Tropical Water Conditions

[JHR]

Hey everyone! Im new to this fish keeping thing and have a tank set up and is cycling (fish less)

I was wondering what temperature is best to keep the fish happy and most of all healthy?

Also I did a water test today after my tank has been cycling for 48 hours and all of the water conditions as far as ph hardness ammonia nitrate levels etc. are within tolerance (not perfect but literally could keep some fairly delicate fish in it). Is this normal? Does this happen often? Is my testing kit incorrect?

 

[Cazgar]

48 hours is way too soon for a filter to be cycled, it can take weeks.
Stick with the fish less cycle & ask questions, people here are always ready to help

 

[CezzaXV]

When you say it's cycling, have you added any ammonia? Many LFS would have you believe that cycling just involves having the tank sat there with water in it.

 

[JHR]

No I've had it running with new filter and air pump on giving it 6 hours of light a day and I added ammonia and stress zyme to speed up the bacteria

 

[N0body Of The Goat]

No I've had it running with new filter and air pump on giving it 6 hours of light a day and I added ammonia and stress zyme to speed up the bacteria

True fishless cycling involves keeping the concentration of ammonia in the tank topped up to ~4ppm daily, testing daily with a liquid test kit for ammonia/nitrite/nitrate (often for over six weeks), until you have seen ammonia and nitrite that has then fallen to 0 by having the two vital bacteria colonies present.

 

[JHR]

Oh really? Ok well I've got to buy some more chemicals... I can't believe there is so much chemicals involved it feels so unnatural

 

[Fishy friend2]

You wouldn't have to add any chemicals when you have a cycled tank..... Other than water conditioner

 

[soybean]

To answer your original question, once fully cycled and you can add fish, 24c is a good average for most community fish. Depends what you add really.

 

[JHR]

Ok thanks soybean I'll have to get a thermometer and see what it's at! Do you think one of those sticky thermometers will be ok on a biorb because of its curved shape?

 

[soybean]

They're not that accurate, better to get a liquid or digital one that suckers onto the inside.

 

[JHR]

I thought as much. Ok thanks

 

[Tizer]

to fish less cycle, set your heater to 30 degrees, the bacteria colonise quicker with a hotter temperature.

do some serious reading up on fishless cycling and create yourself a thread to log your progress, then it can be "your" thread there others can follow and help. Loads of people do it.

 

[JHR]

Ok great thanks I will follow your advice!

Need to buy more testing stuff