My Fish Less Cycle

[David J]

Hi eagle,

Thanks, I'll do the 50% change now.

A question before I do.

dechlorinating. I will put my filter into a bucket of tank water, remove 50% of the water (45L). Then, do I add dechlorintor to the remaining tank water before adding the new water?

Also, should I add more ammonia after the change?

I don't have a hose long enough to refill the way you suggest but that sounds great and ill get it sorted at the weekend.

Thanks,

David.

 

[eaglesaquarium]

Hi eagle,

Thanks, I'll do the 50% change now.

A question before I do.

dechlorinating. I will put my filter into a bucket of tank water, remove 50% of the water (45L). Then, do I add dechlorintor to the remaining tank water before adding the new water?

Also, should I add more ammonia after the change?

I don't have a hose long enough to refill the way you suggest but that sounds great and ill get it sorted at the weekend.

Thanks,

David.

 
I never worry about my filter media drying out during a water change... it just doesn't take that long that its going to dry out.  I pull it out to rinse it in a bucket of old tank water, but I never have had a problem post-water change because of it drying out.  I use Penguin filters and they stay fairly full of water on their own, and I prime the pump by filling them up again with tank water just before I turn it back on.
 
 
Dechlorinating - if you are using the bucket method, just add sufficient dechlorinator for each volume of the bucket and add it directly to the bucket. I used to add it to the bucket before filling it, and then it would mix in as the bucket filled.  In the case of the hose, I add the dechlorinator directly to the TANK for the full volume of the tank.  
 
 
I would dose the ammonia at the normal level.  It might be a bit later than normal, but I don't think the bacteria will mind.  You can lower the dose a bit if it makes you feel more comfortable.  Aiming for 2-3ppm the whole time, I think you'll still be fine even without adding anything to the bucket.
 
The hose makes the process MUCH more enjoyable.  I don't think that a 75% water change is anything worse than a 25% water change now... Where as before it meant an extra 6 buckets to empty and refill...  the greatest benefit of the hose for me is that I can use the old tank water now to easily (and fairly gently) water my impatiens in the front of the house.  They never looked better before I had fish, and that was while using "Miracle Gro" on them.   They get watered twice a week with old tank water, and they look MARVELOUS for it.  (My summer water change schedule is different from my winter change schedule...)

 

[David J]

Hi again,

That's 50% changed. I put the correct amount of dechlorintor in each bucket. I just used cold water seeing as there are no fish just now. After filling the tank, the temp is around 20 Celsius. I gave the wood and outside of the filter a very quick rub down just using my hand. I will do it properly when I do my big change at the end of the cycle.

Ive added the usual amount of ammonia at 8:40pm. I'm off work tomorrow so might do a couple of tests throughout the day.

Thanks to you all for the advice. I don't know what I'd do without the good folks on this forum. Probably get a dog

David

 

[eaglesaquarium]

That's what we come here to do... help others and talk fish.  I could discuss this all with my wife for about 5 minutes before she'd start to tune me out.  What's the drop then in temp?  From 28C to 20C... that's a little more than the fish can take, especially quickly.  The bacteria will need to adjust a bit to it as well, but they will be fine.
 
 
Enjoy your day off.  I'd scout LFS for some fish, if I were you.

 

[David J]

Yes, 28-29 down to 20. When I'm doing it with fish in, I'll adjust the temp up to try and match. Would mixing cold tap water with hot water from the kettle be ok? I will look to do it the way you do it eventually.

Marion's the same. I asked her to 'run' with the buckets tonight and she was obviously wishing she was elsewhere. I think she's going to enjoy the fish when they're in but she really isn't into any of the nitty gritty like us lot.

I have a busy day tomorrow but I will most likely somehow find time to visit my LFS . There's always time for that.

 

[eaglesaquarium]

mixing hot water and cold water is fine.  Better to have boiling water, as it will give you the best range for temp change.   I don't ask my wife to do much with the tank besides tell me how good it looks!  

