I Need Help -- new tank

[bender3445]

Hi,

I just set up a 20 Gallon tank with a heater and a Aqueon Power filter 20, and all over the tank are what seems to be little air bubbles. I have no idea why they are there so can anybody explain to me whether its a good or bad thing if they are there, and what i can do to get rid of them.

I also was wondering about the cycling process, because the person at Petco did not mention one word about it, and she said that i would just have to let the tank go for a couple of days, add some conditioner and add the fish. After reading the cycling guide here, i was a little worried that she might be wrong. Can someone explain that too?

She also said I could get 1 male betta and like 10-12 small community fish.

 

[Sberk]

Welcome Bender,

I am very new to this but so far everybody has been very helpful.

As for your bubble "problem," I had the same thing happen when I first added water to my 20g. I just took my scrub brush and easily wiped them off of the walls, filter, heater, etc. They havn't come back at all and any that I missed have gone away as well.

I would recommend doing a fishless cycle (not from experience, I'm only a week into mine) just by everything I have read on these forums and other sites. My co-worker just started a tank and added fish after 3 days. He know has unhealthy looking fish 2 weeks in and i'm guessing it is because he didn't cycle properly.

Here is an awesome stocking calculator:

AqAdvisor - Intelligent Freshwater Tropical Fish Aquarium Stocking Calculator and Aquarium Tank/Filter Advisor

 

[bender3445]

dam, i was lied to... i'm glad i came across the cycling process now, my fish probably would have died. thanks for the help sberk.

 

[OhNo5000Bees!]

Don't worry about the air bubbles, you will always see those after adding water to your tank.

As for the cycling, it looks like you've added fish to your tank before the tank was ready to accept them. Now you run the danger of having "new tank syndrome" and losing your fish. Since you're already in this position, keep and eye on your fish and change some of the water if they show any stress. In a tank as small as yours, you won't get much warning so it might be in your best interest to do a daily water change of 25% or so.

Do you have a test kit to check for ammonia, nitrite and nitrates? Look into getting one if not.

As for the nitrogen cycle, I've got a page about it on my blog here:
The Nitrogen Cycle | Aquagarden

 

[mfdrookie516]

Welcome to AA The bubbles (as stated above) are completely normal and nothing to worry about. As for cycling, there is a link in my signature that will help with that as well. You dont want to add fish just yet, and you really need a liquid test kit such as the API Master FW Test Kit

 

[bender3445]

i haven't added any fish yet, and i won't for awhile because im starting a fishless cycle tomorrow.

 

[dkpate]

Good for you for the fishless cycle! Never listen to anyone in the pet store lol (not usually anyway) they are just trying to make a quick buck.
And the bubbles appear on everything I buy new, and I just use one of the little aquarium squeegees and scrape them off. But they always come back, and I just take them off again lol.

 

[Mark Hewitt]

The bubbles are normal. Of the times I've set up a new tank, or torn down and set up a one afresh, you'll see the bubbles appear after a day or two after you put the water in, then gradually start to disappear about day 4.

This is the main reason pet shops tell you to wait 1 week before introducing fish to a tank, nothing to do with the bacteria cycle as people are often told, but just to make sure that the filter etc is free from bubbles.

I believe the reason they happen is that mains water is distributed under pressure so will have a high content of dissolved gases (air, mostly), these will gradually start to bubble out. You see exactly the same effect if you take a glass of water and let it stand for several hours.

 

[Mark Hewitt]

Oh and I'll add to the calls for you to buy a test kit.
I was very unsure about buying one at first and I was wondering if it would be a waste of cash, however with the usage I'd had from it and the information it's given me, that idea seems completely preposterous now!

As for the Betta issue, they are one of the most incompatible with there are! You could have your Betta but then your choice of others is then extremely limited. You have a decent sized tank so I would look more at, Black Skirts, Guppies, Mollies etc.

 

[Bender]

WOW! Someone using my name

 

[cucoigcrice]

Hi folks i just new to this site and tropical fish keeping. I have a 84 litre tank which i added water to 11/ Jan i was told by alot of people oh wait for 8weeks to put fish in and then more people said treat it with chlorine conditioner and add bacteria and fish as they will help the eco system. I did and my first purchase was 4 platties. Now i am all confused because then i was told add more fish soon so they dont get teritorial!!!Am i dealing with a dog here i thought!!!! So like a spoon i went and bout more over the next number of days i.e. 3 guppies, 6 different types neons, 2 more platties, 6 penguin fish, 1 rosy bard and oh supposidly another rpsy but if deff not!! Oh and a snail!!

people are telling me different things and i all over the place. In fairness my tank and fish look healthy- small amount of tiny airbubbles coming from filter but fish seem happy to be out of a cramped tank in the pet shop. There on monday past i took a sample of my water to the shop for testing, results werent bad considering. everything was fine apart from pH it was slightly high at 7.6. i was advised not to but any treatment into the tank as it could reverse this result and that give it a few days to fix itself. i think i will take another sample in for testing on friday.

i have now bought a book and i am also worried about feeding. I have been feeding my fish every 2nd days with 2-3 small pinches of food. My book and food container said to feed the fish for 5minutes as much as they can eat but i dont know whether this is adviseable.

Sorry about the large post but i am in the same position as the other poster!!! any advice would be great, please feel free to pm me as i dont want to take over this posters thread!!! Thanks in advance!!!

 

[dkpate]

Your tank will need to be cycled. When you go get your water tested, ask them specifically what the ammonia and nitrites are, and don't let them tell you "They're fine." 4 days a week I feed my fish twice a day, and 3 days a week I feed them once a day. And the book was right, feed them as much as they can eat in about 5 minutes, take out what is left over.
7.6 pH is not bad, 90% of fish will acclimate to your pH, so don't buy anything to bring it down, that will be worse for your fish.
What kind of a snail did you get?
Welcome to AA!

 

[cucoigcrice]

Your tank will need to be cycled. When you go get your water tested, ask them specifically what the ammonia and nitrites are, and don't let them tell you "They're fine." 4 days a week I feed my fish twice a day, and 3 days a week I feed them once a day. And the book was right, feed them as much as they can eat in about 5 minutes, take out what is left over.
7.6 pH is not bad, 90% of fish will acclimate to your pH, so don't buy anything to bring it down, that will be worse for your fish.
What kind of a snail did you get?
Welcome to AA!

Thanks for the welcome!! They did give me the results of the ammonia and nitrates and i see the charts but i just forgot them.
It's a golden apple snail, he doesnt do much but he different and thats why i like him. . When should i get more fish, and is there any other breed i could put with my fish already here. i was looking in gourami's? sorry about the spelling

 

[dkpate]

I don't know much about stocking, I hope someone else will chime in!