Stocking A New Tropical Freswater Tank

[Surfer101]

Hi All,
I'm putting together a tank for the Missus, christmas/birthday gift. Its a Fluval Roma 125 using a U3 filter kit. I was hoping to stock it with as much colour and variety in shape/size as is possible, but I've no idea where to start(I'm not an aquarist and this is a suprise so cant ask the missus).

I've literally just finished filling the tank and conditioning the water(used aquaplus supplied) and started the cyle wih nutrafin cycle at about 5am this morning.

I also plan on stocking real aquatic plants as opposed to plastic stuff, so any recommendations there would also be handy.

When do you guys think the tank will be ready for fish.

Loads of questions I know, but any help would be great.

 

[Crossfire]

Hi All,
I'm putting together a tank for the Missus, christmas/birthday gift. Its a Fluval Roma 125 using a U3 filter kit. I was hoping to stock it with as much colour and variety in shape/size as is possible, but I've no idea where to start(I'm not an aquarist and this is a suprise so cant ask the missus).

I've literally just finished filling the tank and conditioning the water(used aquaplus supplied) and started the cyle wih nutrafin cycle at about 5am this morning.

I also plan on stocking real aquatic plants as opposed to plastic stuff, so any recommendations there would also be handy.

When do you guys think the tank will be ready for fish.

Loads of questions I know, but any help would be great.

Bottled Bacteria does not work. Its all Snakeskin oil. Just cycle it properly, and don't waste your money. If you want some nice color, look into Praecox Rainbowfish (Dwarf Neon) or guppies, gouramis, and maybe even some beautiful dwarf cichlids like German Blue Rams, Cockatoo Cichlids, or Apistogramma Agassazi

 

[Xraymark]

Hi surfer

Check out the beginners resource centre on this section. Look up fishless cycling before adding any fish. After reading this come back with your questions.

Sorry to say if done right there will be no fish by Christmas.

 

[Surfer101]

Hi surfer

Check out the beginners resource centre on this section. Look up fishless cycling before adding any fish. After reading this come back with your questions.

Sorry to say if done right there will be no fish by Christmas.

thats ok, tank for christmas, fish for birthday(new years eve). Thanks for the advice will read that post

 

[eaglesaquarium]

But there will also not be dead fish by new year's!

 

[moochy13]

do you know anybody else with a fish tank ? if not, its probably going to tbe the end of january before you're ready to put fish in your tank. cycling your tank so its ready for fish takes a while, but it stops you wasting your money on fish that WILL, almost without fail, die if your tank isnt ready.

rule No 1 - very few of your local fish shops (LFS) will tell you the truth if it means them losing money. they definitely wont tell you you shouldnt buy fish for over a month.

 

[eaglesaquarium]

rule No 1 - very few of your local fish shops (LFS) will tell you the truth if it means them losing money. they definitely wont tell you you shouldnt buy fish for over a month.

rule No 1a - but they will try to sell you a product that will allow you to make two purchases immediately. Then when the fish die, the simple answer is that you didn't follow the instructions on the bottle properly.

 

[Surfer101]

As bad as it sounds I decided to do a cycle with fish(convinced I'd somehow mess up a fishless cycle) and bought 6 neon tetras and two angels to kickstart the cycle,supplementing with the bottled bacteria 3 times since start up. All the boys are still alive, I never realised this stuff was so complex. Its been just over two weeks all seems well, nitrite levels are showing zero(using a 5 in 1) test strip every day and nitrate is about 20ppm, maybe a little above.

I have another question, I have a Fluval U3 filter and its got 3 outputalong with the venturi vent for pusing air through the top outlet. Which of these settin shuld I be using?

I was also looking at getting a bottom feeder/algae eater, shrimp or cat?for cleaning up the few scraps that get past the hungry neons? any suggestions.

The neons are shoaling? they tend to hang in 2 or 3 zipping back and forth, with one loner hiding out until feeding time. he'll come out feed, hang about for maybe 20min then hide out again.

 

[snake007]

Neons are very sensitive to new aquariums, especially uncycled ones.
IMO they should only be introduced to mature tanks, also im not sure on this exactly but I think adult angels may eat neons unless the neons are fair sized.
Since your cycling with fish unfortunately your going to have to do heavy water changes everyday and it may damage the fish long term as your cycling with them.

 

[eaglesaquarium]

As bad as it sounds I decided to do a cycle with fish(convinced I'd somehow mess up a fishless cycle) and bought 6 neon tetras and two angels to kickstart the cycle,supplementing with the bottled bacteria 3 times since start up. All the boys are still alive, I never realised this stuff was so complex. Its been just over two weeks all seems well, nitrite levels are showing zero(using a 5 in 1) test strip every day and nitrate is about 20ppm, maybe a little above.

I have another question, I have a Fluval U3 filter and its got 3 outputalong with the venturi vent for pusing air through the top outlet. Which of these settin shuld I be using?

I was also looking at getting a bottom feeder/algae eater, shrimp or cat?for cleaning up the few scraps that get past the hungry neons? any suggestions.

The neons are shoaling? they tend to hang in 2 or 3 zipping back and forth, with one loner hiding out until feeding time. he'll come out feed, hang about for maybe 20min then hide out again.

Surfer,

Don't take this the wrong way, but messing up a fishless cycle is far less of a problem than what you did. First, neons are extremely sensitive to ammonia. Second, neons are a natural food source for angels. Third, test strips aren't worth the paper they are glued to. Fourth, what about ammonia!? That is the first danger in a cycle and you never mentioned that the strip includes an ammonia test.

 

[Cossie1111]

At least something is happening... The nitrates are at 20, right?

Its too bad your neons will be eaten though.

Anyway, that bottled bacteria isnt really as bad as what people make it out to be, I used it (and a betta) to kick off my fish-in cycle, im doing 25% water changes once a week and ive recently gotten more fish, todays ammonia reading was zero.

However with 2 angels and neons your pushing it.

May I also suggest liquid test kits, for example API.

 

[Cossie1111]

*this shouldnt be here* *please ignore*