Abi's Qualifying Week

[waterdrop]

She's more than qualified

 

[abih2005]

I have changed yet another 9 litres and topped it up with fresh dechlorinated water and still the nitrates are 40ppm PlUS! Am gonna change another 9 litres when I'm not so tired and hopefully that'll do it.

 

[abih2005]

Right.... so I switched off the power source and put the filter in a bowl of tank water. Emptied tank by hand right down to the gravel. Rinsed off woods and a few rocks, added around 40 litres of fresh dechlorinated water. Nitrates now read as 5.0.

Think I'll leave the tank alone until I dose it tonight, will get tomorrow only if a final double negative is obtained.... Argh!!! Soooooo nervy spaz inducing!

 

[waterdrop]

That's rather a lot of disturbance for a young colony but it will be a good test of how they can hold up. Its a realistic test of the kinds of maintenance you'll be doing in future once there are fish. Plenty of nitrate can hang out in the filter box itself, so pouring that water out will have lowered the nitrate a big notch I suspect. WD

 

[abih2005]

I was told that a filter holds the bulk of the colony, and that a filter kept in a bowl of tank water can survive for a few hours. It only took me 20 minutes to empty and refill the tank. Have I damaged the cycle then?

Either way, I've been told by several people on this forum that a big tank refill will need to have been done anyway to lower the nitrates before insertion of fish.

 

[waterdrop]

Yes, this is all correct. Its just that normally we like to see the filter stay undisturbed during the fishless cycle and on through the first month or so of having fish, then finally we clean it a month or so after the initial stocking of fish. This is because the colonies are still a little delicate sometimes, still building all their microscopic little calcium channels and all. So normally we only disturb them if they get clogged and flow drops.

But that concern is relative and just another precaution to guard against still getting some blips in the ammonia or nitrite during the first couple of weeks of fish. There's no telling if you would get any and you'll be testing and watching pretty closely the first month anyway, so you'll be able to move in with a water change if that were to happen. And yes, of course the "Big Water Change" is the gateway from Fishless Cycling to Having Fish!

~~waterdrop~~
good luck, I think you'll be fine

 

[abih2005]

OK. Just concerned cos was reassured by members here that taking filter out and putting it into a bowl of tank water was absolutely fine.

Should everything be ok - am I ok to put in 8 halequin rasboras? Some people on here think yes since my tank is cycled to handle a full load, others suggest adding fish two or three at a time to avoid 'overloading' - the former camp warn against this cos it doesn't produce enough ammonia to preserve the colonies?

 

[Twinklecaz]

I'd say either way you'd be fine. I wouldn't recommend fully stocking straight away but 8 Harlequins won't do that

 

[abih2005]

For a 54 litre tank containing 40 litres of water. If I put 8 halequin rasboras in what over fish could I put in to take it up to full stocking?

 

[Twinklecaz]

How's it lost 14 litres?

Lol I dunno, you'd have to ask someone who's good with stocking. I only know about Harlequins coz I was originally planning on getting some (still will when I win the "A 120L Tank Will Not Make the Ceiling Cave in Dad" war!

 

[abih2005]

Hiya - tank is filled with gravel and some rocks and branches of wood. The water itself goes right to the top so no worries about it being underfilled

 

[N0body Of The Goat]

For a 54 litre tank containing 40 litres of water. If I put 8 halequin rasboras in what over fish could I put in to take it up to full stocking?

Different people have varying opinions on these matters, but personally I would say that Harlequins in a 54l for their whole life is not that great, but it could be fine for some youngsters until they reach juvenile size before you then upgrade them to a 3-foot or longer tank.

Having just copy/pasted part of my reply to a similar tank stocking, here are some options to look at if these fish are staying in the 54l for their whole life...
Hengels Rasbora
Chilli Rasbora
Coffeebean Rasbora (looked very similar to Chillis, saw them yesterday for first time)
Sawbwa Barb
Celestial Pearl Danios
Forktail Blue Eye Rainbowfish (Miss Wiggle might get jealous, as she wants some but also want Angelfish that will eat them at some point

)
Emerald Dwarf Rasboras
Kuhli Loaches
Indian Red Tail Squirrel Loaches
Filament Glassfish
Badis

The above is far from an extensive list, it merely dips a metaphoric toe in the water as regards "micro fish."

 

[abih2005]

Double 0s....



Best be off to get me some harlequin rasboras! (7)

 

[Twinklecaz]

Yay Abi!

I still don't get how you lose 14L with just some decor though. Is it really that much? I ask coz that prob means mine holds even less than I think.

 

[abih2005]

Well 40l is a rough estimate, I ended up taking out some rocks to reduce clutter and increase shoaling space. I presume it's ok for me to get 7 harlequin rasboras as advised earlier in this thread? Peter wanted to know what other fish we could get, he didn't really appreciate hearing that there's not enough room for very many more!

Have double checking the stocking threads, harlies seem to be on the big size for the tank I have. I've made a note of spotted/glowlight/mosquito and bridget rasboras as possible alternatives instead.