Starting From Scratch...Yet Again

[GoldenCompass]

I have kept freshwater tropical fish for close to three years now but not very successfully. In the past, I kept them in a 30 gallon tank set up the way I thought it should be set up. I had a light, single filter, water heater, rocks and decorations. But at least one fish out of my 10 would die, almost weekly.

Then, a year ago, my husband and I moved to an apartment that won't allow a fish tank above 20 gallons without paying a pet deposit. So, we got rid of the 30 gallon tank and started from scratch with a 20 gallon column aquarium

. I used freshwater biozyme to cycle the tank for a week, then started adding fish. But they continued to die. I added live plants, thinking that would help but they kept dying.

Eventually, after the last fish died, we just turned the tank off and decided to wait until we were ready to take it on again since we were due to have a baby in a month and knew that we couldn't take care of a defective tank while adjusting to life with a newborn.

A couple weeks ago, we decided to start from scratch, again.

Here is what we did:
1) Drained the bad water and cleaned the decorations, rocks, filter and heater with water.
2) Bought a second filter (undergravel), air stone decoration, and air pump.
3) Filled tank with new water.
4) Treated the water with freshwater salt and Stress Coat +
5) Added a pinch of freshwater biozyme. This we have added every day for a week without changing the water.
6) Tested the water with PH and ammonia strips every day to make sure the water is adjusting correctly.

My questions are:
1) By adding the air and under gravel filter, have we set up the tank properly so the fish will survive longer?
2) How many fish can we add into the tank at one time and how many could survive?
3) Should we add any live plants?
4) What are the steps we should take now, before we add any fish?

 

[threnjen]

Hi there!

What you need to do before you get fish, for the least stress, is cycle your tank. Cycling the tank is the establishment of the beneficial bacteria in your system to support your fish. To do this you use household ammonia and your test strips.
I would recommend an API test kit from Amazon for $20 for the most accurate testing of your water: http://www.amazon.com/API-Freshwate...qid=1394658173&sr=8-1&keywords=api+freshwater


here's one of the forum cycling guides.
The (almost) Complete Guide and FAQ to Fishless Cycling - Aquarium Advice

Ask questions as needed!

 

[GoldenCompass]

So, is using the freshwater biozyme is not a good way to cycle the tank? I have been testing the water with the strips daily and the water levels have adjusted well. The ammonia level was high on the first day but there is no ammonia now. Is that good? Or does there need to be some ammonia?

I also read on the guide you suggested that I should use some seeding material like a used filter and decorations. This is what I used with my tank.

If the water levels are good, does that mean the tank has cycled?

 

[threnjen]

hello,

No, I'm afraid that adding a bacterial additive isn't the same thing as cycling the tank. The bacteria is usually suspended in a weak ammonia solution so you'll have ammonia then the bacteria eats it. However this does not mean the bacteria colonized your filter as it is usually a different type of bacteria that is included in the bottle but doesn't colonize the filter (that eats the initial ammonia suspension).

Running the filter in the tank is not the same thing as cycling the tank with a food source. Even using the bacterial additive you need some food source.

The only way to check that you have cycled is through feeding the bacteria and seeing if the entire process completes. This means dosing it to 2ppm ammonia, and then 24 hours later seeing 0 ammonia, 0 nitrites and some level of nitrates (around 7ppm nitrates per 2ppm ammonia dose).

Your tank is likely starting from scratch as it sounds like you have not had fish in it for several months, plus cleaned everything with tap water. "seeding material" is only from a current running tank with fish. This is fine as lots of people cycle without seed material, it just speeds things up.

Your other option is to cycle fish-in. The upside is you have some fish (this means like 2 fish, not a ton). The downside is you test water every day and might be doing water changes daily. It's not my favorite for that reason, but it's not innately bad.
I just learned about cycling but I already have fish. What now?! - Aquarium Advice

 

[GoldenCompass]

Okay, so by raising the ammonia level to 2ppm then watching it come back down will let me know if the tank has cycled? Or is that the actual cycling process? Do I also put food in the tank?

 

[threnjen]

It is only cycled if it converts from ammonia to nitrAte in 24 hours. It doesn't count if it does it over a number of days. It's the process outlined in the "Fishless Cycle" link in my first reply. They recommend dosing to 4ppm, you can do it either way but 2ppm means less chance of a stall. You can add a smidge of fish flake if your water is very soft.

this is the actual cycling process, your tank is very likely not cycled already.

 

[venymae]

Cycling IMO is the most important thing for a healthy fish aquarium. threnjen gives great advice, I would read up and ask her when you have questions good luck getting yours started!