   She does enjoy hunting for panda cory fry with me though...  She also feeds the fish when I'm out of town.  But, she doesn't do any of the "dirty" work.

 

[David J]

Mornin all,

First test after the water change and Ammonia is 0.50ppm and Nitrite is 0.25ppm.

Although not zero's, I'm happier than I was yesterday as the ammonia is defiantly still being processed whereas yesterday I wondered if I was back to square one. Also, as Eaglesaquarium said, after adding cold water, the bacteria might need a little time to adjust. I figure that'll have slowed them down a little so a result close to zero is a good result for me today.

I'll do another test in a few hours and see what's happened.

David

 

[eaglesaquarium]

I think you are fine.    Fish being added this weekend is a very viable option.  After adding the fish, you always keep an eye on the ammonia/nitrite for a week until you get double zeros for a straight week.

 

[David J]

Hi

Tested another sample at 2:20pm and got double zero's.

Realistically, with stuff I've got to do now this weekend, I doubt I'll even have time to do a big water change meaning I won't be able to put fish in. There is a tiny chance i might get time on Sunday but probably not. if that doesn't happen I won't really have time until through the week, maybe even until a week today. Very disappointed Today was really the day I was planning to do it but the weird results changed everything.

Other than that, do you think in theory I would be able to put fish in on Sunday?

David

 

[eaglesaquarium]

Yup.  I think you are ready - not for a large stocking, but a small group.  

 

[David J]

Hi

Things haven't worked out time wise for getting fish this weekend. Instead, I've decided to use the coming week sorting out my layout and get it all ready in time for fish either Friday or Saturday.

Today, I went and bought a few live plants, vallis and crypts, which ive placed, but not planted, in the tank. I'm thinking that I will spend a few days getting them into good positions then plant them rather than plant them and decide I don't like their positions. I'm looking for some frogbit online as my LFS didn't have any floating plants. I'm also trying a few different placements for my 2 pieces of bogwood and the rocks I have. I'll also be trying to source a few nice smooth rocks in the coming week.

Tonight's test results gave double zero's as did this morning so all good on that front.

David

 

[daizeUK]

Good stuff.  Have you seen which fish you would like to buy in the LFS, or are you still considering what to get?

 

[David J]

I've decided to start with 7 Lemon tetras. My LFS has them. They're beautiful. I'll go with them for a week or 2 then add some others. I've decided on neon tetra, panda cory's, Bolivian rams, cherry shrimp and either a BN Pleco or some otto's.

Can't wait now.

 

[David J]

Hello

This mornings results were 0.25ppm for both ammonia and nitrite.

I plan to add 7 Lemon Tetras on Friday. Should I be concerned about the slight readings of ammonia and nitrite? After about 13-14 hours it is always zero. Sometimes it is zero after 12 hours.

Regarding the jungle val and crypts I added, there are 2 leaves on the val that were slightly brown when I got them and they have gotten browner. I have read that the leaves can go brown but that it doesn't necessarily mean they are dead leaves. The crypts look fine although a couple of leave do seem to be kind of breaking up (melting?). Could / will this be causing a rise in ammonia? There is an algae growing on my bogwood. It looks like very fine cotton wool and it is waving about in the current. I had this before adding plants, rinsed it all off but since adding the plants there is definitely a lot more of it. Part of my stocking plan was to add 4 otto's but not until about 4 or 5 weeks into stocking. In light of the algae I am considering adding them sooner, perhaps on Friday with the lemon tetra but I'm worried that because these are the first fish I am adding that it might be too much. Should I just not worry about the algae or would it be ok to add them?

I might also post the questions about plants on the planted board.

Thanks,

David

 

[eaglesaquarium]

I wouldn't worry too much about the reading... Yes, when plants brown they produce ammonia, so that could be where the reading is coming from...
 
Having double zeros at 13-14 hours is still very good.  I'd stick with the 7 lemons to start and go from there.  Otos are sensitive fish, so adding them too soon is a dangerous situation.  
 
Algae guide