Stuff To Buy For New Tank....

[BIG BAD BARRY]

Have a look at my sig below and my cycling log is in the link to give you some idea.

You dont have to have as much detail but accuracy is important for the ammonia dosing and for people to see how things are should you encounter any difficulties.

My daughter was given a similar sized tank but the filter came cycled. Guess who has to look after it!

I now have a 350L tank - thats a daddy tank!

Good luck!

 

[KittyKat]

OK, everything I need has been purchased now - just need to pop into boots to get the ammonia - I just need to confirm I do actually need the Ammonia, since I have the Interpet Filter Start solution - not sure what exactly that adds??

You do need the ammonia! Its the only way you can start your cycle.

The interpet filter start solution is just another bacteria in a bottle - something most of us dont believe work.

+1

While you do the cycle, please keep a diary of your ammonia and nitrite readings every day, with a pH and nitrate reading once per week. I would really appreciate if you could give them to me when you're done.

Forgot to mention again, lately, some of these cycle aids have started actually doing something, so definitely worth trying, just in case.

• Ammonia ≈ pee and crap. During a cycle, it should be at 3-5 ppm dosing. You can either always keep it at a set number, for example by dosing to 4 ppm every 24 hours or you can let it fall to 0 ppm and only then increase it back up to 4 ppm. After the filter is cycled, it will *always* be 0 ppm - this is the whole point of the cycling. Toxic to fish when over 0.25 ppm.

And also forgot to add that ammonia over 5 ppm will make the wrong bacteria grow, so make sure it never rises that high during the fish-less cycle.

 

[Little_Nemo]

OK, everything I need has been purchased now - just need to pop into boots to get the ammonia - I just need to confirm I do actually need the Ammonia, since I have the Interpet Filter Start solution - not sure what exactly that adds??

You do need the ammonia! Its the only way you can start your cycle.

The interpet filter start solution is just another bacteria in a bottle - something most of us dont believe work.

+1

While you do the cycle, please keep a diary of your ammonia and nitrite readings every day, with a pH and nitrate reading once per week. I would really appreciate if you could give them to me when you're done.

Forgot to mention again, lately, some of these cycle aids have started actually doing something, so definitely worth trying, just in case.

To be fair I did use API Stress Zyme - and I'm on my 23rd day of my cycle, and in stage 3.
So i presume its done some good, but dont hold me to that

 

[Ifti]

Should I therefore use the Filter start along with the Ammonia?

 

[KittyKat]

Should I therefore use the Filter start along with the Ammonia?

Yep, definitely, as you already have it. It's just not necessarily worth buying if you didn't have any.

By the way, it is definitely worth dechlorinating water if you want the tank running as quickly as possible. Chloramine takes about 1 week to leave the water naturally and the bacteria won't start growing unless it is gone. Chlorine takes only one day, but most tap water contains chloramine as well nowadays.

 

[Ifti]

Yes, I have the tap safe solution that I will use when adding the tap water.
Is it wise to then leave it a day or two with just the treated water in the tank, along with the filter and heater etc before I start adding the ammonia and filter start?

 

[KittyKat]

It won't make much difference. The dechlorination process happens in a matter of seconds, from what I understand.

A temperature of 29C will speed up the cycle, but you should turn that down to 22-25C when you actually have fish.

 

[Ifti]

Another great tip I would have otherwise overlooked!
Thanks yet again!

 

[Ifti]

OK.....Purchased my Boots Ammonia today.
Gravel should be here in the next day or two, then the adventure begins!!
Im going to go buy this excellent thread here: http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/113861-fishless-cycling/

Will create a new thread with results etc as I go along

 

[KittyKat]

Great, please give me a shout when you do

 

[Ifti]

OK, so Gravel is washed and in tank.
Water is in tank.
Plastic plants in tank.
Heater, filter, and thermometer are in tank!

Everything seems to be working fine.

Ive added TapSafe.

Im still waiting for my API testing kit to arrive, which should be with me by mid week I guess - so Ive not added ammonia etc just yet as I cant measure it etc.

What I wanted to know, is that I have tiny air bubbles covering the items Ive put it - will these gradually go themselves, or should I start wiping as much of it away as I can?

 

[KittyKat]

Don't worry about the air bubbles, they are only temporary They'll go soon enough!

Feel free to get the heater and filter running already

 

[Ifti]

Yup heater is running, and temperature is around 26 at the moment. Once I start adding ammonia I'll get it up to 29
Filter is also running - I replaced the carbon with another foam, like you kindly suggested.
Im missing an ornament I wanted to place in the middle as a central piece as it arrived broken - but that can always go in later once the replacement arrives.
Just waiting on the test kit at the moment! I'll then create a new thread with my daily results etc