The Waiting Game

[The Taffy Apple]

Thanks JDs, it look's like it, finally

TA, I think I'll go for my first stock on Sat as the nitrites were barely 0.25 and finally 0 from day 27, so by Sat that will be 7 days. Yes, like the moss balls they seem almost alive as they tend to randomly move about and I herd them up now & then! think I may get some more they were pretty cheap at 5 for £5.50 delivered so not too bad.

When I spoke to you yesterday I mentioned that I saw some fish that reminded me of brown trout a little. I popped into Pets@home earlier to see what they had and there were some in there they were leopard danios (see pic), may get 6 of those possibly on Saturday. I was hoping they would have some Corydoras, they did but only 1 and I would like to get 6. The prices seem pretty decent in there so I may pop over to the Bridgend store before Sat to see what they got there.

Pets@Home for livestock? I'll pm you in reference.
Would these be in similarity to Zebra Danios? If so there maybe some issues.

Terry.

 

[Welshweeks]

DAY 32

09.45


Ammonia - 0ppm
Nitrite - 0ppm
P.H - 7.6ppm

Added 4ml ammonia @ 09.50

22.00


Ammonia - 0ppm
Nitrite - 0ppm
Nitrate - 80-160ppm
P.H - 7.6ppm

Added 4ml ammonia @ 22.05


Well it looks like tank is cycled so tomorrow morning I'm going to do a large water change to hopefully reduce the nitrates and then I'm off to the LFS to get my first stock of fish!!!

I'll update this thread tomorrow eve and hopefully add some pics of my new fishies!!!!!

 

[The Taffy Apple]

yeeeeee-haaaaaa

Keep us informed of what you choose to get mate.
And remember to get that water change right down to your gravel, and don't do a 'Taffy Apple' and forget about turning your heater off!!!

Terry.

 

[Welshweeks]

Don't worry I'll be turning everything off at the mains!!! I'm hoping that the nitrates will lower as they didn't when I changed about 70% earlier in the week. My tap nitrates are around 20ppm

 

[The Taffy Apple]

Don't worry I'll be turning everything off at the mains!!! I'm hoping that the nitrates will lower as they didn't when I changed about 70% earlier in the week. My tap nitrates are around 20ppm

That was very odd when you mentioned it in the week.
Are you really belting those NitrAte bottles? Play the drums on the kitchen worktop for 60 seconds with them. Seriously.

Terry.

 

[JDs4me]

big day tomorrow then - can't wait to see what moves into your spanking new fishy apartment!!

shop better be open for easter...though I think those days are long gone now!

 

[Welshweeks]

Well, I did a large water change this morning (90%+) which brought my nitrates down to around 20ppm which is the same as my tap water. I went to my chosen lfs to buy some fishies and found it very hard to buy more than 10 fish as the chap there wasn't that familiar with the fishless cycle! I explained what I had been doing for the last month or so but he still did not want to sell me many fish. I said doing a fishless cycle was far better than leaving a new tank run for a week and then putting in some hardy (and probably sacrificial) fish!

Anyway, I finally managed to buy 10 rummynose tetra and 6 five banded barbs! Put them in my tank leaving them acclimatise in the bag and swapping the water from tank into bag etc for 45 mins. They seem ok so far, the rummy's are shoaling about but mostly occupying the bottom half of the tank at the moment (occasionally climbing to the mid layer )and the barbs have gone off hiding behind plants/rocks at the back of the tank at moment! I'm not putting the light on today and won't take any photos for a day or so as I don't want to stress them out anymore than I have to so will post a few pics in a day or two

.

On another note, I'm a little concerned that the bacteria I've built up over the last month may shrink as I've a relatively small amount of fish in a 180 ltr tank. I thought I may go to another lfs in a couple of days to buy maybe 10 cardinal tetra or similar?

