Hi all , I have a fluval Roma 200 ltr tank plus filter/pump heater set at 25c various plants , some lava rock and mangrove root , tank has been going 5 weeks now , did a fishless cycle and after 2 weeks added 4 Molly's and 6 harlequins week later 3 Cory's and 15 cardinals, I've done a 10% water change and added aqua care bio boost plus tap water conditioner and 2 days ago 10 evolution aqua care pure aquarium balls, fish are fine all chemical levels se ok fish aren't overfed. Tank has a slight brown tinge from the wood tanins but it won't completely clear,should I just leave it and let nature take its course?
Slightly cloudy tank
- Thread starter Marcs
- Start date
The April FOTM Contest Poll is open!
🏆 Click to vote! 🏆
D
Deleted member 149562
Guest
I am having doubts about it being cycled tbh.
Fishless takes at least 7-9 weeks....with fish you are looking at 9-14 weeks (or more depending on stock levels)
You added quite a few fish within a very short timeframe which can also be detrimental to any aquarium...cycled or not. Also detrimental is adding too much "stuff".
Can you do a full water test and post all numbers please. The actual results in numbers will help diagnose the issues.
Fishless takes at least 7-9 weeks....with fish you are looking at 9-14 weeks (or more depending on stock levels)
You added quite a few fish within a very short timeframe which can also be detrimental to any aquarium...cycled or not. Also detrimental is adding too much "stuff".
Can you do a full water test and post all numbers please. The actual results in numbers will help diagnose the issues.
I would if I could but unfortunately I only have test strips, I took a water sample to the aquarium shop who tested it to make sure it was good to go before I added any fish ?
D
Deleted member 149562
Guest
If you have strips, they are better than nothing, so if you can run tests using those, that would be ideal...include ammonia too please
Two weeks is certainly too short before adding any fish and with the numbers of fish added within the very short space of time, your water chemistry will have been jolted
Also can you go to your water supply company website and enter your postcode there and get a full work up on your water supply and post it as that too can have a bearing on the water chemistry within an aquarium
How did you do the fishless cycle? This involves adding ammonia to a tank until enough bacteria have grown. if you didn't do this, you didn't do a fishless cycle.
5 or 6 in 1 strips don't test for ammonia, and that's the first thing to rise when fish are added to an uncycled tank. You need an ammonia tester asap.
Shops may tell you your test results are OK when they could be terrible. For reference, the only good results are -
ammonia zero
nitrite zero
nitrate below 20 ppm, and the lower the better.
Ideal pH and hardness (GH) levels depend on the fish. We should choose fish to match the water.
If there were no fish in the tank, the water would have tested perfect whether it was cycled or not as there was nothing in the tank to make them unperfect.
5 or 6 in 1 strips don't test for ammonia, and that's the first thing to rise when fish are added to an uncycled tank. You need an ammonia tester asap.
Shops may tell you your test results are OK when they could be terrible. For reference, the only good results are -
ammonia zero
nitrite zero
nitrate below 20 ppm, and the lower the better.
Ideal pH and hardness (GH) levels depend on the fish. We should choose fish to match the water.
This is important. The water quality report will tell you how high your tap water nitrate level is, and the website should also give your hardness. With the fish you mention, mollies need hard water to thrive while all the other fish are soft water fish.
Attachments
Most reactions
-
269 -
235 -
154 -
143 -
135 -
132 -
111 -
110 -
95 -
92 -
88 -
82 -
78 -
66 -
58
