Help With Setup

[s_bonnewell]

Yes sorry to the OP, I didn't mean to sound short in what I said. It's just that as I was reading there was a single question I kept asking myself (and saw no answer too), which was that it was all well and good planning stocking, but had you cycled the tank? Or even been told about cycling...

You really do seem to want to do the right thing. So I'm guessing chances are you haven't come across 'cycling' before, or you just decided not to mention it. Eitherways I had to ask just incase.

Thats alright,
well, I had the tank running for a full month with fresh plants to take plant also. I heard the plants can help treat the water also. I have cycled the tank, experienced the early stages of cloudy nitrate and matured the filter, I think enough? I used tetra aquastart at the initial filling up and tetra aquabalance 2 weeks after. I think my NO3 might have been high but on the test it showed up as just over 35mg on the test strip. 100mg is the end danger point so that was a relief. I did a 10% change fortnightly. My ph is between 6.5 to 7 all my other stats are pretty textbook really, I am just keeping an eye on the nitrates NO2 & NO3. I have a fresh mix of plants and a small piece of bogwood for the plec, but thats still soaking (cant get the #40## thing to weight down lol). my temp is at 27C constant I have internal and external thermometer.

before I put the fish in I mildly treated the water to a general desease tonic at 50% of dose to the ltr to ensure the fish that go in will not transplant fungal desease from the shop (even though they looked very healthy). I didnt want to take the chance as the fish came from 2 different places as I researched into them before buying and had to trace through known aquariumists.

I am using Nutrafin Fish crisps high in omega3 daily and with colour enhancer (small amount), a mix of frozen shrimp and bloodworm, spirulina shrimp ect to mix it up works out I use 1 frozen cube of one of the frozen typ over 4 days (dethaw it and feed it into the tank with tweezers) kept refrigerated in a small plastic cup.

I am still learning a lot so please please help as I have to keep them alive now lol.

oh and an update on the fish...

They all seem to be relaxed with each other and have all found there quiet places at the moment. The ciclids are in the small pots, the rams are in the vegatation (they are kissing it seems? and like doing some side by side back to front dance thing?) the cardinals are just swimming around midway to surface and picking sometimes off the bottom.

well the plec... its doing the plec thing i suppose, hiding on heater and behind pump and sucking on things lol. is this normal behaviour for the german blue rams

 

[Curiosity101]

Ah. You haven't cycled the tank. Depending on how long the fish have been in and how well the plants are growing then your levels may not be too bad.

I strongly suggest you go to the beginners section and read all the cycling topics.
Also you really need a liquid test kit, the strips are unbelievably in-accurate. And although 100ppm of Nitrates can be ok for some fish, it doesn't apply to all. And the general rule of thumb is to aim to keep within 10-20ppm of your tap water.

Here are the basics of cycling....but please do read the cycling topics in the beginner section.
Fish, snail and inverts all release ammonia as they live. Ammonia is NH3 and is extremely toxic.
Bacteria exist that convert the ammonia into NitrItes (note the I). They take a long time to develop, and only begin to develop once there is a source of ammonia in the tank (for you this was the fish). Nitrites are also toxic, but marginally less toxic than ammonia. Nitrites are NO2
Bacteria exist that convert Nitrites to NitrAtes, nitrates are much much safer and are NO3. These are what we remove (along with various other things) when we do our weekly water changes. The bacteria that turn nitrites to nitrates can't start developing until the ammonia bacteria start creating some nitrites, hence why cycles take a long time and it's very neccesary to keep on top of water stats.

 

[s_bonnewell]

Ah. You haven't cycled the tank. Depending on how long the fish have been in and how well the plants are growing then your levels may not be too bad.

I strongly suggest you go to the beginners section and read all the cycling topics.
Also you really need a liquid test kit, the strips are unbelievably in-accurate. And although 100ppm of Nitrates can be ok for some fish, it doesn't apply to all. And the general rule of thumb is to aim to keep within 10-20ppm of your tap water.

Here are the basics of cycling....but please do read the cycling topics in the beginner section.
Fish, snail and inverts all release ammonia as they live. Ammonia is NH3 and is extremely toxic.
Bacteria exist that convert the ammonia into NitrItes (note the I). They take a long time to develop, and only begin to develop once there is a source of ammonia in the tank (for you this was the fish). Nitrites are also toxic, but marginally less toxic than ammonia. Nitrites are NO2
Bacteria exist that convert Nitrites to NitrAtes, nitrates are much much safer and are NO3. These are what we remove (along with various other things) when we do our weekly water changes. The bacteria that turn nitrites to nitrates can't start developing until the ammonia bacteria start creating some nitrites, hence why cycles take a long time and it's very neccesary to keep on top of water stats.

i ran my tank for only 5 weeks with plants prior to fish. The tank went cloudy at first but i was told to do a 50%change as it may be amonia and it went back to normal. At the mo, My nitrates are coming up at 30-35. my ph is 7ish and my temp is 27c Im using the strips with the colour coding (6 tests in one) the only thing which is high is the NO3. Im worried about the amonia though as i dont know how to test for it? My fish have just gone in.

 

[OldMan47]

You test your tank water quality for ammonia and nitrites using liquid type tests, not strips. With nitrates coming up at 35 ppm, if you believe the strips, it is time for at least a weekly 30% water change. Your temperature of 27C is a bit on the warm side for the guppies but I am not familiar with the particular tolerance of your other fish to such high temperatures. Most of the fish we keep can take temperatures as high as 25C fairly well but the additional temperature is hard on guppies and many of the more common catfish.

 

[Assaye]

Fish-In Cycle

Beginners' Resource Centre

I assumed that because you had some many fish your tank had been established for a good few months and was cycled. It does however sound like your tank might not have cycled. You need to get two test kits - one for ammonia and one for nitrites - or one master test kit (that covers ammonia, nitrites, nitrates and pH as a minimum). Test you water for ammonia and nitrites and get back to us with the results. This could be much more important than the more long term issue of suitable stocking.

As for your stocking, in a 55 litre tank I wouldn't have the congos and the ram in there. Rams need very specific water conditions - soft water, low pH and very warm - which other fish don't want to uch extremes. They are peaceful so I'm not too worried about bullying, although terriatorial disputes are much more likely in a small tank. Rams simply are not beginners' fish and he may just wither away.

 

[s_bonnewell]

cant post pics

 

[countrygirl61658]

Pfff lol oh man... seems like i have a lot to learn, by trial and error as in start small. Add slowly (without busting the bank lol) I will let you all know how I get on. Thanks to all.

I have a male betta in with my community tank which includes fancy guppies.So far he has paid no attention to any of the fish.

 

[s_bonnewell]

Pfff lol oh man... seems like i have a lot to learn, by trial and error as in start small. Add slowly (without busting the bank lol) I will let you all know how I get on. Thanks to all.

I have a male betta in with my community tank which includes fancy guppies.So far he has paid no attention to any of the fish.

I tried to upload pics but you cant paste into a reply