I Have A New Tank!

[mark.w.jones]

Put some flakes of food in last night and a couple of frozen prawns. Today the nitrite reading was 10, so looks like things are moving in the right direction

Although you can kick start and cycle a tank by adding prawns / flakes in order to produce ammonia it is a bit hit an miss in my opinion. Your best bet is to fishless cycle with ammonia solution. This link is the simplest and easiest to follow on here. Just follow the add and wait method:

http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showto...3861&hl=methods

You'll need.

1. A medicine dropper (in most fish meds)
2. Freshwater master water test kit with tests for ammonia NH3, nitrIte NO2 and nitrAte NO3. Aquarium Pharmaseuticals is good. http/www.aquatics-online.co.uk/Z124268.asp £18.15 at bottom.
3. Ammonia solution. (In the UK, Homebase DIY store household cleaning section.)
4. Patience (Takes about 3 - 5 weeks, research fish while youre waiting).

 

[PinkyPerky]

Got the Freshwater Master Testing Kit yesterday and testing the pH and Ammonia. I didn't think I needed to test Nitrite and Nitrate until Ammonia had peaked (?)

Anyway, just shows that the test strips aren't accurate because with the testing kit we have a pH of 7.8ppm and Ammonia of 0.50ppm.

Will go to DIY store tomorrow for some ammonia.

Should I get some pH down?

 

[diademhill]

Never use pH down.
Please test the GH & KH and test the pH again.

 

[PinkyPerky]

GH is 0 and KH is 3, pH is still 7.8.