 

[The Taffy Apple]

That problem really is alot more common than people would think... i had an absolute nightmare trying to stock my tank after my fishless cycle, i'll try and find the thread that i done to vent such frustration !!! Anyway, it seems you found an employee who held a full, fishless cycle in such high regard.
With regards to adding more fish, then i can't see why not. Bearing in mind that your bacteria you have built up may take upto 48 hours to completely die off, then i think you have time on your hands. The warm water and added oxygen from your air pumps will be doing a nice job of keeping those Bacs alive, add this the pretty heavy current bio-load you have added, so i would go ahead and get more if you feel you want to. Obviously, you will have to keep a daily eye on Ammonia/NitrIte and possibly PH everyday...but should you see some sort of 'mini-cycle' then you can water change as and when required.

Terry.

EDIT- here is how i was treated when going for my first fish--->
http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/346076-local-pet-store/page__p__2883923__fromsearch__1#entry2883923

And here is how i added them after my second fishless cycle on my larger tank--->
http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/357206-stocking-issues/page__p__2975512__fromsearch__1#entry2975512

 

[Welshweeks]

Hi TA

Interesting reading. I'm not in a rush to stock the tank just concerned about the bacteria dying off and undoing the last months work. I was thinking of going over Pontardulais tomorrow for some more stock but I may wait until Tues and then go over to get some more fishies (probably another 10 tetra, not sure what type yet though). What you recon?

Regarding water testing should I be doing a full test once each day at the moment?

 

[The Taffy Apple]

Indeed.. continue to monitor daily Ammonia and NitrItes until you are confident they will stay there for days on end, then obviously re-start your testing for a few days after each load of fish go in.

Unless one of the more experienced members on here can advise different, i would say going for fish in 4 days time would pose the higher risk of a 'mini-cycle', yet either tomorrow or tuesday can be controlled with water changes SHOULD you need to (but personally, i think tomorrow would be of the better choice).
The Ponty store sure will be well stocked tomorrow, that is pretty much guaranteed, more RummyNose..?

Terry.

 

[Welshweeks]

The Ponty store sure will be well stocked tomorrow, that is pretty much guaranteed, more RummyNose..?

Terry.

Don't think so they seem happy and confident enough in the group of 10. I think I'll see what takes my fancy when I'm over there. The barbs are a little shy at the moment and mostly staying at the back of the tank , coming out now and then.

 

[Welshweeks]

Well I bought 10 Copper Harlequin Rasbora earlier on. They are just settling in. That's me done for a couple of weeks. Did a water check this morning and all fine, so far so good!

I think my next stocking will be 6 Corydoras. After that some rams and finaly a BN pleco and I'm hoping to put around 10 cherry shrimp in at some point and then I recon that's about it!

Not sure what amount of rams though? Maybe 4?

 

[The Taffy Apple]

Well done butt..i bet those R.N Tetra look good, eh? I hope someone can answer the question about Rams more in depth..but all i know is that the LFS only sell them in a pair, 18 sheets, and they really don't like anything other than a 'mature' tank (using the 6 month rule as a guideline). I would love a pair in my tank but i'm not that adventurous yet !
I had another nose at your gravel, compared it to my crushed coral and my Corys don't suffer in any way, shape or form with it...nice and round and of a decent size for them (but you'll change to sand in time, i can feel it ).

Terry.

 

[Welshweeks]

Well done butt..i bet those R.N Tetra look good, eh? (but you'll change to sand in time, i can feel it ).

Terry.

Hi Matey,

Yes really like the R.N Tetra, the cooper rasboras are nice too, they tend to mostly stay near the top of the water and the R.N's stay middle with barbs mostly near the bottom but they all occasionally swap around! Gave them some frozen brine shrimp earlier they seemed to love it. I can't wait until end of month to get some cory's, they had some lovely ones in Wyevale on Sat. I'll have to check if some grow bigger than other's which I assume they do?

We've all been spending a fair amount of time in the front room watching the fishies swimming around, very relaxing

Don't know about changing to sand, I would imagine that's a fair bit of work when you got fish in there? Wouldn't mind a Co2 system but I think a few bob!!

 

[The Taffy Apple]

I'm sure if you subscribe to PFK magazine for the year it comes with a CO2 kit worth about £40.

Terry.