Treatments And Testing Kits Advice Please For Easy To Use And Cheaper

[misse]

Hello Tropical fish forum

I have just purchased a 54l tank for my tropical fish and have been researching (for a few days now!) on how to care for them.

I've have decided to give them the best start by doing fishless cycling for the next 8 weeks.

I have spent quite a bit of money already on other bits but still haven't purchased any treatments or tests yet.

I would really like some advice before I go mad and buy every gimmick there is.

What are the easiest and cheapest testing kits and treatments to buy?

I've been reading the fishless cycling thread and it suggests testing my tap water but the cheapest kit I have found that I think will do the job is about £8!!!

Then there's buying the ammonia that's cost me £8 already.

So before I know it I'm going to spend another £50!

Your help is really appreciated

 

[OldMan47]

Welcome to the forum Misse.
If you are comfortable buying on line, get the API master freshwater test kit. It has all of the commonly needed tests for cycling and can be had for about $20 on line plus a small delivery charge. The only treatment that you should ever need is a dechlorinator. I find the Seachem Prime is fairly cheap in actual use although it is a bit dear to buy at first. A small bottle will last quite a long time on a tiny tank like a 54 litre so it is a one time expense and you are set for years. You will need a pipette to use it properly but can get one at a chemist for next to nothing. They sell them for dosing liquid medications. The ammonia should have cost less than £1. Did you buy it in a fish shop or something?

 

[misse]

Welcome to the forum Misse.
If you are comfortable buying on line, get the API master freshwater test kit. It has all of the commonly needed tests for cycling and can be had for about $20 on line plus a small delivery charge. The only treatment that you should ever need is a dechlorinator. I find the Seachem Prime is fairly cheap in actual use although it is a bit dear to buy at first. A small bottle will last quite a long time on a tiny tank like a 54 litre so it is a one time expense and you are set for years. You will need a pipette to use it properly but can get one at a chemist for next to nothing. They sell them for dosing liquid medications. The ammonia should have cost less than £1. Did you buy it in a fish shop or something?

Hi

Thank you so much for replying!

I have looked into getting the API Master will buy that later on tonight and have just purchased the Seachem Prime and my pipette arrived yesterday.

I'm glad the dechlorinator lasts a long time, I was worried I would have to spend fortunes buying treatments and tests all the time. I bought the ammonia off ebay but at least I wont have to buy it again. I'm going to start putting a bit in tonight. I'm glad i'm not getting my fish for a few weeks as it will give me time to work all this out.

Thanks again for your suggestions

 

[erk628]

Welcome to the forum Misse.
If you are comfortable buying on line, get the API master freshwater test kit. It has all of the commonly needed tests for cycling and can be had for about $20 on line plus a small delivery charge. The only treatment that you should ever need is a dechlorinator. I find the Seachem Prime is fairly cheap in actual use although it is a bit dear to buy at first. A small bottle will last quite a long time on a tiny tank like a 54 litre so it is a one time expense and you are set for years. You will need a pipette to use it properly but can get one at a chemist for next to nothing. They sell them for dosing liquid medications. The ammonia should have cost less than £1. Did you buy it in a fish shop or something?

Hi

Thank you so much for replying!

I have looked into getting the API Master will buy that later on tonight and have just purchased the Seachem Prime and my pipette arrived yesterday.

I'm glad the dechlorinator lasts a long time, I was worried I would have to spend fortunes buying treatments and tests all the time. I bought the ammonia off ebay but at least I wont have to buy it again. I'm going to start putting a bit in tonight. I'm glad i'm not getting my fish for a few weeks as it will give me time to work all this out.

Thanks again for your suggestions

It will take more then a few weeks to cycle your take more then likley. It should take at least a month probally longer following the guide for a fishless cycle with ammonia and testing the water with your test kit will tell ou when its time for fish. If you can find some mature filter media from a cycled tank and put it in your filter will speed the cycle up.

 

[misse]

No worries not getting fish till mid Jan.

Just bought ammonia off net and it arrived today in the form of Crystals!!!!

Not too sure how much to put in but i'm going to add half a teaspoon and see what happend eek!!!!

 

[OldMan47]

Crystals? That is some ammonium compound, not pure ammonia. At one time, ammonium salts were used for cycling but we no longer try to do it that way. Please read the label carefully and let us know what you have in your possession as ammonia. I would be quite interested, as well as being interested in how it works out. That nasty smelling ammonia that I used, it is a liquid containing about 10% ammonia by weight, would be nice to get rid of if we could find a better or even equally effective substitute. Ammonia is actually a gas that is normally sold as a solution in water.

 

[doresy]

API freshwater testing kit £25-£30......Pure ammonia solution (Homebase) £1.99......Dechlorinator £3.50

Do the fishless cycle then no other treatment neccessary

 

[misse]

Hi Thanks for all your answers, got my fish today after a really sucessful cycle.

I used NO4 Ammonium Chloride, only needed a tiny pinch to spike the ammonia.

Have added 1 Betta 3 female and 3 male guppy and 2 suckermouth.

 

[Assaye]

Hi Thanks for all your answers, got my fish today after a really sucessful cycle.

I used NO4 Ammonium Chloride, only needed a tiny pinch to spike the ammonia.

Have added 1 Betta 3 female and 3 male guppy and 2 suckermouth.

Very glad to hear the cycle went well!

Keep an eye on the betta with those guppys. Many people find their bettas get pretty aggressive with the little guys and girls.

What suckermouth fish do you have?

 

[Defiance]

Hiya,
On about Dechlorinator ..............

Besides two pets at homes near me i have a place called the hollybush

The dechlorinator i use is sold in 250ml and 500ml and 1000ml bottles, it's cheaper as it's the stuff for ponds (err how can i explain... most chemicals labelled aquarium carry a premium, whereas ponds tend to be many many times the size of joe bloggs's aquarium, so the pond stuff is way cheaper for more chemicals or else it would be too expensive to treat pond/pool sized waters)

eg: 500ml pond dechlorinator that treats 2,500 imperial gallons = approx £9.99 (the 1 litres only £14.99 near me and treats 5,000 imperial gallons)

Now 250ml aquarium dechlorinator cost me over a tenner, in fact i think it £14 something !!! lol

They do the same job so i'm just putting this forward as even a 500ml pack would work out mega cheap, just dose accordingly

Tony