My first tropical freshwater tank! :)

[Neon1977]

If the tank has been set up for 4 weeks, it should finish cycling in a couple of weeks. In which case I wouldn't bother raising the temperature to 28C. Just have it at 26C and then reduce it to 22-24C after it has cycled.

API Quick Start is one of the liquid bacterial supplements. There are plenty of other brands, just get whichever you can.

Don't bother adjusting the pH at this stage.

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Most aquarium plants like a bit of light and if you only have the light on for a couple of hours a day, they struggle. If the light doesn't have a high enough wattage they also struggle. You can have the lights on for a maximum of 16 hours per day but the fish and plants need 8 hours of darkness. Start off having the tank lights on for 10-12 hours a day.

If you get lots of green algae then reduce the light by an hour a day and monitor the algae over the next 2 weeks.
If you don't get any green algae on the glass then increase the lighting period by an hour and monitor it.
If you get a small amount of algae then the lighting time is about right.

Some plants will close their leaves up when they have had sufficient light. Ambulia, Hygrophilas and a few others close their top set of leaves first, then the next set and so on down the stem. When you see this happening, wait an hour after the leaves have closed up against the stem and then turn lights off.

Some good plants to try include Ambulia, Hygrophila polysperma, H. ruba/ rubra, Elodia (during summer, but don't buy it in winter because it falls apart), Hydrilla, common Amazon sword plant, narrow Vallis, Water Sprite (Ceratopteris thalictroides/ cornuta).
The Water Sprite normally floats on the surface but can also be planted in the substrate. The other plants should be planted in the gravel.

If you add an iron based aquarium plant fertiliser, it will help most aquarium plants do well. The liquid iron based fertilisers tend to be better than the tablet forms, although you can push the tablets under the roots of plants and that works well.
I used Sera Florena liquid plant fertiliser but there are other brands too.

If you use an iron based plant fertiliser, get an Iron (Fe) test kit to monitor the levels in the tank. Keep the iron levels at 1mg/ L. Don't let it go higher than that because it affects the fish.

Do not bother adding carbon fertiliser to the tank because they are not necessary.

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Stress from tank lights coming on when the room is dark can be an issue. Fish don't have eyelids and don't tolerate going from complete dark to bright light (or vice versa) instantly.

In the morning open the curtains or turn the room light on at least 30 minutes (or more) before turning the tank light on. This will reduce the stress on the fish and they won't go from a dark tank to a bright tank instantly.

At night turn the room light on and then turn the tank light off. Wait at least 30 minutes (or more) before turning the room light out. This allows the fish to settle down for the night instead of going from a brightly lit tank to complete darkness instantly.

Ok brilliant, iv just turned it back down to 26 will alter it again once tank has cycled thanks

I’ll be calling out this afternoon so will nip the LFS to buy a bottle will get the tetra safe start from essjay‘s recommendation

Ok will see how the tank and plants do at 12 hrs of light first will monitor and reduce if necessary. I have already purchased the tropica liquid pump bottle fertiliser which says to add 1 pump/squirt a day, this too much or sound about right? I am also going to purchase tablet fertilisers to pop in the sand before I plant my amazon swords tomorrow!

And brill thanks il remember the light adjusting before turning the tank on and off etc.

Thanks again for all that! Here’s to hoping it’s all done in a couple of weeks with no algae issues either!

Thanks for the plant recommendations also! Iv ordered amazon swords, Hydrocotyle leucocephala and frogbit for now

 

[Neon1977]

Tetra Safe Start is the best bottled bacteria to use

Thanks!

 

[Colin_T]

I have already purchased the tropica liquid pump bottle fertiliser which says to add 1 pump/squirt a day, this too much or sound about right?

I don't know what that is.

 

[Neon1977]

I don't know what that is.

This is it if it’s any help...

 

[Colin_T]

That is a liquid iron based aquarium plant fertiliser.

Get an Iron (Fe) test kit and monitor the iron level in the tank when you use that.

Normally when you first start using iron based fertilisers the plants use the fertiliser up really quickly and you might need to dose the tank each day to keep the iron levels around 1mg/L, After a few weeks of regular fertiliser, the plants don't use as much and you might only need to dose once or twice a week.

It's a good idea to do a huge (75-80%) water change each week before redosing the tank. This helps to remove most of the remaining fertiliser so there is less chance of overdosing.

