Just Added First Fish

[Geoff1991]

Thanks, id be a little bit lost without the help of everyone here.

 

[Geoff1991]

I figure i may as well ask all my newbie questions here...

For when my tanks cycled can anyone recommend some fish for me to get that wont outgrow my tank?

 

[fatheadminnow]

I figure i may as well ask all my newbie questions here...

For when my tanks cycled can anyone recommend some fish for me to get that wont outgrow my tank?

I may be blind....lol....but what size tank do you have?

-FHM

 

[Geoff1991]

Oh, sorry... I was sure id mentioned it somewhere here.

Its 60 litres... that's about 15 gallons?

 

[fatheadminnow]

What look are you trying to go for? Something that will shoal?

If want a nice colorful fish, for a freshly cycled tank I would suggest Endlers.

-FHM

 

[Geoff1991]

Im open to suggestions...

I do want a good balance of bottom feeders and top feeders and all that stuff... And im really not sure what wouldn't outgrow my tank/how many i should have

 

[fatheadminnow]

Later on, of not tomorrow, there will be other members on that can give you some solid advice on fish selection, as I am a little rusty in that area...lol.

You can get some nice small Lace Catfish for bottom dwellers, and you would need 3 of those.

Or, you can get Cories for the bottom, that is if they can go into a freshly cycled tank, someone will clarify on that.

Endlers, which are nice colorful shoaling fish, you can easily get away with 10-15.

-FHM

 

[Geoff1991]

^Thanks.

Just done a water test. Ammonia is below 0.25 but not quite the right colour for 0, same with nitrite, nitrate is around 10 and pH is 7.6

Im thinking small water change?

 

[mancin]

^Thanks.

Just done a water test. Ammonia is below 0.25 but not quite the right colour for 0, same with nitrite, nitrate is around 10 and pH is 7.6

Im thinking small water change?

I'd do another small water change. I did a fish-in cycle for my first tank and I did a water change anytime Ammonia or Nitrites were anything but 0.

 

[arobinson1984]

Hey Geoff,

My first tank was the same as yours, the elite 60 right? and I'm guessing you got it from pets at home cos thats where i got mine lol.

Yes I would recommend live plants in your tank and the other thing I would recommend but prob not until your tank has finished cycling because you'd knock it further back, would be to replace your filter, that 'stingray' filter supplied with the tank is pants and I replaced it with a fluval 3 and found the upkeep of the tank much easier.

I went from the elite 60 to the elite 95 and now I have a jewul rio 125, if you are planning on getting a bigger tank at some stage, go for the biggest one you can afford and house as you will find the bigger tanks are easier to maintain a good water quality.

Andy

P.S Sorry also forgot to mention, I got my marimo balls (moss balls) from ebay from this seller: epetz-direct

I got 5 for £6.50 with free delivery and all 5 are just smaller than tennis balls so a good size!

Also if you are looking to replaced that little 'pot plant' with a live plant, then use the terracotta pot (if the fake plant comes out of it) and lay the pot on its side in the tank, digging it slightly under your substrate, they provide a good little place where your fish can go hide or lay in and they look quite good in the tank.

Andy

 

[greenscooby]

Sounds like your on top of your water changes now, it'll take a few weeks to complete and after a while you'll see all your water stats stay nice and level, once they are level for 7 continuous days your tank will have been cycled and you can slowly add more fish to your tank, i'd suggest a couple every fortnight so as not to overload your media and send you back to another fish in cycle.

Mark.

 

[Geoff1991]

Sorry for not replying, ive been at work earning some money to fund this hobby =D

Right then, ill be off to do a water test

 

[Geoff1991]

Right then,

Hmm...

Ammonia 0
Nitrate 10
Nitrite below 0.25
pH 7.6

Bare in mind i haven't done a water change today

Oh, and to not completely ignore everyone's replies...

Yeah it's an elite 60... Its about the biggest i can house until my sister moves out which will be a few years. I may replace the filter, do i just take out the sponges and stuff and shove them in the new one?

I will buy some moss balls as i couldn't find any today, thanks for the info.

Thanks for the help everyone. I thought it was going to be rough when i realised i was doing a fish-in cycle. But its actually not that bad.

 

[arobinson1984]

Yes I would recommend running the 2 filters together for a few weeks once the stingray has cycled, then take one of the sponges out and put it in the new filter to help speed up the process.

I didnt reckon much to the stingray filter to be honest and after speaking to a few people i decided to change mine, cant remember if it was the fluval 2 or 3 but it was the correct size for that tank anyway.

Andy

 

[greenscooby]

If you run both filters at the same time then you won't need to do a media exchange, once your tanks has cycled put the other filter in and leave it for a month or two that way you'll be seeding your new filter without having to do another cycle, i'm currently doing the same with my tank - running two filters at once, also the extra filtration will help give you greater water clarity and cirulation in your tank, which can only be a good thing, just make sure that the filters aren't pumping to much as you don't want your fish being blown from one end of the tank to the other.

Mark.