Is This Algae?

[Tan DJ]

It is possible to cycle your tank with fish in the water.

When I set up my tank, I got an amonia test kit and a nitrite test kit, and a bottle of some cycle media (it's like yakult for fishtanks) I can't remember the brand, and a couple of Mollies (Don't get a male and female as they breed like rabits before the cycle is complete - I know this from experience).

I then tested both amonia and nitrate every day, and followed the directions on the bottle of the cycle product.

Amonia hit 1.2 by day 6 then declined and was back down to 0 by day 13.
Nitrite started to climb day 3 , reached about 3.3 by day 15, and then came back down and leveled off at around 0.1 at day 24. You should also get a nitrate test kit so you can keep an eye on nitrate levels.

Don't make my mistake and ignore the nitrate levels until after you loose your clown loaches.

(I haven't had any problems with the mollies breading since I added a couple of angle fish to the tank)


P.S. I have no experience with fishless cycling.

Cheers,
Tan DJ

 

[Underwurlde]

Right.
OK

Everything read & understood....

@b.c.f.c... Sound advice - I will try and get a test kit asap! I thought the minimum grouping of fish was more behavioural than 'happy fish' (if you get my drift).... BTW not off topic at all - thanks for your time & effort in going the extra mile to try and help out a beginner

@carrera...

f i have read what you said correctly, you ran your tank for a week with nothing in it and then took the water to be tested? what did you expect other than clean water?

Yeeeees. If you put it like that!
What I expected was 'clean water' with some bacteria in it ready for some fishies. (The Juwel Record 60 tank comes with 3 filters including the blue bacteria one). Yes, this is what the LFS tested after 1 week of running (cycling??).

@Tan DJ... This is what I think I may end up doing...


@everyone...
Honestly, I think that if I took my fish back (now almost 3 weeks on) to my LFS ('Local Fish Store' I assume) then I think I may be told to Foxtrot Oscar - and I wouldn't be surprised .

I certainly do NOT want to be cruel to my fish but I think I am going to have to let them stick it out as they are - they seem happy enough (although I am aware of the foolishness of this statement) and certainly know how to eat come feeding time (and boy do they know when that is!).

The only thing that is really worring me is the temperature of the tank in this hot weather (it's registering 29° - I have NOT turned the heater off as surely this must regualte itself).


Thanks again everyone - this is a very helpful & informative forum.

 

[carrera]

@carrera...

f i have read what you said correctly, you ran your tank for a week with nothing in it and then took the water to be tested? what did you expect other than clean water?

Yeeeees. If you put it like that!
What I expected was 'clean water' with some bacteria in it ready for some fishies. (The Juwel Record 60 tank comes with 3 filters including the blue bacteria one). Yes, this is what the LFS tested after 1 week of running (cycling??).

that was not cycling. problem is, there would not have been any good bacteria in it because they had nothing to feed on. leaving the tank sitting for a week would have done nothing at all

what you are now doing is a cycle with fish - keeping hardy (read: can survive the bad conditions) fish in a new tank so that their waste can feed the bacteria as it grows. i highly recommend reading up on this

good luck

 

[Underwurlde]

...Indeed, thanx C... You live and learn as they say.

RTFMing now.....

Andy