 

[Neon1977]

That is a liquid iron based aquarium plant fertiliser.

Get an Iron (Fe) test kit and monitor the iron level in the tank when you use that.

Normally when you first start using iron based fertilisers the plants use the fertiliser up really quickly and you might need to dose the tank each day to keep the iron levels around 1mg/L, After a few weeks of regular fertiliser, the plants don't use as much and you might only need to dose once or twice a week.

It's a good idea to do a huge (75-80%) water change each week before redosing the tank. This helps to remove most of the remaining fertiliser so there is less chance of overdosing.

Can I get one of those iron test kits from the LFS?

Thanks for the tips yet again you are fab

 

[Colin_T]

Most pet shops sell Iron test kits but check the expiry date on them.

Don't buy any test kit or medication if it has been kept in a warm room, near a heat source or by a windows because heat and bright light cause the reagents to break down quicker.

If you can't find a kit at the pet shop, check online.

 

[Neon1977]

Most pet shops sell Iron test kits but check the expiry date on them.

Don't buy any test kit or medication if it has been kept in a warm room, near a heat source or by a windows because heat and bright light cause the reagents to break down quicker.

If you can't find a kit at the pet shop, check online.

Brilliant thank you !

@Colin_T sorry forgot to say my tank is a 25l so would it still be every day dosing for me with this product??

 

[Colin_T]

You use an Iron test kit to monitor the iron levels in the water and dose when there is 0.

If there is 0.5 or 1 mg/L, then don't dose.

 

[Neon1977]

You use an Iron test kit to monitor the iron levels in the water and dose when there is 0.

If there is 0.5 or 1 mg/L, then don't dose.

Straight forward enough thanks a lot will try to leave you alone now lol

 

[Neon1977]

You use an Iron test kit to monitor the iron levels in the water and dose when there is 0.

If there is 0.5 or 1 mg/L, then don't dose.

Both LFS don’t sell them so will have to order online! What would you suggest in the mean time @Colin_T until I get the test kit?

 

[Colin_T]

Just treat the tank once a weak and do a 75% water change before you retreat it.

 

[Neon1977]

Just treat the tank once a weak and do a 75% water change before you retreat it.

When you say ‘treat the tank’ do you mean just one pump (which is 2ml) a week of the fertiliser? Sorry to be a pain just want to make sure I’m doing everything right!

 

[Colin_T]

Add whatever the dose is for that size tank. The company's website says to use 6ml of fertiliser for every 50 litres of water. Work out the exact amount of water in the tank and then use a plastic syringe to suck some out of the bottle and add it to the tank.

The pumps on top of bottles aren't that accurate regardless of what the company's website says.

You are better off under dosing with fertiliser than over dosing, so if you have 22 litres of water, treat the tank for 20 litres once a week and do a big water change before adding any more.

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To work out the volume of water in the tank:
measure length x width x height in cm.
divide by 1000.
= volume in litres.

When you measure the height, measure from the top of the substrate to the top of the water level.

There is a calculator/ converter in the "FishForum.net Calculator" under "Useful Links" at the bottom of this page that will let you convert litres to gallons if you need it.

Remove carbon from the filter before treating or it will adsorb the fertiliser.

 

[Neon1977]

Add whatever the dose is for that size tank. The company's website says to use 6ml of fertiliser for every 50 litres of water. Work out the exact amount of water in the tank and then use a plastic syringe to suck some out of the bottle and add it to the tank.

The pumps on top of bottles aren't that accurate regardless of what the company's website says.

You are better off under dosing with fertiliser than over dosing, so if you have 22 litres of water, treat the tank for 20 litres once a week and do a big water change before adding any more.

--------------
To work out the volume of water in the tank:
measure length x width x height in cm.
divide by 1000.
= volume in litres.

When you measure the height, measure from the top of the substrate to the top of the water level.

There is a calculator/ converter in the "FishForum.net Calculator" under "Useful Links" at the bottom of this page that will let you convert litres to gallons if you need it.

Remove carbon from the filter before treating or it will adsorb the fertiliser.

Brilliant thanks for that will calculate it in a minute when iv measured from the sand to the top and see how many mls it works out for my tank. When they say 6ml of fertiliser to every 50l of water do they mean every day!?