh well, on the right track now.

 

[Liverbird36]

Well, have been sat here compiling my stock list (for when I get back down to double 0's) The tank will have been up and running for almost 3mths when I finally get the fish in it and can't wait !! After my visit to my LFS today I fell in love with the Tetras. Have to admit I was looking at maybe Gourami's or Rams but couldn't take my eyes off the Tetras.

I have decided to go with the following (not going to stock al at once)....
5 x Cardinal Tetra
5 x Glowlight Tetra
5 x X-Ray Tetra
5 x Cherry shrimp

This puts my stocking at 86% and filter capacity at 113% I may get a couple of Assassin or Zebra snails at some point too.

 

[Mo1959]

Sounds like a nice mixture. I am also smitten with tetras. Just have two little neons in a biube at the moment. I am waiting on my Fluval Roma 125 cycling and can't wait to get them into it and give them some mates. I have had problems with gravel I bought pushing up my ph level so had the task of completely emptying the tank and replacing the gravel with sand today. Hopefully I can get some corys now which will get on well with tetras and like the same water conditions. Like you, I am gettting near the end of my cycle so can't wait to get some fish in it.

 

[PDSimon]

Really tetra should be 6+ imo, they're shoaling fish and would appreciate 6+ or even 10+

Maybe if you like the rams, go for

2 bolivian rams m/f
8 cardinal tetra
6 glowlight tetra/x-ray tetra
10 cherries

2 bolivian rams
6 cardinal tetra
6 diamond tetra? not sure if that would fit

what volume is your tank(couldn't see it anywhere..)

 

[Liverbird36]

Sounds like a nice mixture. I am also smitten with tetras. Just have two little neons in a biube at the moment. I am waiting on my Fluval Roma 125 cycling and can't wait to get them into it and give them some mates. I have had problems with gravel I bought pushing up my ph level so had the task of completely emptying the tank and replacing the gravel with sand today. Hopefully I can get some corys now which will get on well with tetras and like the same water conditions. Like you, I am gettting near the end of my cycle so can't wait to get some fish in it.

I started with the gravel too but after seeing a couple of other members tanks with the sand substrate decided to change over too. Made such a mess of the place but was over the moon with how much nicer and brighter I felt it looked. I was looking at the Roma 125 today...nice tank. I want to upgrade after xmas if possible, was thinking of the 240 tank, will have to see how the saving goes lol

My tank finished cycling a couple of weeks ago but had a massive nitrite spike (possible filter issue) so have had to carry on a little bit longer but i'm cool, hopefully will have a stronger bacteria colony as a result. What fish are you planning to get when you are cycled ??

Really tetra should be 6+ imo, they're shoaling fish and would appreciate 6+ or even 10+

Maybe if you like the rams, go for

2 bolivian rams m/f
8 cardinal tetra
6 glowlight tetra/x-ray tetra
10 cherries

2 bolivian rams
6 cardinal tetra
6 diamond tetra? not sure if that would fit

what volume is your tank(couldn't see it anywhere..)

Oh didn't know that. This stock advisor site said a minimum of 5. I'm gonna see what it comes up with if I put in 6. The tank is 64ltr.

 

[Liverbird36]

It wil alow me to do 6 to a group of each Tetra but it takes my stocking to 95%. That's too high isn't it. I think I read somewhere that ideally it should be kept at around 75% Not sure ??

The advisor site said that bolivian and German Rams are too big for my tank.

 

[PDSimon]

Might be a bit small for bolivian rams, especially with other fish. Dwarf gourami of some sort may be a better choice (not my subject ). Although there are certainly dwarf cichlids that could fit.. whether you could have many other fish someone else will have to say! If you cycle your tank properly I don't see any problem in stocking 100%. Those things aren't all that strict, especially if you have a good filter. Where did you read that?

The diamond tetra might be a push... you just have to see what fish you like and keep researching them seperately. Takes time but aq-advisor is only a very rough guide. For example it says for me to keep my temp below 26 but my fish will prefer 27 sometimes you can have more fish than it says too...

