Heyy All :d

[Typoon221]

Hi all,

Just thought I would introduce myself.

My name is Aaron, I am fairly new to fish keeping..  I grew up around tropical and marine tanks thats my step dad used to keep.

I have started off with an Aqua 65 tank  and an Aqua one filter.

I currently do not have any livestock in there at the moment.

But plan on getting cold water to start off with to gauge my sons interest in fish.
 
Unfortunately my tap water readings are 8.5 ph so this may limit me to what fish I can keep

I have just started the nitrate cycle..  adding "love Fish filter boost" to get friendly bacteria into the tank.

Would adding water that has a "1.0" ammonia reading help the cycle or would I be best adding the filter boost?

I look forward to speaking to you all and learning lots about the hobby.

I appreciate any advise that you can give me

 

 

[Ninjouzata]

to the forum Aaron!
 
May want to check this out if you havn't already: http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/421488-cycling-your-new-fresh-water-tank-read-this-first/
 
You'll want to pick up some ammonia to cycle your tank. Most of those products do not work unfortunately, although have heard Dr Tim's One & Only and another kind that I can't recall right now work fairly well.
 
What kind of coldwater fish were you thinking of?

 

[Typoon221]

Hi,

Thanks a lot

Ahh right ok  I will have to have a look to see what I can get hold of at the local aquarium shop thank you!

I was thinking of a gold fish, a butterfly hong kong plec (cause they are gorgeous!) - I will start with this and then add some zebra danios.. 

I am not that sure about what other nice cold water fish there as as I am used to seeing tropical and marine so any recommendations are always welcome

Yes I have read that thread its very useful!  I just assumed that the love fish filter boost was enough so I will have a look at what you have recommended.

Thanks again


 

 

[fluttermoth]

I would recommend you buy a heater and go tropical.

Your tank would be too small for a goldfish (they need a minimum of 100l per fish) and the hillstream loach (that's what the so-called 'butterfly/Hong Kong plecs' really are) do better in a specialist set up, as they need very fast flowing water, which other fish don't like much.

What are the dimensions of the tank and is your water hard or soft?

 

[Typoon221]

The dimensions of the tank are roughly:

50cm x 32cm x 42  it can hold up to 65 litres.

Thats a shame about the hillstream loach  I was going to have sisters

I guess I could upgrade to going tropical and then get some neon tetra's in there etc.

My water PH is  8.5 I think that comes under the hard category?

 

[daizeUK]

pH 8.5 means alkaline water which usually goes hand in hand with hard water but not always, for example if you have a water softener.  If you get limescale in your kettle/shower head etc then you have hard water
 
By the way you won't find ammonia at your LFS.  You can sometimes find it in Homebase in the household section, or order Kleenoff on Amazon.  Dr Tim's is good but quite hard to get hold of and expensive in the UK and you won't find it in your LFS either (they will no doubt try to sell you something else if you ask them but most of the other products on the market are a bit dubious)
 
I've got a 64L tank with pH 8.2, similar to yours.  Your tank is quite tall though and narrow at only 50cm so that might restrict your fish a bit further since most fish like horizontal space to swim.
Here's some ideas for fish that do well in high pH and would be happy in a 50cm tank: Endler's Livebearer, Guppies, Emerald Dwarf Rasbora, White Cloud mountain minnow.  Do a fishless cycle with ammonia first though!

 

[Typoon221]

Hi WOW I love your platy jungle!  looks awesome!

Yeah the tank is an aqua 65... its just to get everything started..  come february  I should have my 4ft tank that will be amazing (providing I can talk the wife into letting me have it )

We don't suffer to much with limescale to be honest with you sooo it isn't too bad.. 

Its nice to see that the fish can still be healthy with my tap water I was dreading having to get the ph down although I hear that driftwood can help with this?
 
Thanks a bunch for the recommendations on the fish thats great I will be leaving my tank for around 5 weeks before putting any livestock in to do a fish less cycle.

I have just ordered some kleenoff now off amazon free delivery

How much would you recomend using? my filter is an Aqua one and can do 50L per hour on the lowest setting or 200L per hour on max (which it is currently on).
 
Sorry for the extra questions.

Thanks again  

 

[daizeUK]

You can use the calculator to work out how much ammonia to use... put in 3ppm (as per the cycling guide recommendation linked earlier) and your tank size of 65L and you need 2ml.
Have you got a test kit?
 
