Am I Doing It Right? (Very New Fish Keeper)

[Matthew066]

Hey

Last Thursday I was in Kmart and saw the fish tank starter kit it wasn't the first time but for some od reason I really just thought it would be a great new thing to start. ( wasn't wrong but still a lot more to it then I thought! ) after of a few times studying online ect I have learnt the very basics of it and I want to make sure I'm doing it alright.

So my tank I brought is only a 20L. It came with a filter that is made for up to 40L tanks witch is great. I brought a heater witch is a 25 degrees one. Seems to not be doing anything but I'd need to give it time. I have acquired some water ager and added that in as well to the correct amount specified. Theirs plenty of gravel and a few plastic plants and 2 half log peices.

Now the complications.... Without knowing anything about cycling I brought 2 goldfish. But lucky enough the shop keeper made me get api quick start. Meant to control the ammonia/ nitrate levels so fish can be inserted straight away.

I have learnt about in fish cycling. So I plane to buy a water test kit the liqid ones not strips cause they are horrible I hear and control the water levels. The Internet says I will need to check these levels atleast twice a day and change the water. 25 or 50% I think it might depend on the levels ?!?!

But with all said is there any tips or something I really should know or am I doing something wrong that I haven't addressed and most of all I just want to know will my fish be fine as long as I do put all this effort into it.

 

[Goggy]

here look at this http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/421488-cycling-your-new-fresh-water-tank-read-this-first/
that is how to do the fish less cycle while you are using an API quick start. Quick start is good for starting up aquariums with hardy fish like goldfish you need to test nitrate nitrite pH amonia levels once every week if amonia is high use this http/www.apifishcare.com/product.php?id=654#.VF43QvTF-4I if pH is high use this http/www.apifishcare.com/product.php?p=downloads&id=641 to test things use this http/www.apifishcare.com/product.php?sectionid=1&catid=18&subcatid=94&id=580#.VF436fTF-4I

 

[Essjay]

Unfortunately goldfish are not suitable for a 20 litre tank. They need a tank several times that volume. The best thing you could do would be to return the goldfish to the shop, buy some ammonia and do a fishless cycle - the method is in the link Goggy gave you.
Then once the tank is cycled, buy a betta, aka Siamese fighting fish, or some shrimps. They are the only creatures that are suitable for 20 litres.

 

[Ninjouzata]

As said above, this tank is not suitable at all for goldfish so I would definitely return them ASAP and then do a fish-less cycle.
After that you could get a betta and/or some shrimp (bettas are usually likely to eat shrimp so it's up to you if you'd want them together).

 

[Matthew066]

Thank you for the replies. Note I will get a bigger tank when possible but for now they are only very small

I did my first water test today and the quick start appears to have done its job. The no2/no3 levels were at zero. The ph was around the 7.5 mark witch ived researched and appears fine for gold fish. The gh/kh were high so I did a water change of 25%. Adding some more quick start and water ager with it. I'm going to do another test tonight and change the water it need be again. I understand fish in cycle is not recommended but people do it just fine if they know what they are doing and have done the research. In other words just know Im taking care of them and doing ALOT of research to keep them alive and well.

Any further advice will be welcomed ofcourse!

 

[Goggy]

Unfortunately goldfish are not suitable for a 20 litre tank. They need a tank several times that volume. The best thing you could do would be to return the goldfish to the shop, buy some ammonia and do a fishless cycle - the method is in the link Goggy gave you.
Then once the tank is cycled, buy a betta, aka Siamese fighting fish, or some shrimps. They are the only creatures that are suitable for 20 litres.

Some goldfish can be suitable for smaller tanks live ranchu goldfish

As said above, this tank is not suitable at all for goldfish so I would definitely return them ASAP and then do a fish-less cycle.
After that you could get a betta and/or some shrimp (bettas are usually likely to eat shrimp so it's up to you if you'd want them together).

yes agreed i was just throwing options out there while fishless cycle is the best

 

[Essjay]

I did my first water test today and the quick start appears to have done its job. The no2/no3 levels were at zero.

 
What is the ammonia reading? That is the first thing to show up during a fish-in cycle; nitrite only appears once some ammonia eating bacteria have grown and start turning ammonia into nitrite. It usually takes a couple of weeks for nitrite to appear. In the meantime, ammonia will be building up so you do need to test for that.
The fact that your nitrate is zero indicates that you are only at the very start of the cycle, the ammonia stage.

 

Unfortunately goldfish are not suitable for a 20 litre tank. They need a tank several times that volume. The best thing you could do would be to return the goldfish to the shop, buy some ammonia and do a fishless cycle - the method is in the link Goggy gave you.
Then once the tank is cycled, buy a betta, aka Siamese fighting fish, or some shrimps. They are the only creatures that are suitable for 20 litres.

Some goldfish can be suitable for smaller tanks live ranchu goldfish

 

 
 
But not as small as 20 litres.

 

[Goggy]

 

I did my first water test today and the quick start appears to have done its job. The no2/no3 levels were at zero.

 
What is the ammonia reading? That is the first thing to show up during a fish-in cycle; nitrite only appears once some ammonia eating bacteria have grown and start turning ammonia into nitrite. It usually takes a couple of weeks for nitrite to appear. In the meantime, ammonia will be building up so you do need to test for that.
The fact that your nitrate is zero indicates that you are only at the very start of the cycle, the ammonia stage.

 


Unfortunately goldfish are not suitable for a 20 litre tank. They need a tank several times that volume. The best thing you could do would be to return the goldfish to the shop, buy some ammonia and do a fishless cycle - the method is in the link Goggy gave you.
Then once the tank is cycled, buy a betta, aka Siamese fighting fish, or some shrimps. They are the only creatures that are suitable for 20 litres.

Some goldfish can be suitable for smaller tanks live ranchu goldfish

 

 
 
But not as small as 20 litres.
 


yes