 

[Mo1959]

Hi. Yes, I had heard that bigger groups are better so my plans for eventual stocking would be something like. 8 neons and either 8 glowlights or quite like the lemons too. I believe the corys also like being in a group of at least 6 too. I quite like the panda corys and they are quite small so should manage either 6 or 8 of them too.
I have read that tetras are really better in an older tank (ie one that has been cycled and running for around 6 months) but as my two little neons have done so well as my first fish in my biube I am tempted just to go ahead and get more. I will of course carefully carry on monitoring my water and do regular partial water changes.
I agree that the sand does look nicer. It was a bit of a marathon task today changing it over but I am very pleased with the sand. It is pool filter sand from an ebay dealer and it was very clean. Only required a couple of rinses and hardly caused any clouding of the water at all.

 

[Liverbird36]

I went to the LFS today with the mindset of getting a Dwarf Gourami or some other kind of Dwarf Cichlid but was really taken by the Tetras. I know they are only tiny but as the tank is small thought lots of bright little fish would be more eye catching than a couple of big fish. It's funny because i'm not really a little fish fan. Funny how things can change.

Might be a bit small for bolivian rams, especially with other fish. Dwarf gourami of some sort may be a better choice (not my subject ). Although there are certainly dwarf cichlids that could fit.. whether you could have many other fish someone else will have to say! If you cycle your tank properly I don't see any problem in stocking 100%. Those things aren't all that strict, especially if you have a good filter. Where did you read that?

The diamond tetra might be a push... you just have to see what fish you like and keep researching them seperately. Takes time but aq-advisor is only a very rough guide. For example it says for me to keep my temp below 26 but my fish will prefer 27 sometimes you can have more fish than it says too...

Is there another site that you'd recommend or is that the one everyone tends to use ??

I really like the Red Dwarf Gourami's too

 

[PDSimon]

I just type it into google and get the 'average' really. Then I confirm it with the experienced members on here in tropical discussion

 

[Liverbird36]

I just type it into google and get the 'average' really. Then I confirm it with the experienced members on here in tropical discussion
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Well it's gonna be at least 2 groups of Tetras (not sure which) and 2 Red Dwarfs or 3 groups of tetras and no red Dwarfs...just can't decide on which one yet lol How many shrimp should I be placing in tank as one care sheet I read said 10 to keep them happy ???

 

[PDSimon]

yeah 5/6+ really, 10 would be good.

The thing is with tetra is that they don't have as good as personalities to watch as the bigger fish like the rams you were talking about. I imagine gouramis too even though I much prefer cichlids..

My male and female bolivian rams are interesting to watch as they will fight and show breeding signs etc, hopefully breed at some point too as well as being beautiful fish. With the tetra, they're difficult to distinguish between sometimes and their behaviour isn't as interesting, although sometimes it can be just as interesting! I don't think its quite as frequent. Thats just my opinion anyway

Did I mention how they look awesome too

I like my tetras.. great to watch but these guys have funny little personalities.

 

[Liverbird36]

You don't have to sell them to me as I completely agree with you. I absoutely love Cichlids they are my fave. When I saw the Blue Rams in the shop today I wanted to take them there and then so was very down when I realised my tank was not big enough for them. My heart says one thing then have to let common sense and tank size take over.

I wanted to have a coupe of main fish, Ram or Dwarf Gourami and a few smaller fish too. Had my heart set on the Rams so a bit gutted. I'l find something else. Gonna upgrade the tank after xmas to a 3ft/4ft hopefuly so Cichlids will be more of a possibility.

 

[PDSimon]

Research... there are tiny little cichlids you can fit into 10Gs... you don't want to regret anything. I agree too its so difficult to choose... I don't think you can ever be 100% certain but as long as you enjoy the fish you're going to get you can't complain I have two dwarf cichlid pairs in my tank and your tank is approx half mine. german blue rams probably aren't the best, they're a bit too sensitive but other species are well worth a look at. Apistogramma have some absolutely stunning fish