When Can He Add The Fish?

[Ben M]

hi, my brother has just set up his juwel lido 120. his intended stocking is, 6 sunset platies, 2 dwarf gouramis, 20 silvertip tetras and a shoal of corries (not sure which species yet).he put 2 biological media pads from my tank in his filter, and i have put 2 of his in my filter (so we can swap back when his has enough bacteria on it) he filled it on sunday, and the currents water readings are: ammonia 0
nitrite 0
Nitrate 20ppm
pH 7.4

i have suggested that he adds the platies first, as they are the hardiest fish. would it be ok to add them on the weekend? and should he add all 6, or 3 at first, and then the other 3 a week later? and is there anything else he needs to do to prepare for the fish?

cheers

 

[fatheadminnow]

I would personally do a fishless cycle, which would probably finish in a weeks time or so. Then once that is completed he could then go ahead and add his full stocking of fish.

-FHM

 

[Ben M]

how would he do a fishless cycle?

cheers

 

[fatheadminnow]

Here is a link that will explain how to perform a fishless cycle.

It is very easy to do and will ensure that his tank gets off to a good, healthy start!

-FHM

 

[Ben M]

he doesn't seem to keen with all the messing about with the ammonia. couldn't he just add the fish?

cheers

 

[fatheadminnow]

Yes of course he can, however he may be in a fish-in cycle.

If he just adds fish, then I would only add a few at a time, and then a couple more once a week. All the time monitoring the water parameters, until he as reached is full stocking of fish.

However, if there is no source of ammonia in his tank as we speak, then all the beneficial bacteria in the biological pads you have given him are going to begin to die off.

So, get some fish in there ASAP.

-FHM

 

[Ben M]

hi, thanks i will see when he can get some fish in. would putting some fish food in help to feed the bacteria before he gets the fish?


cheers

 

[Truck]

Does he have the plants in yet? I believe he was planning on adding some? if so, I would add the plants then add a few fish each week, whilst doing 50% water changes every 2 days.

 

[Ben M]

hi, he hasn't planted yet, we haven't been to any fish shops recently. so would you add some plants before any fish? or could he put them in at the same time?

cheers

 

[Truck]

Preferably a week or so before so they can become established.

 

[Ben M]

thanks, he still hasn't chosen the plants yet though, so i'll have to hurry him up.

cheers

 

[Truck]

Did he remember to get the easy carbo and ferts? With the lighting in the Lido it will be needed.

 

[Ben M]

hi, i've got some tpn+ that he can use aswell, but he hasn't got the liquid carbon yet. he only has the lights on for 4 hours atm,and i have given him some duckweed and dwarf water lettuce, so i don't think he'll get any algae until he can use the ferts etc. i'm thinking of using liquid carbon aswell, so we could share the ferts and liquid carbon.

and i feel proud that my taiwan moss is pearling with 1.25wpg of t8 and no co2.

cheers

 

[Truck]

The floating plants will help a lot, as long as he crams it with plants, and I mean cram, so it looks like an under water jungle and not the desert, then a silent cycle will do fine.

 

[Ben M]

thanks, i'll tell him that. would really fast growing plants like Elodea densa and Cabomba caroliniana be a good choice to stop algae and nitrates building up?

cheers