just starting

[clueless30]

hi, just starting out, have been reading on this forum and wanting to know, if after 1 week of just setting up my first tank, the water is perfect on every test, why should i do a fishless water change, or is it ok to just put fish in like it is.

also i would like some oponions on weather the following fish would be ok together or not. silver shark, angles, clown loach, tiger barb, dwarf or pearl gouramis.

thanks

 

[kaosaeteurn9581]

I don't no how a fishless cycle works, but are you adding ammonia to the tank to start the cycle?

I start my tank by putting one fish in after 24 hours of my tank being setup. I then watch my water for about 4 weeks during that time I notice ammoina levels went up, then nitrite levels went up, then ammoina levels went down, then I notice low levels of nitrate, then nitrite went down, then nitrate shot up 20 ppm this was around the 4th week I did a 10% water change and every was a 0ppm except nitrate it was a 5ppm but my fish is fine and know have grownig ccommunity. I have add one fish every week in a half untill my stock was full.

 

[FishDan]

You should do a fishless cycle because it doesn't stress or endanger any fish. Are you adding any ammonia to cycle the tank now? If not, of course the water parameters are "perfect" because there is nothing creating any waste. I strongly recommend fishless cycling. If you do decide to cycle with fish, get a couple hardy fish and stay on top of water testing and changes as the cycle "happens". Do not add all of your fish at once. Do not add too many fish and certainly do not add any fragile fish, they probably would not survive the stress of the cycle.

The fish you listed should be okay together with a couple of caveats. First, how big is your tank? Several of the fish you list should be kept in groups (especially the loachs and tiger barbs) If you try to mix tiger barbs with angels be aware that you may have a problem with fin nipping and thus stressing of the angel. I have kept these fish together successfully, but you must ensure the tiger barbs are kept in a large enough group so that they largely ignore the angel. At least 6-8 should accomplish this. The clown loachs should be kept in at least a group of 3 and get to be about 12-14" so you will need to have a large tank for them. I am not certain about gouramis and the shark. The shark probably should be kept just one to a tank, as many of them get aggressive with others of their species. If you get more than one angel, they may pair up (male and female) and become agressive if they decide to mate.

\Dan

 

[clueless30]

hey fishdan, hubby told be about the fishless cycle first but didnt mention having to add ammonia, and i must have missed it when reading, told you i was new at this, lol,

i have a 48" x 15" x 18" tank, sorry dont know any conversions.

thanks for your help

 

[yhbae]

Do you know anyone around you who already maintains a mature aquarium? If you do, the fishless (or fishy) cycle will take significantly less time by seeing the bacteria first!

 

[FishDan]

hey fishdan, hubby told be about the fishless cycle first but didnt mention having to add ammonia, and i must have missed it when reading, told you i was new at this, lol,

That's okay! We all miss things when we first started. You can use ammonia (make sure it is pure ammonia with no addatives of any kind, these will be harmful to your fish). You can also add a few flakes of sish food daily and let them rot. Or a shrimp (like a frozen shrimp people eat). I have never tried the last two methinds, but I imagine they would be a bit slower as they are not as concentrated as using pure ammonia. There are articles all over about fishless cycling that can give you very good step by step instructions! And I agree, if you know someone with an established tank you could get some filter media or gravel to help speed your cycle along. If you can do this, bring it home in some aquarium or dechlorinated water then add it to your filter or tank. Use a stocking (like pantyhose) if you don't want to mix the gravel with what you have and then remove it after your cycle is complete. Good luck!!!

\Dan

 

[DylFunk]

yeah it doesnt matter if all the tests show that the water is perfect cause once the fish are in there the ammonia level is gonna spike and there wont be any beneficial bacteria to break it down . so dead fish... but good idea going to this forum, i mean im new too but ive already been helped out alot.

 

[clueless30]

thanks everyone, ill give it a try and see how i go, fingers crossed, lol