Returning after a 25 year break

[Northern Soul]

Hiya all,
After a 25 year absence of owning a tropical tank, I've jumped back in, in that absence I've continued keeping Koi in my garden pond, but I've recently purchased a 60l nano cube, that's been up and running for a couple of weeks. The scene has changed slightly since I last kept tropical, I'd never heard of a fishless cycle before and Led lighting didn't exist. After water testing yesterday with 0 ammonia ,0 nitrite and pH of 6/7, I added 5 cloud minnows to start the cycle. The tank is planted with java moss and anubias on lava rock, I'm expecting rises in my ammonia in the upcoming days and several partial water changes, anything else I need to be looking out for?
Cheers
Mark

 

[manxnorton]

Morning m8,
Chuffed your back enjoying the hobby.
TBH, looks like you got it covered, as you said the change in the next few days, jusy enjoy the ride.
Things come back to you, if you have balance the tank (i.e. lighting, filtration, temp, water parameters) nowt to worry about.
Maybe the check the temp and the suggested pH (6-8pH).
Great choice of tank m8.
later,

 

[Poll Nage]

Why your water pH is too low?

 

[Colin_T]

Hi and welcome to the forum

After water testing yesterday with 0 ammonia ,0 nitrite and pH of 4,

Is your pH really 4?
If it is then you need to raise it so it is closer to 7.0.
The beneficial filter bacteria will not grow in water with a pH of 4 and most fish don't do well in that pH either.

Check your tap water for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and pH.

Contact your water supply company by telephone or website and ask them what the GH (general hardness) is and find out what it is measured in (eg: ppm, dGH or something else). You can also ask them if there is chlorine or chloramine in your water.

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If you are doing a fish in cycle, feed the fish 2-3 times a week and do a 75% water change and gravel clean the substrate 4-8 hours after feeding. Monitor the ammonia and nitrite levels and do a 75% water change any day you have a reading above 0.

Once the filter has cycled you can feed every day and do a 75% water change and gravel clean once a week. The cycling process usually takes about 4-6 weeks.

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The following link has information about what to do if your fish get sick. It's long and boring but worth a read when you have spare time. I recommend printing it out and reading it in bed to help fall asleep.
http://www.fishforums.net/threads/what-to-do-if-your-fish-gets-sick.450268/

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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 use Sera Florena liquid plant fertiliser but there are other brands too.

 

[Northern Soul]

Many thanks for the replies, my pH is 6/7,the 4 was my mistake I need to go back and edit.

 

[Colin_T]

all good then