bud29's 34 gallon build

[bud29]

Hi all, I'm definitely going to need some advice through this cycling process, so i decided to start this thread just for that purpose. Of course, my tank is 34 gallons, and in it after the cycle I'm planning on getting 3 Zebra Danios, 3 GloFish, 1 Blue Gourami, 9 Tiger Barbs, 3 Bronze Corys, and 3 Albino Corys. Currently I am running an Aquatech 20-40 power filter and tomorrow my Marineland Power Penguin Filter 150 comes. I know that pure ammonia with a liquid test kit is the way to go when cycling but I discovered this site and that info the day after I ordered $20 worth of test strips. So, I've decided to do a cycle with leftover goldfish flakes from years ago. I'm also adding filter media from my sister's tank. My first questions are:
1.) how often do I need to do a PWC? In a fishless cycle DO I need to do a PWC?
2.) how often do I test the water? I only have 20 5-in-1 test strips (pH, nitrite, nitrAte, Alkalinity, Water hardness) and 20 ammonia test strips so I can't test every day. (Plus, i have to share these strips with my sister)

Help would be greatly appreciated and if you could keep checking every couple days, that would be awesome because I'm definitely going to have some questions.


Thank You

 

[Terrance]

Fish-in cycle - test every day and do enough water change to keep ammonia and nitrItes low.

Fishless cycle - no water change is needed until ammonia and nitrItes are 0 within 24hrs of ammonia dosing. Test the water 1-2 times per week.

 

[bud29]

Day 2 of the cycle......I added my sister's filter cartridge in front of my own filter cartridge in my aquatech 20-40. I'm wondering, how long do I need to leave the filter in for it to seed the tank well? I don't want it to build up all of the bacteria and then when I take it out cause a mini cycle, but I don't want to take out the cartridge before it can actually seed the tank.

 

[jlk]

Hi! Is there any chance you can get ahold of some plain ammonia? You can cycle with fish food but its going to be difficult to reach & sustain a decent ammonia level in a 34g with it. Theres also isnt an accurate way to 'dose' fish food & theres a risk of fungus issues by dumping food into your tank. Just something to consider!

 

[bud29]

Hi! Is there any chance you can get ahold of some plain ammonia? You can cycle with fish food but its going to be difficult to reach & sustain a decent ammonia level in a 34g with it. Theres also isnt an accurate way to 'dose' fish food & theres a risk of fungus issues by dumping food into your tank. Just something to consider!

i should probably do that.

 

[bud29]

Are these test results too good to be true? On day 3 of the cycle my readings are:
Ammonia-1 ppm
NitrIte-2 ppm
NitrAte-10 ppm

Is this possible on the third day of cycling??? I do have a very well seeded tank......(2 handfuls of gravel, 3 plastic plants, and a nice and dirty filter cartridge from my sister's tank) Also, can I get pure ammonia at home depot, ace hardware, or walmart? And if I don't get a test kit, will like a $4 ammonia meter be ok for measuring my ammonia doses? I just don't want to spend much more money until its time to buy the fish.
in advance

 

[jlk]

Have you tested your tap water, too? This may be responsible for some of your readings. Ace Hardware has usuable ammonia for $2-3 (ace hardware brand 10% janitorial strength). Walmart & Home depot have nothing usuable so dont waste your time. The ammonia meters are even less accurate than strips which are quite inaccurate to begin with. You really should consider a decent kit- amazon has them for $10-15 less than most lfs. Those strips are going to run out very quickly.

 

[bud29]

I see what you mean about inaccurate strips.........I added 1/2 teaspoon ammonia to the tank and the readings were still 1 ppm ammonia. I'm looking into the api freshwater master test kit on amazon. Is that a good kit?

 

[jlk]

Yep, the API fw master kit is the most widely used (esp on here!!!). Use the calculator below to figure out the exact dose of ammonia needed to reach 4ppm. Enter your tank size, 'ppm' (4), and % of ammonia (ace is 10%).

Calculator

 

[bud29]

I'll order the test kit soon, and right now I'll add more ammonia. Thanks a lot!!

 

[bud29]

Yep, the API fw master kit is the most widely used (esp on here!!!). Use the calculator below to figure out the exact dose of ammonia needed to reach 4ppm. Enter your tank size, 'ppm' (4), and % of ammonia (ace is 10%).

Calculator

Oh, and I know that you're like, the fishless cycling expert, but, I thought you were supposed to get it up to 5 ppm ammonia. Like I said, you know a lot more than me, but I'm just wondering because multiple places (including that calculator) say that 5 ppm are recommended. Just wondering

 

[jlk]

Not an expert but I help alot of people! 4ppm is designed to be overkill. If you were looking to heavily/overstock with messy fish, then 5ppm would be a better choice but it also comes with even more issues trying to get a tank properly cycled. No need to make things harder than they have to be!

 

[bud29]

Thanks! oh, and one more thing: What do I do while I wait for my test kit to come? Today I dosed it up to 4 ppm. I don't want to do nothing and kill the cycle but I don't want to guess with the test strips and try to add ammonia accordingly.

 

[jlk]

Leave things be for now. Theres ammonia in the tank. You can go ahead & test with the strips just to get a 'general' idea of whats happening but dont count on the results. If your tank comes up with zero ammonia before you get your test kit, go ahead & redose 4ppm. But only if it the strip says zero (this may take a few days or longer)- if it says any other number, just wait until its zero. Its better to have less ammonia right now & over next few days rather than risk overdosing amm & killing off yourgood bacteria. If your unsure, just ask!

 

[bud29]

Leave things be for now. Theres ammonia in the tank. You can go ahead & test with the strips just to get a 'general' idea of whats happening but dont count on the results. If your tank comes up with zero ammonia before you get your test kit, go ahead & redose 4ppm. But only if it the strip says zero (this may take a few days or longer)- if it says any other number, just wait until its zero. Its better to have less ammonia right now & over next few days rather than risk overdosing amm & killing off yourgood bacteria. If your unsure, just ask!

Thank you very much!

 

[bud29]

The API test kit has been ordered! Estimated to get here July 2-3.

 

[bud29]

The test kit came today! My readings are:
Ammonia 4.0 ppm (maybe a bit less)
NitrIte 2.0 ppm (maybe a bit more)
Nitrate 40 ppm
pH: 8.0

Everything is so high!!!!! AAARRGH!

 

[bud29]

Ammonia still at 4 ppm today

 

[Neonfishgirl]

You cant have all those fish together they r 2 aggressive and it's too many of each kind thanks for nothin when you answered my question

 

[bud29]

You cant have all those fish together they r 2 aggressive and it's too many of each kind thanks for nothin when you answered my question

hmmm.....I have decided to change my stocking plan but not because of aggression....Zebra Danios and Blue Gourami are good tankmates for tiger barbs. I changed because of space issues. I figured it might be a little overstocked. I'm going to wait to finalize my stocking plan until I see what this fish store a little ways away from me has. But, at the moment, I'm leaning towards 8 zebra danios, 7 black skirt tetras, 2 dwarf gourami, and 6 corys.