My First Setup

[photoj]

Hello everyone. Just wanted to say hi and tell you I wish I came here first. This is my first aquarium and here is my setup. I have a 30gallon tank, fresh water, that I setup with one filter that hangs over the back with bio/mec/chem media in it. I have two under gravel filters. I set it up to "cycle" without fish (or borrowed media) for 1 week. I now understand that this did nothing. I set up the temperature to 76F. I then bought four plants, 2 Hygro, 1 Bacopa and a green cabomba. I also bought a piece of malaysian wood for decor. I left that for two days and then bought some fish. 2 red platy, 1 wag tail and a swordtail. I have been checking the water by taking a sample to the LFS and was told yesterday that my Nitrite is still a little high to add more fish. So i did a 25% water change today. This is week two with fish and week three since initial setup.

I'm just looking for advice on how i'm doing and what i should be doing differently. Also suggestions for more fish to go with the four I already have.

Cheers
photoj

 

[Schmill]

Sounds like you are doing well. You realise that perhaps you didn't get off ot the best start, but are now making the most to rectify that.
Firstly don't add anymore fish yet until you have 'cycled' the tank. This is the process of allowing enough time for the bacteria to grow in the filter to process the ammonia and nitrIte that is being produced. Until the bacteria is able to deal with this you are going to need to be doing regular water changes.
I would recommend buying your own test kit, a liquid based one is best, and most people on here use the API Freshwater Master Test Kit, which can be bought from your LFS or somewhere like ebay for around £20.
Having your own test kit will mean that you can check the water more often, (which is important when doing a fish-in cycle), and also you will then KNOW what results you are getting, as opposed to getting second hand info from the LFS.

The live plants in there will be helping a bit with the ammonia / nitrIte levels
You don't have to many fish, so the levels shouldn't get out of control
You already done a 25% water change

Obviously the LFS told you the nitrIte levels were "a little high", but without the numeric value it's difficult to advise, hence my recommendation to get your own test kit, (again, get the liquid based one, NOT the test 'strips')
Until you get the test kit I would do a 25% water change every day, (remembering to use dechlorinator on the fresh water), and then once you have a test kit, do the test and post the results on here.
When you are doing your tests the first time it's also worth you doing the tests on your tap water too so that we can tell what you are putting into the tank each time you do a water change.

All in all, looks like you are making a good recovery of the situation and we'll help you to keep going

 

[waterdrop]

Completely agree with Schmill's post. You are in a Fish-In cycle and those daily 25% changes will be needed until you get your kit and can begin to function. At that point you will be able to modify your water changes some based on what your test results tell you. Members here can interpret your results for you. Schmill is telling you the correct thing - water changes and testing are of top priority now.

~~waterdrop~~