What Next

[CarloUK]

Hi
I have a fluval Edge 46 L tropical tank.
For the first 8 days i filled it with water, heated it and dosed it with the bacteria kick start which came in the kit. I then added 2 molly fish 6 days ago and all seems well.

What do I do next. A 25% water change or change the carbon filter ?
I plan on adding 2 more fish in about a weeks time.

Ive been lightly feeding

Thanks for any replies
Carlo

 

[Nordk]

Hello Carlo, Welcome to TFF!
Unfotunately it sounds like you're going to have to do a fish-in cycle, as the kick-starter and carbon won't have cycled your tank.
You can read up on cycling from the top link in my sig.
You need some bio-media in your filter, carbon does nothing to remove the toxic ammonia and nitrites that build up in a tank, bio-media will grow bacteria that turns it all into nitrate, wich is removed by live plants and weekly waterchanges of 10-25% depending on tank size and stocking.
Carbon cartiges are recommended to be replaced every few weeks so that the companies that make them can sell more, but carbon is only used for removing meds from tank water, and will wear out after 2-4 weeks.
Secondly, mollies prefer mildly brackish water conditions, but can tolerate full freshwater too. Adding a little bit of aquarium salt to the tank is good for them but not required. (Never add Iodised table salt to a tank, it is harmful to fish.)
Do you have a test kit? If you don't, pick up a liquid kit at your LFS, API makes a masterkit that's pretty good for it's pricerange. Paper dipstrips are notoriously inaccurate, and typically dont' measure ammonia, which is one of the most important things to keep track of.

 

[CarloUK]

Hi Nordk
The Aquarium came with a filter. Consisting of foam/Bio Media and the carbon Filter. I mentioned the Carbon filter because I read I had to change it after 4 weeks.  From what I understand I am already growing bacteria from the bacteria I added at the beginning with the kit.
Ta

 

[fluttermoth]

In general, those bacterial starters don't work.
 
I would get rid of the carbon and add more sponge or biomedia.
 
You definitely need test kits, for both ammonia and nitrite; there's no way of telling if your filter is cycled or not without testing.
 
Once your tank is cycled, you can do between 25 and 50% a week, depending on stocking.
 
I feel I ought to say that mollies aren't suitable fish for an Edge; they get far too big

 

[ncguppy830]

yup youd be more suited for a betta.

 

[mike455555]

you could make a lovley little betta tank, but if not you can always try chilli rasboras and other small schooling fish, myself i love shrimp 

 

[CarloUK]

I am a bit confused now.  I am doing exactly what the Hagen instructions and my local fish stockist told me. I have dip slides although I do realise they are a poor indication. i think I will continue on my current path, I just couldn't remember when my pet shop man told me to do the water change. i think he said 1 month.  I realise the amonia is created by the crap and then the bacteria has to convert this then comes the water change.  I will get some test sets and see if I can see at what stage the cycle is at.
 
My molly's I think are the ballon type and I thought they only grow to about 1.5" in which case surely in a 46L tank they are fine.
Thanks for the heads up though.
 
CARLO

 

[mike455555]

while the mollys can fit in the tank okay they dont have enough room to swim happily. 
 
 carbon is normaly used for removing meds its not really needed in the filter at all. 

 

[ncguppy830]

+ 1  regardless of the size they need swimming room

 

[fluttermoth]

Most pet shops and manufacturers won't give you the same advice as us because their ultimate aim is profit.
 
Monthly water changes are about 20 years out of date, for a start (unless you have a specialist set up).
 
Balloon mollies get to at least two inches, sometimes nearer three, and the Edge doesn't give them enough room to move comfortably. They're also a very heavily built, chunky fish so just your two would fully stock your tank; you have to understock Edge's because of the small surface area.

 

[Elrohirthehasty]

Various micro rasbora species or ember tetras would be good, if you can find them.  Or a betta.
 
Check out the nano fish tank section of the forum:
http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/forum/251-fresh-planted-nano-tanks/
 
The "Nano Fish" topic pinned at the top is a good place to start.

By the way, many people here on the forum are fish-in cycling haters.  In theory, though, fishless is better, hence the hating. However, I've never had problems with fish-in. (That is, once I knew what cycling was. I had my own "dark ages" too

).  Thing is... you have lots of fish for a small tank for the cycle.  I did a fish in cycle of a 29g with 3 zebra danios.  I wouldn't worry too much though.  Keep up with water changes.  In general, you can change much more than you were instructed/think, so long as you de-chlorinate and keep the temperature of the new water the same.  30 to 50% changes every other day during the cycle is a decent starting place.  Once it's cycled, you could keep doing that if you wanted - the fish would be quite happy with that - or settle into a 30 to 50% a week/biweekly deal.