Yay! Water Is Ready For Fish!

[Rochiie]

I got the water tested today, the guy at the pet shop said its perfect to start popping fish in. Its been up for about a week and a half now, so im quite excited to start adding fish. Any tips? I know not to add too many at once, im pretty nervous about not doing it all properly and my fish die. any advice or fish recomendations is greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance!

 

[KCB]

Do not put fish in! I'm assuming because your tank has only been set up just over one week your water tested fine because it hasn't started cycling yet and if you add fish now then they will likely die. Please read these resources:

http/www.fishforum...ready-got-fish/

http/www.fishforum...ish-in-cycling/

Follow the instructions and you'll be fine

 

[Mikey1]

a week and a half is not nearly enough time

 

[Flute]

Yup, KCB and Mikey are correct in that your tank isn't ready for fish yet. As I mentioned in my welcome post to you, it'd be a good idea to read our resources section (link in my signature). Unfortunately these shops are out to make money, they are a business and as such will do all they can to make money from you. By selling you fish for a tank that is not ready, they know that you will more than likely have fish die, and so will come back and buy more and more to replace them, and it goes around and around in a vicious circle. It really will save you a lot of heart ache and wasted money if you check out how to cycle a tank without any fish first; it takes about 4-6 weeks to get it cycled, but it is 100% worth it. If you put fish in the tank now in order to keep them alive you will have to do at least 75% water changes daily for easily over a month, which is back breaking stuff!

Please just take a while to check out our article on Fishless Cycling, it'll be worth the patience, I promise!

 

[DrSlackBladder]

Invest in some pure ammonia solution, an API Master Test Kit, read the fishless cycle posts and understand the nitrogen cycle. It took me almost four weeks to fully cycle my 100 litre tank, and I'm now enjoying a tank full of happy fish. I posted my water test data every few days on this forum, if you wanna check my post history through October (although there's load of info and guidance out there). The weeks seem like months, but during that time you'll learn what you need to learn, and can research your fish options. The patience pays off!

 

[Rochiie]

Thanks guys! I thought it was a little odd that the water seemed 'perfect' so quickly, so thought id turn to you guys and see what info you can throw at me! I have read through the link you gave me the other day flute and i found it VERY helpfull. i got my water tested today just to see the progress of the water. I dont know if it makes any difference, but the tank is second hand and the friend who i bought it off empted it about an hour before collection and put the filter in the bag so that the media didnt dry out, she bagged the gravel up with the remaining tank water too and for as long as iv known them.. iv never seen a problem with the fish. Then again for the last few months they only kept a school of neons, a couple of tetras and a betta. I wasnt sure that with it being second hand and containing the bacteria it would speed things up? I plan to get the water tested at the weekend and get a second opinion and check the progress, but i think ill hold of putting fish in as i want to do it all properly. So right now im just doing abit of researc into the fish id like to keep and about fish keeping in general, i dont mean to appear ignorant to it all, so ill apologise if you think i am. Im new to fish keeping but its deffonately a hobby i want to get into, after all iv waited about 5 years to get my tropical set up, last thing i want to do its screw it all up!

 

[The Taffy Apple]

How long was the filter running with the media inside? What i mean is, if it has been running for a period of time without a source of food, then the bacteria in there will starve... no doubt, by reading the articles above, you have sussed that these little fellas are just as important in our tanks as fish What i would do is add a source of food as soon as possible, if household ammonia is not at hand then some flaked fish food won't do any harm. If there is any bacteria left then they will be thankful for a 'feed', if there isn't then it can't harm your tank. Test your water as soon as possible and post up a FULL set of results, don't take pet stores saying "it's fine", it's not good enough for the results that we are looking for. And finally, invest in a good, liquid based test kit for yourself...you're gonna need it over the next couple of months to make sure your tank is as healthy and happy as you want it.

Good luck.

Terry.

 

[Rochiie]

The tank before i had it was up and running for about 2 and a half years, with the filter working right untill i collected it, although there was no fish in the tank for about a week, they kept the filter running, and they told me they put a little fish food in it every few days, it confused me as to why they did it but iv continued to add abit of flaked food in every so often, and a water change with this rain water stuff i was told to use in the tank. Im getting myself a home testing kit at the weekend when i go back to a proper aquatic store, as i live pretty much 2 mins walk away from a pet shop, i found it handy to take advantage of them doing me a free test

 

[The Taffy Apple]

Good call on the free test results...

.... you will find it easier and better when yours arrives.
What i i would suggest is to continue doing what your'e doing, which in theory is a mini fishless cycle, therefore try increasing your water temp to 29/30 degrees (the bacteria will prefer higher temps) then lower as and when needed before your first fish go in. Don't be afraid to do a water change (ever, in fact) but i wouldn't bother until the test kit arrives, it will probably only be a waste of time (but good practice!).
What is this 'rain water stuff' you mention...??...usually the only thing we add during a water change is a good quality dechlorinator, such as 'Prime' or something similiar.

Terry.

PS- now maybe the right time to do all your research on fish, there may be the chance most of the hard work may already be done for you

 

[Rochiie]

because of the nitrates i think (the test that makes your water turn yellow or green?) well the water was a hint of yellow so there was low levels of the stuff and the rest was 'perfect' so we ad to deal with that problem. They said that you should use rain water in your tank, but they bottled it up at the aquatic centre and sold me 25ltres for £2, they said that it should kill off the nitrates and level it all out, apparently all they use in their tanks is rain water and just adjust the water as needed, IE the marine section they add salt, the harder water section of tropical they add rocks and softer water, they add bog wood. i was advised on keeping the water warmer for the duration of cycling and lowering it a couple of days before adding fish to let the temp adjust, so its currently at bang on 30, but feels luke warm to the touch, but the thermomiter reads at 30. All i though i should use was tap water and dechlorinator, i bought a bottle for around £6 and used it whenever iv changed the water (did a water change after 4 days of cycling) and when i soaked the bogwood, i sat it in dechlorinator before putting it into the tank. I was told to do small water changes every 2-3 days to keep the water in good condition etc.

 

[The Taffy Apple]

NitrAtes are the end result of the 'cycle'... fish pee-pee and poo-poo is given off as Ammonia- this is turned into NitrIte but one type of bacteria- then into NitrAtes by another type of bacteria. Being the end result, NitrAte is not really that bad to our fish, we keep the levels low by doing weekly water changes and/or real plants in our tanks (i do weekly water changes as i have very little real plants).
The colour it turns totally depends what type of test kit is being used. The widely recommended one on this particular forum is 'API Master Test Kit', and the only result that turns from yellow to green in that test kit is Ammonia, which, if it is turning green is a sign of Ammonia and not good news.

Terry.

 

[Rochiie]

Ah must be the Ammonia that had traces, the one that turns pink was completely clear and i was told thats a good thing. but the Ammonia one was the slightest tinge of yellow but still pretty clear, i was told itll quickly clear up as it wasnt enough to worry about but if it was yellow or turning green they said thats something to worry about and would take longer to cycle through. At tall tree's i was given so much info, they seemed to really know their stuff and said the water should be perfect for fish in two weeks.. But we'll see on that one! I have 7 real rooted plants, not sure what they are and i have a couple of fakes.

 

[The Taffy Apple]

To be fully sure you need to be testing your water twice a day AFTER adding a source of Ammonia, until then it will remain unclear.

Terry.