waterdrop
Enthusiastic "Re-Beginner"
watch out for MW, she's attempting swaps all over the forum today 
Fishless Cycling
- Thread starter Thommo
- Start date
Miss Wiggle
Practically perfect in every way
oh yes, better life on it's way to me if i can just wangle one or two!
waterdrop
Enthusiastic "Re-Beginner"
o i hate to step outa this mornings fun but i gotta go catch a bus!! 
fishman3
Fish Fanatic
ok guys go easy please i am a noobie........
After having great success with a small (6-7g) tank i am hooked!! I had a real problem getting the ecology of the cold water tank correctly due to bad information from the larger stores in the uk like pets @ home. Anyway the challenge that it presented and the benefits my daughter now gets from this mini aquarium were well worth it..... so.....
I have recently purchased an aquastyle AR620 90 litre tank as a toy for myself which i have planted with approx 9 plants and 2 pieces (small pieces) of bogwood (1 with a plant growing on). I got the bogwood from my lfs direct from their tanks so as to help seed the tank filter media. The filter system is contained in the hood of the tank and has bio noodles, bio sponge and carbon and wool type material in two chambers, the water flows down through the first chamber from the power head and spray bar and up through the next chamber. Sorry if i am being too detailed, i havent even got to my question yet!!!
I have added stress coat and stress zyme to take the chlorine from the tap water and kick start the biological process (i know their are non believers in these products but i thought they carnt hurt any!!) after my tank cleared up (went cloudy for about a day or so) i have now begun the fishless cycle process as i believe it is the most humane way to go (nobody at the fish stores i have visited have recommended this btw they all seem to adopt the small hardy fish process first). I washed my cold water aquarium filter in the tank during the last water change as the ecology in my cold water tank is good and has even promoted the long fin zebra danios and my WCMM to try and spawn. (not interested in breeding just yet i may add).
Firstly i want to know if washing the filter through in my tank like this is effectively "seeding" my new filter or is it a waste of time?
secondly I'm not sure whether to use the wait method or the daily method and would like some of your thoughts. I know that this could depend on fish choices so i have put some of my initial ideas down below.
Lower layers - Corys, Amercian Flag Fish, Gobies
Middle layers - tetras (i know i need a well established ecology for these fish but i love them), torpedo tetras, dwarf gourami, guppies
Upper layers - hatchet fish and half beaks
third and finally, based on the thoughts i have of the fish i may stock (would love to have balas but i guess even if i got the small ones i would have to give them back once they had grown a little) are there any potential problems between these species.
Recommendations would also be very very welcome.
Thanks in advance for your help guys
Phil
After having great success with a small (6-7g) tank i am hooked!! I had a real problem getting the ecology of the cold water tank correctly due to bad information from the larger stores in the uk like pets @ home. Anyway the challenge that it presented and the benefits my daughter now gets from this mini aquarium were well worth it..... so.....
I have recently purchased an aquastyle AR620 90 litre tank as a toy for myself which i have planted with approx 9 plants and 2 pieces (small pieces) of bogwood (1 with a plant growing on). I got the bogwood from my lfs direct from their tanks so as to help seed the tank filter media. The filter system is contained in the hood of the tank and has bio noodles, bio sponge and carbon and wool type material in two chambers, the water flows down through the first chamber from the power head and spray bar and up through the next chamber. Sorry if i am being too detailed, i havent even got to my question yet!!!
I have added stress coat and stress zyme to take the chlorine from the tap water and kick start the biological process (i know their are non believers in these products but i thought they carnt hurt any!!) after my tank cleared up (went cloudy for about a day or so) i have now begun the fishless cycle process as i believe it is the most humane way to go (nobody at the fish stores i have visited have recommended this btw they all seem to adopt the small hardy fish process first). I washed my cold water aquarium filter in the tank during the last water change as the ecology in my cold water tank is good and has even promoted the long fin zebra danios and my WCMM to try and spawn. (not interested in breeding just yet i may add).
Firstly i want to know if washing the filter through in my tank like this is effectively "seeding" my new filter or is it a waste of time?
secondly I'm not sure whether to use the wait method or the daily method and would like some of your thoughts. I know that this could depend on fish choices so i have put some of my initial ideas down below.
Lower layers - Corys, Amercian Flag Fish, Gobies
Middle layers - tetras (i know i need a well established ecology for these fish but i love them), torpedo tetras, dwarf gourami, guppies
Upper layers - hatchet fish and half beaks
third and finally, based on the thoughts i have of the fish i may stock (would love to have balas but i guess even if i got the small ones i would have to give them back once they had grown a little) are there any potential problems between these species.
Recommendations would also be very very welcome.
Thanks in advance for your help guys
Phil
OP
OP
Thommo
Fish Fanatic
sunburnt country, i had to struggle to get my little micra to and from work the last few days in 10" of snow.
fancy a swap!
