Cycling with, ahem, "natural" ammonia...

[Jimmy Twotimes]

Hi guys

Finally set up my tank this saturday, bogwood, gravel, plants (fake and real), filled it and added ammonia (ok - urine , cant get the stuff in the UK. I couldnt do a cycle with fish as I dont want them to suffer unneccessarily).

Anyway, checked the ammonia levels and it was over the 5ppm. I've carried on over the weekend adding slightly less than i did to begin with but regularly none the less.

First issue - it smells a bit! Is this normal and will this go once nitrites start to kick in?

Secondly my light controller unit (Convertagear?) is placed under the hood on top of the glass condensation tray. Is this OK? I know the box said it should be kept away from the tank but I have no space and it sits neatly under there with no trailing wires. It doesnt appear damp or overly hot...

Thanks for your help.

Jimmy

32 Gallon Tank (UK)

Hoping to get once cycled:

5 Zebra Danios
5 Platys
3 Kuhli Loaches
5 Guppies
1 SwordTail
Maybe a Dwarf Oto

 

[Cian McLiam]

eeeek! Well, I'll nominate you for 'Sewage of the Month'

Ken

 

[Alien Anna]

Sounds fine to me. Nitrite does have a smell but it seems that only certain people can smell it. Ammonia definitely smells.

Your light sounds fine.

 

[Jimmy Twotimes]

Cheers Anna, hoping the smell will subside soon as the last thing I want is to show off my new tank to family and friends only for them to be intoxicated by the awful smell!!!

Patience is the key as usual with this hobby.

If you got the time - does my list of wannabe fish look ok for a balanced community aquarium (bear in mind I am an absolute newbie...)?

Thanks again.

Jimmy32 Gallon Tank (UK)

Hoping to get once cycled:

5 Zebra Danios
5 Platys
3 Kuhli Loaches
5 Guppies
1 SwordTail
Maybe a Dwarf Oto or two....

 

[Lateral Line]

>>>
Secondly my light controller unit (Convertagear?) is placed under the hood on top of the glass condensation tray. Is this OK?
<<<

That sounds highly dubious to me, however, without seeing it, it's difficult to comment further.

 

[Alien Anna]

>>>
Secondly my light controller unit (Convertagear?) is placed under the hood on top of the glass condensation tray. Is this OK?
<<<

That sounds highly dubious to me, however, without seeing it, it's difficult to comment further.

Sounds exactly how the light fitting is intended to work in one of my hoods. Just to check, are the end caps waterproof and either side of the condensation tray? The bulb needs to be clear of the glass. If it isn't, its a simple matter of putting something under each end-cap just to give it a few mm's clearance.

 

[Lateral Line]

Err, Anna...

>>>
Secondly my light controller unit (Convertagear?) is placed under the hood on top of the glass condensation tray. Is this OK?
<<<

... I don't think we're talking tubes here.

 

[Alien Anna]

Err, Anna...

>>>
Secondly my light controller unit (Convertagear?) is placed under the hood on top of the glass condensation tray. Is this OK?
<<<

... I don't think we're talking tubes here.

Oops, good call! )

Yes, the hot, electric bit should be as far away from the water as you can get it. It should definitely be out of the tank. Otherwise you could electocute yourself or your fish or both.

 

[Jimmy Twotimes]

Yes I mean the bit with the switch on it. Better move it out of there then. Just that the cables seemed a bit short to put anywhere else.

Any thoughts on my fishes? Want to stick to small stuff, nothing that grows to big or anything to boisterous....

 

[Alien Anna]

5 Zebra Danios
5 Platys
3 Kuhli Loaches
5 Guppies
1 SwordTail
Maybe a Dwarf Oto or two....

With schooling fish you want to have a group of at least 6-8, which includes danios, kuhli loaches and otos.

Platies aren't so good in big groups - you're generally better to have a male with 2-3 females. Likewise guppies - neither are schooling fish.

So far your plan is marginally under-stocking your tank. You do have livebearers in there who'll breed, of course.

Looking good so far.

 

[Jimmy Twotimes]

Just rushed home to take the switch box out of the hood. Worried I might burn the house down if anything went wrong. Its an Arcadia switch box, so bulky an ugly I've no idea where to hide it.....

Thanks Anna, I'd rather understock especially at this stage so new to the hobby. I dont want to be worrying too much, I'd like to enjoy the fish and try to keep them disease free as much as possible.

So if I went with:

6 Danios
6 Kuhlis
1 male Platy and 3 females
1 male guppy and 2 females
1 sword tail

Think I might drop the Ottos. Dont want to over burden the bottom of the tank....

Would Tetras fit in nicely to my above scheme....? Any other suggestions would be appreciated.

Jimmy

 

[dunc_man_fishy]

Em just thought I would add that you can get ammonia easily in the uk.

A company called Challs makes a product called Max power Ammonia. Get it from a traditional hardware store or they do mail order!

Challs site

This is what I used and from the safety sheets online I got ingredients and there appears to be no added ingredients.