Just an idea, if you had your heart set on hillstream loaches then they might work together well with white cloud mountain minnows?  Especially if you will be upgrading to a bigger tank.   Both seem to prefer cooler temperatures and faster flowing water so they could work well.

 

[Typoon221]

Ahh thanks for that I will bear that in mind regarding the mountain minnows,  I didn't have my heart set on them I was just on about having my sisters as she just has the one now!

fantastic thanks for that link.  I am going to have a full read through that post in a sec.

Yes I have the liquid test kits for both Ammonia and PH
 

 

[Tongue_Flicker]

Hey aaron welcome aboard!

 

[Blondielovesfish]

to the forum.
 
What brand are your tests? Liquid or strip?
You will need to also pick up a liquid nitrite test kit, as well as a nitrate (optional) as that helps at the end of the cycle.
 
TBH, I would say your tank is too small for WCMM as they are active fish (like danios) so require a 3 foot tank (IMO).
 
Get a heater and you could have a lovely endler and/or guppy tank, I'd stick to all males though.
Why not try live plants? Get some hardy ones, they look great and most fish appreciate them.

 

[Typoon221]

Hello to you both

Brand is API -  they are both Liquid test.

I will pickuop a nitrie and nitrate ones in a few weeks to see if the cycle has entered the second stage.

Its a good job I joined the forum as I had no idea that, Its really bad actually as my local petshop sells an 11 litre tank.. and the instructions say you can have either 1 gold fish or 3 danios in it.....  thats got to be cruelty and shouldnt be allowed to be sold!!!!

I will be getting live plants along with driftwood and rocks,  I just thought that it was best to leave them out whilst the tank cycles? any thoughts on this at all?

Are the heaters expensive to run (electricity wise?)

The tank I have has both White and Blue lights..  Would you advise to keep these on during the cycle or do they have zero effect!


Thanks again for the help!

 

[daizeUK]

I will be getting live plants along with driftwood and rocks,  I just thought that it was best to leave them out whilst the tank cycles? any thoughts on this at all?
 
Are the heaters expensive to run (electricity wise?)

The tank I have has both White and Blue lights..  Would you advise to keep these on during the cycle or do they have zero effect!

 
The advantage of having live plants while you cycle is that they will help process the ammonia and potentially shorten the cycle.  The disadvantage is that you will need lights on for them and lights+ammonia=algae.  On the whole I would say wait until after you have cycled before adding plants.  It's best if you do the ammonia cycling in the dark.
 
Heaters aren't on all the time, they will switch on and off as needed.  This is the UK though so yes I expect the electricity companies will continue to bleed us dry!
 
The blue light isn't the best choice for plants by the way.  My tank came with blue & white lights and I ditched the blue and replaced them with daylight bulbs.  It's personal preference but I don't like the effect that the blue light gives.

 

[Typoon221]

 

I will be getting live plants along with driftwood and rocks,  I just thought that it was best to leave them out whilst the tank cycles? any thoughts on this at all?
 
Are the heaters expensive to run (electricity wise?)

The tank I have has both White and Blue lights..  Would you advise to keep these on during the cycle or do they have zero effect!

 
The advantage of having live plants while you cycle is that they will help process the ammonia and potentially shorten the cycle.  The disadvantage is that you will need lights on for them and lights+ammonia=algae.  On the whole I would say wait until after you have cycled before adding plants.  It's best if you do the ammonia cycling in the dark.
 
Heaters aren't on all the time, they will switch on and off as needed.  This is the UK though so yes I expect the electricity companies will continue to bleed us dry!

 
The blue light isn't the best choice for plants by the way.  My tank came with blue & white lights and I ditched the blue and replaced them with daylight bulbs.  It's personal preference but I don't like the effect that the blue light gives.
 

Ahh  I see  I will defiantly leave the plants for time being

I have managed to get some Ammonia from 'The Range' shop so I am going to put that in and see how it goes!

I guess with the heater its expected for bills to slightly go up... then again they are going up regardless in november!!!
 
I like the effect that the blue light gives...  but if daylight is better for the plants then I will invest in one of them
 
I admire your jungle tank!

 

[fluttermoth]

Heaters are really not all that expensive to run. Tropical temperatures aren't that hot, for a start; a lot of newcomers are surprised how cool the water feels, its's only just luke warm for most fish. And most people's houses are warm enough that the heater, as daize says, isn't on for much time in every 24 hour period.
 
My eldest son reckons it costs about £2.50 a week to run all my tanks, but I do have six running and two of those are over 200l with big externals (one is a 5'x2'x2'!), so I think that's alright really