Na I'm good. A Holiday would be ok though
. Only been to the snow once. It definitly would be interesting to have to deal with every day. MW, you are welcome to come to Austrail anytime. We seem to let all sorts of people in
OP
OP
Thommo
Fish Fanatic
Well here is an update for anyone who cares
Got home Wednesday and after hitting zero's for 2 days I went and got my fish from a guy from work. I know I am supposed to wait another week so please do not hate me
. It was more of an executive decision on my behalf. Of course having fish might have swayed my thinking a little . I'm only home for 2 weeks at a time and the best chance for me to ensure the fish settle in ok is to be home with them for as long as possible. So hence getting the fishies.
I am now better able to keep tabs on Ammonia and NitrItes to ensure that I get no blips and if I need to do a water change I can.
All tests to date have been 0 for AM and NI, so fingers crossed it stays that way.
I firstly would like to thank all who had input into this thread and thank you for some really great advice.
I have attached some piccies to make you all jealous
The Discus are settling in nicely and are all eating straight away. They have lost a bit of colour due to the move but are coming back to their original form surprisingly quickly.
My fave photo so far.
The largest who is around 150mm(6")
CHEERS
Thommo
Got home Wednesday and after hitting zero's for 2 days I went and got my fish from a guy from work. I know I am supposed to wait another week so please do not hate me
. It was more of an executive decision on my behalf. Of course having fish might have swayed my thinking a little . I'm only home for 2 weeks at a time and the best chance for me to ensure the fish settle in ok is to be home with them for as long as possible. So hence getting the fishies.I am now better able to keep tabs on Ammonia and NitrItes to ensure that I get no blips and if I need to do a water change I can.
All tests to date have been 0 for AM and NI, so fingers crossed it stays that way.
I firstly would like to thank all who had input into this thread and thank you for some really great advice.
I have attached some piccies to make you all jealous
The Discus are settling in nicely and are all eating straight away.
They have lost a bit of colour due to the move but are coming back to their original form surprisingly quickly.My fave photo so far.
The largest who is around 150mm(6")
CHEERS
Thommo
indir-emir
Fish Addict
Yay, congratulations Thommo! They are very nice looking fish Going to be getting my fish tomorrow. Wont be as big or pretty as that though
Congratulations my friend!
Regards,
Indir
Going to be getting my fish tomorrow. Wont be as big or pretty as that though Congratulations my friend!
Regards,
Indir
Miss Wiggle
Practically perfect in every way
oooooooh fishies, can't view pics from work unfortunately.
keep us posted how you get on now they're in!
keep us posted how you get on now they're in!
waterdrop
Enthusiastic "Re-Beginner"
oooooh, your missin it MW! Thommo's been holdin out on us, looks like a very experienced aquarist with that tank!!
Miss Wiggle
Practically perfect in every way
curse my shoddy work internet access......... hopefully this problem will be rectified soon though! Had 2 very promising job leads today
waterdrop
Enthusiastic "Re-Beginner"
'course maybe your UK employers (many of whom seem to do this pic blocking thing, hardly ever heard of it over here) are smart in the long run.. getting more productivity.. and you guys will come out of the economic gloom sooner than us, who knows? But really though it just seems like smart people should be trusted to budget their time, no matter what level the particular job, as it would lead to happier workers... like those who just had a happy break looking at a beautiful discus fish!curse my shoddy work internet access......... hopefully this problem will be rectified soon though! Had 2 very promising job leads today
-wd-
Miss Wiggle
Practically perfect in every way
yup!
I'm a happy productive worker and I haven't missed a deadline yet. taking short breaks helps me to focus!
OP
OP
Thommo
Fish Fanatic
Thanks for the nice replies guys.
Discus really are a beautiful fish. I really like watching the siamese algae eaters too though. There are 5 in there and it is very interesting to wath them playing around.
Stats today are still zero for all incuding nitrAtes(hungry plants) so all still looking good PH is lower of course because CO2 is back on now the cycle is finished
I just hope the clown loaches don't rip up too much more of the tank trying to get some tasty little snails. They are quite large and very very quick. I realy do not want to try to have to get them out if I have to.
CHEERS
Thommo
Discus really are a beautiful fish. I really like watching the siamese algae eaters too though. There are 5 in there and it is very interesting to wath them playing around.
Stats today are still zero for all incuding nitrAtes(hungry plants) so all still looking good
PH is lower of course because CO2 is back on now the cycle is finishedI just hope the clown loaches don't rip up too much more of the tank trying to get some tasty little snails. They are quite large and very very quick. I realy do not want to try to have to get them out if I have to.
CHEERS
Thommo
Miss Wiggle
Practically perfect in every way
have to say thommo that is one of the most impressive first tanks i've ever seen. kudos to you. nice job!
OP
OP
Thommo
Fish Fanatic
Thanks MW, I just gotta try and keep it that way,with the loaches in there
stats were still all good this mornining. Will test it again a little later.
It was SO funny today, my daughter has been copying me and she went and got a little stool out and sat it in front of the tank and watched the fish, just like her Dad
. SO CUTE!! 
CHEERS
Thommo
stats were still all good this mornining. Will test it again a little later.
It was SO funny today, my daughter has been copying me and she went and got a little stool out and sat it in front of the tank and watched the fish, just like her Dad
. SO CUTE!! CHEERS
Thommo
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