Finally Took The Plunge

[toshapetriji]

Well after a 5 week wait my cycle was finished last week so today finally took the plunge and bought some fish. I didn´t manage to get all the species I wanted but nevertheless I think I did ok. Hope they like their new home.

Anyway I finally decided on

10 Cardinal Teras
A pair of lace Gourami
5 Pepered Cory
2 Rosy Barbs

I plan to add to this after a couple of months when hopefully they have all settled in OK.

 

[ox5477]

For the next week or so, check you water everyday, you may see a slight spike in ammonia or nitrite due to the fish just being added. If you see any spike, do a 30% wc. But, within a week your tank should be stabilized and you should be off and running.

Post some pics if you like.... im sure I can speak for others that we'd love to see your tank

Ox

 

[toshapetriji]

Thanks ox for you reply. As soon as I work out how to post some pics I will.

 

[Miss Wiggle]

brilliant, and yes.... pics please

 

[waterdrop]

Wonderful, yes, really happy for you - its a great moment to give up the fishless and switch over to the real world

You've followed the system well, with the extra week at the end even, so your filter should be pretty stable.

I agree with ox though, of your 4 species, the cardinals and the corries may be potentially a little more sensitive to even small blips in ammonia and/or nitrite, so watch carefully and do the water changes right away if the tests show anything.

One thing I'll say from my own experience: if you are thorough about testing and fishless cycling, the keeping of fish is made to seem easier! I mean, its very important not to let the maintenance water changes slip, but overall I'm certainly finding normal fishkeeping less work than fishless cycling!

~~waterdrop~~

 

[toshapetriji]

Yes waterdrop I know what you mean about it being work but you know I really enjoyed the cycle. I learnt a lot and it gave me time to ask lots of questions here in newbies. In additon I had time to really take some time over the choice of fish.

Anyway here what I see just now.

Corries got straight to work doing their stuff in the sand, a good choice I think.
Rosy Barbs exploring around looking for food, and a love nest me thinks lol.
Cardinals very shy but coming out from the plants now.
Gourami very suave taking thir time looking around the place as if hadn´t a care in the world.

So far so good.

 

[Miss Wiggle]

One thing I'll say from my own experience: if you are thorough about testing and fishless cycling, the keeping of fish is made to seem easier! I mean, its very important not to let the maintenance water changes slip, but overall I'm certainly finding normal fishkeeping less work than fishless cycling!

and this is precisley why we advise people to do a fishless cycle. the difficult part of fishkeeping is the cycle, so it makes sense to take the pain of the cycle with no fish to worry about.

If you've got the tank set up right in the first place then you shouldn't have significant problems when you come to adding fish.

 

[toshapetriji]

We all concentrate on keeping ammonia and nitrite as low as possible but I don´t see too much about nitrate. Obviously we lower that with water changes but what is an acceptable level for nitrate?

TVM

 

[Miss Wiggle]

thats a big question tbh

The level of acceptable nitrate is quite debatable, the generally accepted practice is to try to keep it below 20ppm above your tap water. so if your tap water has 0ppm of nitrate you should try to keep the tank at 20ppm or less, but if you have 40ppm in your tap water then try to keep it 60ppm or less.

However the few studies which have been done into the toxicity of nitrate in aquarium's indicate that levels of 400ppm+ are still safe so it's really not a major concenr.

Add into the equation the fact that our home nitrate test kits are not very reliable or accurate so readings should be taken as indicative at best..... you can see how this all gets a little bit complicated.

The simple answer is just keep them as low as you can.

 

[toshapetriji]

Thanks for the quick reply MW. An encyclopedia as normal.

 

[toshapetriji]

Pictures as promised.

Not brilliant pics I know but cheap camera and even cheaper operator.

I´m taking bookings for weddings though.... anyone?.

 

[Miss Wiggle]

awww cute little tank, looking good

 

[ox5477]

Very Nice! Thought about a background? Nice black background would make the fish and decor pop!

I guess I should add too, the amount of nitrate I would attribute your species of fish your keeping as well. Some of the more sensitive (usually the inbred species like neons) species I wouldn't risk at higher levels. I usually say a good level of nitrate is under 60 to 80ppm. That is because my tank have some larger omnivorous/predatory cichlids and the underseas bovines that are silver dollers. So most of my fish in my big tank can chow through a lot of food and therefore produce a good amount of waste. And going by the weekly wc rule, at the end of the week, there is usually 50 to 70ppm of nitrate.. depending on how much was left over from the week before. But for a community setting with small shoalers, then prob wanna keep it down around 20 to 40 as Miss Wiggle has stated to make sure they stay healthy.

Ox

 

[SJ2K]

Im going to second the background suggestion, it helps draw your attention into the tank rather then through it.

 

[Ficious]

i absolutly love sand in FW tanks!!! ive been wanting to get some forever now, is that marine sand?