New Setup

[webber555]

OK sorry for the endless questions, I'm just eager to learn (and it is still an hour till the F1 starts here lol) - I have just tested my tap water - can someone shed some light on the readings in regards to what fish are suitable - I'd like to actually take the time to plan a stock list incl plants and decor that suits while my tank is cycling.

ph- 7.6

GH - 60mg/l

KH- 30mg/l

thanks in advance. Just keep adding on to my other questions, I just can't get enough! Staring at tank now....

 

[Mr Bliss]

OK sorry for the endless questions, I'm just eager to learn (and it is still an hour till the F1 starts here lol) - I have just tested my tap water - can someone shed some light on the readings in regards to what fish are suitable - I'd like to actually take the time to plan a stock list incl plants and decor that suits while my tank is cycling.

ph- 7.6

GH - 60mg/l

KH- 30mg/l

thanks in advance. Just keep adding on to my other questions, I just can't get enough! Staring at tank now....

Your pH will probably drop a bit in the tank (to ~7.0 would be my wild guess, as I have almost identical tap water), especially if you use any bogwood as decor, but I'd say that's a good thing. That water is suitable for all but the most demanding special-needs (blackwater or hard water) fish and inverts.

 

[webber555]

OK I have searched everywhere and can not find ammonia. An industrial chemical supplier even said they had never heard of it lol.

So... how do I go about a fishless cycle with fish food...?

 

[waterdrop]

We almost always recommend to keep going crazy trying to find clear household ammonia as the thing of using fish food or shrimp is just so messy and unpredictable! The problem is that you want 4-5ppm levels of ammonia at each start and it is so hard to know when the food has decomposed and been converted to ammonia by the heterotrophic bacteria. Its very easy for the ammonia level to then shoot up to 8ppm or higher, promoting the growth of the wrong species of autotrophs.

Not saying I don't understand.. if you do decide to try the decomposing food, start faily low. There is no amt recommendation that I know of. Log your daily test results of course.

~~waterdrop~~

 

[webber555]

well has anyone in Australia had success finding ammonia? Has anyone got any? I will pay for it of course...

 

[waterdrop]

I went to the top of the forums and did an advanced search for "Australia ammonia" and changed the search to only look at titles. I found this:

http/www.fishforums.net/content/forum/14...-In-Australia-/

You might have some luck doing various searches that are australia-specific and perhaps narrowing down and keeping notes on as many members in aus as possible and then doing searches on their posts - this could lead to members near you and you could try to PM them.

Its a really frustrating thing that pure ammonia is not easily available via shipment. It may be that it is considered dangerous, not sure..

~~waterdrop~~

 

[OldMan47]

If you can't find pure ammonia you are left with letting something rot in you tank to make ammonia. It will be harder to control concentrations but lots of people have been successful with a prawn as their ammonia source. From what I've read, it can smell pretty bad but if you keep the lid shut on the tank it might not get too ripe.