setting up

[lee8040]

sorry if i sound like a complete idiot but ive read through the guides but still abit confused and dont wanna mess up my tank.

i have just bought a juwel rekord 70, i have bought some gravel and cleaned it throughly and bought some live plants to go in. the tank is arriving today. once the gravel and water goes in whats next?

how long do i need to leave it for without fish? do i need to add anything else like chemicals?

thanks

 

[wuvmybetta]

First and foremost you will need to decide how you are going to cycle your tank. You can do a fishless cycle using pure ammonia, or you can cycle with hardy fish, but this is often stressful on them and could even result in the loss of life. Fishless is the way to go.

If you want to go fishless you need to go buy a test kit and a bottle of ammonia and start from there. Your tank will be ready for stock in just a few short weeks, and in the meantime you can plan on what sort of fish you'd like to keep.
You can also ask your lfs if they will give you some gravel or filter media, to boost your cycle along if you decide to do it with fish. There are also lots of products on the market, such as Bio-Spira, which are beneficial bacteria in a bottle.

Just remember to be patient and take it slow in the beginning. If you rush it could turn into a nightmare for the next couple of months.

 

[-*-MicHAeL-*-]

and dont forget to add de chlorineator ot the water as the chlorine is harmfull to the fish

 

[mux11]

am i understanding this right?
1. set up tank with water and substraight
2. plant plants and fill completely
3. add de-chlorinator & ammonia and or good bacteria in a bottle?
4. watch cycle
5. stock tank with fish

 

[GSD]

yeah sounds good,as long as you cycle the tank