Brand new 55gal tank, any advice on preparing water?

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xaq2000

Aquarium Advice Newbie
Joined
Dec 8, 2004
Messages
3
Location
California
I am brand new to this forum and I am learning a lot. I am starting up a 55 gal. tank. I have an Emperor 400 filter with the biowheels running. I have had everything running for about 10 days now. I don't have any fish yet because I want to make sure the water is right. My plan is to start out with 1 ghost knife and 2 small plecs. I have added the chemical to remove chlorine and added two doses of something that is supposed to start the "good" bacteria. What else to I need to do to make sure everything is balanced before adding the fish?
 
What product did you add to start the "good" bacteria. Most of them don't work. The only one that does work is BioSpira. If you used that you will have to add fish the sme day or it doesn't work.
 
Also unless you plan on getting BioSpira I would research fishless cycling.
 
I have had everything running for about 10 days now. I don't have any fish yet because I want to make sure the water is right.

By setting up your tank and adding any chemicals (bacteria in a bottle) and letting it run, will not start your cycling process. For your bacteria to multiply and grow you need food (ammonia) or your bacteria will die.

When doing a fishless cycle you need to add pure ammonia (food for your bacteria) and you need to add your fish right away if you plan on cycling with fish.

Be sure not cycle with too many fish, keep up with your water changes and most importantly, test your water frequently.
 
hey xaq,
in simple terms the cycle is the process of taking harmful things and turning it into less harmful things. it's kind of gross... but think of it this way. if you lived in a tank full of water and left all of your waste (poop and pee) in it... the water would get pretty nasty.

waste turns into ammonia which is highly toxic for fish, so bacterias grow that turn the ammonia into nitrite which is less harmful however still can kill your fish. and finally other bacterias grow that turn nitrite into nitrate, the least harmful. this is removed by doing your weekly water changes.

the nitrogen cycle in general takes from 2-6 weeks unless you bought a product called biospira. it is the ONLY one that can actually force your tank to cycle, unlike what all the other products claim. so don't listen to them.

just having the tank setup and running doesn't start the cycle since there are no fish producing waste, there is no ammonia, therefore the bacterias have no reason to grow. you can do some research on "fishless cycling" (on yahoo) for the best way to do it. this will allow you to cycle your tank without exposing live fish to the skin-burning ammonia.

good luck!
-brent
 
So in a nut shell,

Ammonia that is created by fish waste and decaying food is food for your beneficial bacteria to grow and multiply.

Ammonia ---> converts to nitrites ---> and then converted to Nitrates.

When your ammonia is at 0, nitrite is at 0 and you have a high level of nitrates, then that means your cycle is complete.
 
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