Fish-In Cycle Advice

[fluttermoth]

How about trying to buy some cycled media from your LFS

I've already asked, they use undergravel filters .. It's gonna be a long road ahead I think.. 2 1/2 weeks in and no sign of nitrites

You could still ask for a little bit of gravel from them. You have space for extra media in the Edge filter if you take the carbon (which you don't need on a day to day basis) out

 

[Corrine]

After daily water changes for the last 6weeks my 23l tank is now cycled.. !!! Well it has had 0ppm readings for ammonia and nitrite for the last 2 days with no water changes .. !! I'll keep testing every day untill the weekend just to be sure ! My planned stock list for this tank is ...

6-10x male endler guppies
6x Crystal Red Shrimp

So...

1) The tank has a red honey gourami & an oto in it (they will be transferred into my 180l once fishless cycle complete).. Can i add my 6 shrimp this weekend?

2) Since i have completed a fish-in cycle.. how should I go about adding the endlers? (How many should i add at once? How long between additions etc)

Thankyou

 

[Prime Ordeal]

Excellent news Corinne!

If we're talking about the 23l tank here (actually it's more of a cup than a tank! ) ten is the maximum I would put in there and that's if they're all males, the females are larger. But they should be put in first before the shrimp. In such a small tank I would only put five in to start and then a week or two later the other five (keeping a close eye on water parameters for a few days after). The shrimps should then be put in a couple of weeks after that when you're certain the tank is stable.

Personally though I think it's such a small tank that I wouldn't go above six male endler's and a few shrimp.

 

[Corrine]

Excellent news Corinne!

If we're talking about the 23l tank here (actually it's more of a cup than a tank! ) ten is the maximum I would put in there and that's if they're all males, the females are larger. But they should be put in first before the shrimp. In such a small tank I would only put five in to start and then a week or two later the other five (keeping a close eye on water parameters for a few days after). The shrimps should then be put in a couple of weeks after that when you're certain the tank is stable.

Personally though I think it's such a small tank that I wouldn't go above six male endler's and a few shrimp.

Yeah going to stick with all males .. Why do the shrimp have to be added last, is it because they are more sensitive than the guppies?

Now I just need my 180l to fishless cycle so I can start stocking it Doesn't look like that will be too far away now