Big Question , New Member ^.^

[knig6]

Hey guy's, how y'all doing, i just brought a 20 liter tank, there wasnt no specific length/width, i also brought an AquaClear power filter(30) and a heater with temperature, got hoods light, and gravel, and i want to know

-what do i need to do before adding fish? (how and what else and little instruction)
-what else i need to buy??
-is there a plant that fish feed off of?
-and i heard there this fish that cleans your tank?(true or false question , with name and price range)

more question added later,thanks so much guys! =]


-Knig6

 

[fatheadminnow]

You need to do a fishless cycle before you can add fish.

A fishless cycle on average takes 4-6 weeks.

Here is the link to how to do a fishless cycle: http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=113861

You also need to buy a liquid test kit, the API Freshwater Master Test Kit is a very good test kit.

You also need to buy a water conditioner to de-chlorinate you tap water before you put it in your tank.

I would buy the API Stress Coat + for a good water conditioner.

-FHM

 

[knig6]

Thanks soo much, right now i got API -Tap Water Conditioner

and im raising 2 betta, but im getting some angels and some other fish after the fishless cycle, and i have readed the fishless cycle, but i dont quite understand it, and also thank you so much for welcoming me, hope you could assist me more, if you can't thanks, and also my stores, told me nothing bout fishless cycle

 

[fatheadminnow]

Yes I can assist you!

Basically when you get he ammonia and everything, and use the calculator at the top right of the page here, you want to add up to 5 ppm of ammonia in your tank.

Bacteria will soon colonize in your filter that will process this ammonia.

When ammonia is processed it turns into NitrIte.

Obviously when ammonia is processed, it is going to go down. So when ammonia starts to drop down near 1 ppm, you want to add back up to 5 ppm.

Eventually you are going to colonize enough bacteria in your filter to process 5 ppm of ammonia to nitrite and than finally to nitrate in 12 hours.

So, first you add up to 5 ppm.

Check in 12 hours to see where you are at.

Check than again at 24 hours, (so checking every 12 hours) to see where you are at again.

When ammonia goes down near 1 ppm, add up to 5 ppm.

You want o add ammonia every 24 hours, but check every 12 hours.

-FHM

 

[CKutz]

its also good to keep a record of what your ammonia, nitrite, nitrate levels are..so you can see the progression.

also, don't expect your lfs people to be the most knowledgeable people around...sometimes they actually don't tell you the right way to do things because if you do it that way, they will lose money because you won't be using all kinds of costly chemicals and filter pads, that they recommend

 

[pippoodle]

Thanks soo much, right now i got API -Tap Water Conditioner

and im raising 2 betta, but im getting some angels and some other fish after the fishless cycle, and i have readed the fishless cycle, but i dont quite understand it, and also thank you so much for welcoming me, hope you could assist me more, if you can't thanks, and also my stores, told me nothing bout fishless cycle

Welcome to the site

sorry hun but you're not planning on angels for the 20 litre tank are you ? cos that tank is way to small for angels

that tank would be perfect to house 1 male or 1 female betta , or some shrimp or microrasboras and some snails
remember you'll need a heater

I wouldn't worry too much about what you are going to house in the tank though just yet , you'll have a few weeks of cycling to read up on what species can be housed in a 20 litre tank

 

[knig6]

I wouldn't worry too much about what you are going to house in the tank though just yet , you'll have a few weeks of cycling to read up on what species can be housed in a 20 litre tank

Im not really worried on what im going to be raising just yet, and thanks for the tip everybody, im not aiming for anything big, proberly some small fish, or gold fish, basically im getting free fish,but thanks for recommending me to later look at the species

Yes I can assist you!

Basically when you get he ammonia and everything, and use the calculator at the top right of the page here, you want to add up to 5 ppm of ammonia in your tank.

Bacteria will soon colonize in your filter that will process this ammonia.

When ammonia is processed it turns into NitrIte.

Obviously when ammonia is processed, it is going to go down. So when ammonia starts to drop down near 1 ppm, you want to add back up to 5 ppm.

Eventually you are going to colonize enough bacteria in your filter to process 5 ppm of ammonia to nitrite and than finally to nitrate in 12 hours.

So, first you add up to 5 ppm.

Check in 12 hours to see where you are at.

Check than again at 24 hours, (so checking every 12 hours) to see where you are at again.

When ammonia goes down near 1 ppm, add up to 5 ppm.

You want o add ammonia every 24 hours, but check every 12 hours.

-FHM

sorry if im double posting, i just wanted to say big ups for the handy info, quick question, after few weeks of fishless cycling, do i need to do it again or just done for that tank, and i only do it if its a new tank?

 

[fatheadminnow]

Once you have a mature filter, and you want to get another tank going.

You can just put some mature filter media form your current tank into your new filter, this will greatly speed up the cycling process!

-FHM

 

[knig6]

i'm really sorry with all these question, well i just traded my 20L to a 20Gallon fish tank( YAY ME!)

so with a big changed in size, i can contain much better fish'es right?

 

[fatheadminnow]

i'm really sorry with all these question, well i just traded my 20L to a 20Gallon fish tank( YAY ME!)

so with a big changed in size, i can contain much better fish'es right?

Form going from a 20 liter to a 20 gallon tank, yes you will be able to have more fish.

-FHM

 

[knig6]

ergg this is an emergency guys, my male betta start making bubbles in his little bowl, my girl brought a female so he wont be lonely, and i dont want to grow frys and keep them unhealthy and in a cramped area, so i just started my 20gallon tank, so this is aggravating me, should i take the betta's and put them in the big tank and put tap water conditioner? or should i just ignore it ASAP

thanks !!!

-knig6

 

[Mikaila31]

I would seperate the male and female betta, as one will eventually kill the other. You can put the female in a large food grade bin. It should hold at least a gallon, but 2-3 gallons would be much better. Change the water every day or too and the betta will be fine till you get the other tank cycled, or get the female her own real bowl.

The male should stay in his own tank, as they will attack other fish. The female can go in the big tank once it is cycled, they are relatively peaceful.

 

[knig6]

atm, i got nothing except 1 small bowl, and one 20 gallon

 

[Devorax]

Something is better than nothing mind, get them apart and keep them apart! Even a small tub with a lid (with air holes) placed in a warm location is better than having them together! But you will need to get her some proper accommodation today if at all possible, minimum size 3 gallons is preferred, with heater. A filter isn't absolutely essential IF you do water changes frequently (ie 100% changes 2-3 times weekly) but a low powered filter is definitely the best solution. Shame you didn't have the 20L AND the 20G, that would have been perfect!

 

[arobinson1984]

You will be able to keep a few more fish in the 20 gallon tank but the tank isn't big enough for angels or goldfish, you need at least a 30 gallon for these as they grow quite big and angels especially shouldn't be kept in tanks that are less than 18 inches in height at an absolute minimum.

Andy