Newbie Here!

[dissimulo]

Yes I was planning on keeping the rest of my sponges but just replacing the two baskets of zeolite pebbles. (But the discription describes them as carbon pebbles with added zeolite) About the ammonia, I'm going on holiday in 3 weeks and my dad doen't want me to have it untill we come back (5 weeks in total ) so can i try fish food? Gosh this is all getting so technical, my newbish brain is trying to keep up!!

Cheers guys,
Luke.

(I meant to tell you that the baskets that the carbon zeolite stuff is held in are located eiteher side of the filter (still inside its cover) and can actually be opened to release whatevers inside of them and therefore you can add extra media such as your suggestions of ceramic pebbles or whatever it was.)

 

[Miss Wiggle]

your dad is actually right about waiting until after the holiday. for the two week break unless you had someone to feed the bacteria for you by adding ammonia every day the bacteria would just die off and when you came back from your holiday you'd be starting from square one. Also because the holiday is in a few weeks you'd be highly unlikley to finish the cycle before hand.

So it makes sense to spend the next few weeks researching to make sure you know what you are doing, then enjoy your holiday and start the cycle when you get back.

 

[dissimulo]

Wow, I see why your known as perfect...I like your logic. This would give me plenty of time to have a think and generaly see what I need to do. About the replacement media for my carbon zeolite baskets, could you give me some advice on which you think would be suitable? I still have a second filter that I havn't yet took back to the shop becasue I just havn't had the time so i'm wondering if it would be a good idea to put it in my tank afterall; but then again, it could help towards paying for my fish.

About my holiday I'm going to the Isle of White in a caravan with my family, except I have to sleep outside in a 'pop up' tent....hahaha....at least I get a new sleeping bag.

Thanks for the advice Miss Wiggle.

Cheers,
Luke.

 

[Miss Wiggle]

it's really gonna depend what will fit in the space you have and what you already have, there's a pinned topic in the beginners resource centre covering media types so have a read through that

 

[dissimulo]

Hi guys, just came back off holiday. Bad weather throughout. Anyway, I have something to admit...my dad took me to get some fish yesterday...and I couldn't really say no, but they look very happy, healthy and settled. It was suggested by the man at wharf aquatics in pinxton to get an albino cory and some other fish. I will have to try and remember their names. But I'm really really pleased. And before i went away, I added my second filter and the water is very clear (dispite a brown stain from the bogwood releasing tans...which I have been told will dissapear). I'm really enjoying my tank now, except I wasn't sure weather it was cycled correctly or not...so my dad suggested getting a few cheap fish to introduce some life to the tank and ultimatly see what happens. And I can't argue with him, he used to bread loads of fish when he was slightly younger and he 'knows what he's doing'.

Cheers,
Luke.

 

[Miss Wiggle]

Hi there Luke

there's more than one way to cycle a tank, what your dad has done previously is to cycle with fish, this is basically what he's now got you doing in your tank.

what you'll need to do now is monitor your levels every day and do daily water changes to keep ammonia and nitrite below 0.25ppm (preferably lower)

if you have a read of the link in my sig 'whats cycling' it should explain some more.

 

[dissimulo]

Cool, I'll have a read. I'm really excited now though.

Cheers,
Luke.

 

[dissimulo]

Hi,

I now have 5 precilla tetras and 3 zebra danios. 2 danios died with one night and appeared to have red sores.

Here's the link to the post. I did it in my step bro's account.

http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showto...=0#entry2127012

Cheers,
Luke.