Newbie Here

[Harlequins]

Hi there

I'm new to this fish keeping but i am learning....

I have a 20gal tank 30x12x15 high,its nearly 7 weeks old now...
I went to my lfs and asked info he sold me a bottle of tetra safestart and 6 harlequin rasbora,the tank had been running for 2 weeks before this,i did add food to the tank to help the cycling on its way.
Anyway upto date i've only had 2 fairly high readings of ammonia which was 0.4mg/l and nitrites of 0.1,which seem to happen more when i put new fish in,my nitrates seem to stay at 12.5,i have been doing regular water changes every week,
At the moment i have in the tank
6 harlequins (which i adore,)
6 neons(3 came out of my small 30l tank)
4 platies(3 female,1 male)

I would quite like to put in a few male endlers has they're very pretty.
Have i got enough fish in my tank or can i safely put in a few more? It loses me when i try to work sizes out!

 

[JenCliBee]

Before adding more fish you need to complete what seems to be a fishIN cycle, any reading of ammonia and nitrite isnt a good start, daily water changes should be done to keep these levels as low as possible

jen

BTW ... welcome to TFF

 

[waterdrop]

Hi there and welcome to TFF!

By my count you're pretty fully stocked, but I'm not the greatest at it and its only ever meant as a rough guideline anyway, not a rule, so if you are pretty well-filtered you're probably not in much trouble.

You sound like you were pretty lucky with your fish-in cycle, probably because harlequins are pretty tough fish. Personally I find them an even better first introduction (after a fishless cycle, though, ideally) than danios. I have harlequins and I really like their look too, beautiful fish!

Good luck with your tank. The regularity of your water changes are probably also helping you have a good tank!

~~waterdrop~~

 

[Harlequins]

Before adding more fish you need to complete what seems to be a fishIN cycle, any reading of ammonia and nitrite isnt a good start, daily water changes should be done to keep these levels as low as possible

jen

BTW ... welcome to TFF

Hi and thanks

I didn't realise you could do fishless cycle until i already got the fish,anyway i have been doing daily water changes and my readings have been zero all week,

 

[JenCliBee]

Before adding more fish you need to complete what seems to be a fishIN cycle, any reading of ammonia and nitrite isnt a good start, daily water changes should be done to keep these levels as low as possible

jen

BTW ... welcome to TFF

Hi and thanks

I didn't realise you could do fishless cycle until i already got the fish,anyway i have been doing daily water changes and my readings have been zero all week,

No a fishless cycle is exactly what it means.... without fish adding an ammonia source which usually by bottled ammonia itself, you reading s do look good if they have been 0 all week, however by the sounds of adding more fish and you getting a slight reading of ammonia and nitrite suggest that the cycle is barley or not quite finished.

I personally think youve got room for a couple more fish but really you need to make sure there isnt any ammonia or nitrite readings at all while only doing a weekly water change.... doing daily to make sure ammonia isnt going to be present suggest an uncycled tank.

How come your doing daily water changes?

 

[Harlequins]

Because my nitrates have been 12.5,i thought you had to keep these down also?

Last week i only changed it once and that was 10 per cent,even though the ammonia/nitrite was zero the nitrates were 12.5.then i got the platies this week and i must admit i got a bit ambitious with the water changes.Is that good or bad?

 

[JenCliBee]

Because my nitrates have been 12.5,i thought you had to keep these down also?

Last week i only changed it once and that was 10 per cent,even though the ammonia/nitrite was zero the nitrates were 12.5.then i got the platies this week and i must admit i got a bit ambitious with the water changes.Is that good or bad?

Nah nitrate reading is fine, most suggest anythink from 20 and below yours is pretty good really..... you may find you have a nitrate reading from your tap!! if so then it cant be helped.


If youve got constant 0 ammonia and nirtite even with just a weekly water change then it seems that your tank is cycled, simpely becasue you have done a fishin cycle i would if you was going to add any more, stock slowly so the bacteria can compensate for the new additions. As i said i personally think you could add a couple more fish... do you know what sort you would like to add?

Just be aware though you have an ideal ratio of platies for breeding and you may get over run with fry if not careful.

 

[craig855s]

id say leave the stock as it is as you will see a LOT of fry in that tank and they'll survive (some will inevitably be eaten) but if its got a few ornaments/plants in it then you will see a few/several fry from each brood survive and with 3 females giving birth every month (and 3 months growing up time) then you will have around 30-40 fry in ur tank at any one time (once they reach 3 months of age u wanna sell em on or get a credit from ur LFS for them)

Theyre a pleasure to watch growing up and i say leave them in the community instead of messing around with fry tanks and whatnot..My first 6 platy fry are now over a month old and are about as big as a juvenile harlequin

 

[Harlequins]

Because my nitrates have been 12.5,i thought you had to keep these down also?

Last week i only changed it once and that was 10 per cent,even though the ammonia/nitrite was zero the nitrates were 12.5.then i got the platies this week and i must admit i got a bit ambitious with the water changes.Is that good or bad?

Nah nitrate reading is fine, most suggest anythink from 20 and below yours is pretty good really..... you may find you have a nitrate reading from your tap!! if so then it cant be helped.


If youve got constant 0 ammonia and nirtite even with just a weekly water change then it seems that your tank is cycled, simpely becasue you have done a fishin cycle i would if you was going to add any more, stock slowly so the bacteria can compensate for the new additions. As i said i personally think you could add a couple more fish... do you know what sort you would like to add?

Just be aware though you have an ideal ratio of platies for breeding and you may get over run with fry if not careful.

I was thinking if i did add any more fish it would possibly be 2 more harlequins or 2/3 male guppy endlers? but like you said if i did get fry then i would have overload,i am just setting up my 30l tetra tank again,it has housed a goldfish for a few months,who got too big(4 inches) and is now in a friend's goldfish pond!
But i will do fishless cycle and possibly use this for a nursery for some of the fry.The filter has been constantly running in the tank since the fish has gone and i've just bought a bio sponge filter run by an air pump,can i put this into the 30l tank with the original filter,or is it best to take out the original filter has its had a goldfish in the tank and start afresh with the bio filter?
Thanks