My first Aquarium! Fluval SpecV. (Live thread)

[CallMeJus]

Hey everyone, Just started a planted freshwater aquarium after years of wanting one. I hope to also have a saltwater tank sometime in the future as I get more experienced.

After doing a quick (maybe too quick?) fishless cycling this is my current water chemistry level as of last night:

pH 7.6
High pH 7.8
Ammonia 0ppm
Nitrite 0ppm
Nitrate 0ppm

The attached picture is a few days old, I have since added a a green and purple leafed plant (forget the name), and a few fancy guppies.

I also have each planet a nutrient tab.

How am I doing so far?

 

[CallMeJus]

 

[Caliban07]

Hi mate there is no picture. Also the parameter numbers you listed don't indicate a complete cycle.

You need to be adding ammonium chloride from ace hardware (when there are NO fish in the tank) then you normally wait for about 5-6 weeks.


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[CallMeJus]

Thanks Caliban, I believe the tropical fish store by me also sells water so I'll transfer the fish into another tank with their water.

I'd rather learn how to do the cycle correctly myself instead of using their water in the whole tank or else I'll never learn!

I'm going to check the levels when I get home and updated from there...

 

[lksdrinker]

Thanks Caliban, I believe the tropical fish store by me also sells water so I'll transfer the fish into another tank with their water.

I'd rather learn how to do the cycle correctly myself instead of using their water in the whole tank or else I'll never learn!

I'm going to check the levels when I get home and updated from there...

Their water wont help. What you need is beneficial bacteria to be colonized in your tank which predominantly happens in the filter. If you want to know how to do it yourself, then you need a tank with no fish in it yet. You need to add an ammonia source (either straight ammonia like mentioned above from ace hardware; or some fish food; or even a piece of frozen shrimp from the grocery store). You'll need a way to test water parameters. You want to dose ammonia to a measurable amount of roughly 2-4 ppm. The ammonia will likely stay at that, or close to, that concentration for a while and from teh beginning nitrite should be 0. Things should stay this way for at least a few days, if not weeks. You want to see the ammonia drop and the nitrite rise (and you'll want to keep dosing ammonia to at least 1-2 ppm through this time). Eventually the nitrite will also start dropping and then you should start to see a measurable amount of nitrate. Once that happens I like to give one more dose of 1-2 ppm of ammonia. If the cycle is truly complete, the tank should handle/process the 1-2ppm of ammonia within 24 hours (and you should see a test result of 0 ammonia and 0 nitrite).

 

[CallMeJus]

I used a water conditioner, as well as a bacteria booster (can't remember the names) from the pet store. Do those actually work? Was that a waste of money?

 

[Caliban07]

I used a water conditioner, as well as a bacteria booster (can't remember the names) from the pet store. Do those actually work? Was that a waste of money?

The water conditioner is important but the bacteria was most likely a waste of money. How many fish do you have in the tank. Now that you have fish it's probably easier to do a fish in cycle. Just change some water every 2-3 days and feed very lightly once a day for a month and you shouldn't really lose any fish. If you feed too much, add too many fish or don't change enough water the ammonia will build up and poison the fish. Your job is to stop ammonia building up in the tank which means you need to test for ammonia every day.

Your filter sponge is where the bacteria that you need to keep your fish safe will grow. Chorine from the tap will destroy the bacteria if you wash it in tap water so never do this, instead was the sponge with water that has been de-chlorinated via your water conditioner or use the water you take out of the tank when you do a clean because this will have no chlorine.


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[CallMeJus]

Ok, I will go the fish cycle route then. I have thre very very small male guppies

 

[Caliban07]

Ok, I will go the fish cycle route then. I have thre very very small male guppies

Ok. Fish in cycle is perfectly safe if done properly. It's tempting to overfeed but a couple of crushed flakes a day won't do them any harm. If you do feed more then you will have to change more water more often. You will need to stock slowly too. If you plan on adding more guppies 2 more in another couple of weeks is a good start. Stay away from pleco's. They are tempting fish for beginners but they are messy and will make the ammonia rise so fast your head will spin. They need big tanks and more experience.

Good luck.


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[CallMeJus]

Ok, so I finally bought a Master Test Kit.

Here was the first reading on 3/31

 

[CallMeJus]

Here was Sunday 4/3:

 

[CallMeJus]

And here was yesterday's reading:

 

[CallMeJus]

Here's this afternoons reading. So this means it's starting to cycle now?

 

[chykityta]

It means that your tank is starting to build the bacteria that consumes Ammonia and converts it to Nitrites. So it is slowly starting now. Make sure the Ammonia doesn't rise to harmful levels to the fish


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[livefishguy124]

looks good, keep the guppys in there and keep doing what your doing.

 

[Barliman]

Here's this afternoons reading. So this means it's starting to cycle now?

You're on your way.