Starting My First Tank

[huh just a box]

Alright so I've been reading n reading n reading this forum over the last few days , Gathering knowledge to start my tank.
Found a tank on craiglist. Its not really the typical size from what I've seen 20x18x20(30g)pretty much a cube.It came with a filter which stopped that last night. Today i bought a aqueon power 30. The recycled water coming out the filter goes out about 2 1/2in meaning i cant fully put the glass panel lid on.

Could a sheet of plastic be used to redirect the flow of water so its not out so far?
Would this hinder the water circulation in the tank?the flow inside seems higher than most tanks I've seen.
Or should I just get the glass lid cut?

I added sand n water last night , the new filter has been running about an hour n thirty minutes now, water is still has a white cloud about it.I figured most of this would of settled over the night but it hasnt changed at all or very little.Can barely make out the rubber stopper on the heater at the back of tank.does it need more time to settle?water change?something else?

Bought api testing kit n tetra aquasafe conditioner.
though I have done no testing or added anything into the water.

any help would be appreciated
thanks

 

[fatheadminnow]

The lid can be cut, or the filter outlet water can be redirected, whatever you prefer.

It can take up to a couple of days for the sand to settle in a new tank.

Have you had a read on the pinned articles about fishless cycling?

If not, here is the link.

[URL="http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=113861"]http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=113861[/URL]

Please read this, and if you have any questions, please ask us here!

It is important that you understand this process.

Also, go ahead and add the proper amount of water conditioner to the water in the tank.

Even further, go ahead and test your tap water from your faucet for Ammonia, NitrIte, NitrAte and pH, and then post your readings.

Glad to see that you have purchased a good test kit.

-FHM

 

[huh just a box]

Thank you

I most certainly have read the fishless cycle thread.Numerous times....very confusing at first...Will probably start that sometime this week.Will test my tap later on tonight and post those tomorrow. Unlike most first time starting post I've read on here I'm not in a rush to add fish.Taking it slow....will probably have many question to come
thanks again

 

[fatheadminnow]

Well if you have any questions on the fishless cycle, please ask, as we can help you out a lot to get though this the best you can!

-FHM

 

[huh just a box]

just tested the tap
ph - 7.6
nitrite - 0
nitrate - 0
ammonia - 0

 

[fatheadminnow]

just tested the tap
ph - 7.6
nitrite - 0
nitrate - 0
ammonia - 0

Beautiful results!

You have a really good pH level!

And glad to see that you have no Ammonia or NitrAte either.

-FHM

 

[huh just a box]

Yah I passed!
ha

Water has cleared up quite a bit now
Plugged the heater in couple hours ago checked the thermometer strip when I saw the light go out...
Should of gone with a mercury thermometer hahaha

Hoping to start the cycle tomorrow sure I'll have alot more questions then

 

[OldMan47]

The fishless cycle is very easy to understand really. You add a little ammonia and sit back and wait. After a few days you test to see if the ammonia is going away. If it is almost gone, you dose back up and put your feet up again. Eventually the ammonia will be going away pretty fast so you dose up once a day and sample for nitrites once in a while. When you see nitrites coming down, you start sampling them more often. When both ammonia and nitrites arrive at zero within 12 hours of the ammonia dose, you call it cycled and start thinking about getting fish. Most of the questions that we answer on here come from a very small percentage of folks where the process has become derailed by a water hardness issue, using the wrong ammonia, a pH drop, or just becoming frustrated by the time it takes and so on. At that point a little more knowledge is needed to get the people back on track but the basic process is as simple as I have just said.