New Tank - One Month Update!

[sarahs114]

Hey Fish Experts,

Just thought i would put a quick post on here to see if any of you have any advice / tips / observations as this is my first tank.

I got an Aquastart Aqua One 320 tank (http/www.onlineaquariumstore.com/acatalog/Aqua_One_Aqua_Start_320.html) and heater about one month ago.

I added water conditioner, gravel, stones, a few plastic plants and five live plants.

Left the tank running for about 7-10 days then took a water sample into the LFS, who said the sample was bob on and ready for fish! (amazingly!!)

I started off with 3 white cloud mountain minnows - who after intially losing some colour, i believe from the stress of the move, have come out really well and seem to love it.

Recently i have added 2 neon tetra (who seem quite shy), 2 rummy-nose tetra (whose noses have come up bright orange/red now - which i'm taking as a good sign) and two Cory (although im not sure of the type?) see pic below:

and a random little snail seems to have travelled in on one of the plants.

I've done two 25% water changes every 2 weeks resulting in:

All 'seems' to be going hunky dorey at the minute.

Oh yeah and i may be getting a couple of guppies soon from a friend.

Couple of questions -

My plants seem to be dying especially the red one on the left which used to be a full bush and the one on the right but the one in the front left seems to be thriving - do you have to use fertilizer or they pull all they need from the water/light? i'm worried about hurting my fish / pH levels etc?

A feeding issue i have is that the minnows seem to know to come to the top when i open the little slit for food resulting in them gettin most of the food and getting rather fat and the neon and rummy-nose tetra dont seem to get much until the pump begins to push some bit around and under - is this an issue?

Do any of you have any observations / suggestions / tips as to where i might be going wrong?

Anyway just thought i would generate a bit of chat.
Thanks
Sarah

 

[doresy]

Hi firstly what type of filter do you have. Looks like an UGF (under gravel filter) run by an air pump. correct?

Not the best filtration system but in a very small tank like yours at least the current is not crazy!

Bad news, your tank will not have cycled in that time and as far as the LFS saying your test results are bob on well that's just plain wrong. Well not entirely I suppose, if it was showing zero ammonia/nitrite and nitrate that is because nothing is happening in the tank. Tap water basically.
Now that you have fish in there you are doing a cycle WITH fish. This means daily water changing (as ammonia is now being produced)and testing so you need to get your own testing kit (I recommend the API Freshwater Master Kit)

Your fish stock....The cory are Peppered Cory. Both your tetra species are shoaling fish which is why they are shy in just pairs. The cory also prefer to be in no less than 4's. That said though be careful of the total amount you build up to.

I don't know much about WCM minnows but if it were my tank I would either get 2-3 more neons and loose the rummies or visa versa. Then get 2 more cory of the same as you have. Also they need some sort of cave (like a pot on it's side)
Do daily 20% water changes with dechlorinated water and test for ammonia and nitrite. When they are at zero then water change every 5-7 days.

Smaller tanks do require closer attention than larger ones as there is little room for errors.

Florish, although expensive is a good fert. You use less than the cheaper ones.

One last thing, watch out for sunlight falling on you tank as it will turn your white stones green in no time

Nice looking first tank

 

[guppy fan]

You do have a nice looking tank. I love corries, they have such cute little personalities.
Just to let you know, the liquid test kits are usualy more accurate than the strip tests.
Good luck!

 

[Hawkins]

Ok well the rummy noses will need to be in a group.
I havent had experience with neons so I can't say, even though they defo are shoaling fish.

If you get plants then run them under the tap to rinse away any snail eggs as they will soon take over.


i cant remember his name, but he said your gravel will soon go green - hes right

mines been in my bright room for 4 weeks and theres green showing almost everywhere!
im going to move it into a cupboard i have in the corner, which doesnt have as much sunlight

 

[jacko9901]

you should get more neons so you have 5-10 of them and a group of 5 rummy nosed tetras will be fine.

 

[aaronnorth]

UGF dont benefit plants that well because they disturb the roots. Try some java fern, anubias, bolbitis, moss that dont have to be buried in the substrate.

 

[OldMan47]

I agree with most of what doresy said, it would be better to go with a single tetra type fish. The white clouds are not tropical fish although they can survive in a tropical tank.
Now for the part where we differ, Until the tank gets done with the cycle, I would not add another fish at all. When you finish the cycle is soon enough to be increasing your neons or your corydoras paleatus (peppered cories). Until then it would be best to limit the amount you feed to take some of the build up of ammonia away and keep a close eye on your water chemistry.
If you decide to plant java fern and anubias, which do well in the typical low level of light that comes with a tank, be sure you do not bury the part of the plant where the roots come together. If that part of the plant ends up buried in the substrate the plant will die. The typical way to deal with it is to use some fishing line or thread to tie the roots to a rock, piece of driftwood or ornament. That way the root does not get buried too deep but it is free to grow down into the substrate. These plants do not get their nourishment from their roots but through the leaves so it won't hurt to leave the roots exposed.

 

[aaronnorth]

the part of the plant where the roots come together

The rhizome

 

[LosC519]

The red plant in the corner is Red Ludwigia Repens. It seems to be in a shady corner. That plant is a more light demanding plant and probably needs more light than the other plants in your tank. Move it to the middle where it will get more light. This is the least of your worries at the moment. Your cycling process will start and your Tetras will most likely die because of it. See if a friend will give you a piece of his old established filter media.

 

[OldMan47]

Thanks aaron, the name was escaping me at the time.