Cycling a 40 litre tank

[Sushisnake]

Hi All!
I need help. Í bought a 40 litre tank - it was one of those package deals. It looked ENORMOUS to me lol, but thanks to AA I now know better and am buying a bigger tank in the next couple of months.
I'm getting ahead of myself bigtime . I need help cycling this one first!
As I said, it's 40 litres. It has an Aqua One ClearView 280 HOB filter. I couldn't get an API liquid master test kit so had to go for an Interpret easy test liquid master test kit.
The tank's PH is 8.5. I haven't bought a high end test kit yet so I'm not sure if it is actually a little lower or higher than that. I'm making an educated guess that it's reasonably accurate because my 20 litre tank has the same PH. So does the tap water after I've let it sit for 24 hours. I live in a high rain fall area and it's the Wet Season. It scared the Hell out of me until I joined AA and learned it's all about PH stability - not the perfect 7.
OK. Here are my questions.
1. I wanted to fishless cycle with ammonia- but can only buy 100% pure ammonia in 20 litre lots . I've read about using fish food or dead prawns in a stocking in other threads. How much food, how big a prawn and how long?
2. Could I fish in cycle with two platys? I'd really prefer to wait until their home is a little more comfortable.
3. How frequent should my partial water changes be while cycling and what percentage ? Is there a rule of thumb or should I let daily ammonia-nitrites-nitrate tests guide me? I know I'm ultimately looking for ammonia and nitrites to disappear and nitrate to show up - again thanks to AA.
4. Is a 40 litre tank OK for two platys and could they have community fish company?
I also have 5 kuhli loaches but the new bigger tank will be for them. I'm not saying where they are now because someone will shoot me for overstocking BIG TIME.

(For everyone who's guessed the kuhlis have to be in the 20 litre tank - I'm doing daily pwc of 30% and master tests every second day- no ammonia or nitrites. No nitrates either unfortunately. The kuhlis are all small - two are under 2 inches)
Finally, thanks for being here. I've tried to keep aquariums on and off through the years and have failed dismally. I've learned from the forums how ignorant I am and how often that ignorance was assisted by the lfs with catastrophic results for the poor fish unlucky enough to come into my care.
The lfs is still telling me no more than 25% pwc fortnightly and sold me calcium carbonate coral sand for a 40 litre freshwater tank substrate in a high alkaline area! It sent the PH through the roof! Toxic, toxic, toxic!!Thanks to AA, I'm using pool filter sand now. Wish I'd done the research BEFORE I walked into the lfs!

 

[Mumma.of.two]

Hi All!
I need help. Í bought a 40 litre tank - it was one of those package deals. It looked ENORMOUS to me lol, but thanks to AA I now know better and am buying a bigger tank in the next couple of months.
I'm getting ahead of myself bigtime . I need help cycling this one first!
As I said, it's 40 litres. It has an Aqua One ClearView 280 HOB filter. I couldn't get an API liquid master test kit so had to go for an Interpret easy test liquid master test kit.
The tank's PH is 8.5. I haven't bought a high end test kit yet so I'm not sure if it is actually a little lower or higher than that. I'm making an educated guess that it's reasonably accurate because my 20 litre tank has the same PH. So does the tap water after I've let it sit for 24 hours. I live in a high rain fall area and it's the Wet Season. It scared the Hell out of me until I joined AA and learned it's all about PH stability - not the perfect 7.
OK. Here are my questions.
1. I wanted to fishless cycle with ammonia- but can only buy 100% pure ammonia in 20 litre lots . I've read about using fish food or dead prawns in a stocking in other threads. How much food, how big a prawn and how long?
2. Could I fish in cycle with two platys? I'd really prefer to wait until their home is a little more comfortable.
3. How frequent should my partial water changes be while cycling and what percentage ? Is there a rule of thumb or should I let daily ammonia-nitrites-nitrate tests guide me? I know I'm ultimately looking for ammonia and nitrites to disappear and nitrate to show up - again thanks to AA.
4. Is a 40 litre tank OK for two platys and could they have community fish company?
I also have 5 kuhli loaches but the new bigger tank will be for them. I'm not saying where they are now because someone will shoot me for overstocking BIG TIME.

(For everyone who's guessed the kuhlis have to be in the 20 litre tank - I'm doing daily pwc of 30% and master tests every second day- no ammonia or nitrites. No nitrates either unfortunately. The kuhlis are all small - two are under 2 inches)
Finally, thanks for being here. I've tried to keep aquariums on and off through the years and have failed dismally. I've learned from the forums how ignorant I am and how often that ignorance was assisted by the lfs with catastrophic results for the poor fish unlucky enough to come into my care.
The lfs is still telling me no more than 25% pwc fortnightly and sold me calcium carbonate coral sand for a 40 litre freshwater tank substrate in a high alkaline area! It sent the PH through the roof! Toxic, toxic, toxic!!Thanks to AA, I'm using pool filter sand now. Wish I'd done the research BEFORE I walked into the lfs!

Hi!
1. I would recommend the prawn over the fish food. Fish food is messier and can encourage algae growth. One prawn should be enough for a 40L tank IMO.
2. Yes you can cycle with two platys. It will require daily testing and water changes to keep them healthy.
3. I usually advise 50% every time ammonia or nitrite is detected at .25ppm or higher. Try and keep them as low as possible.
4. 40L is fine for 2 platys and 5 kuhlis IMO. But then you would be stocked.
FISHLESS
http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forum...guide-and-faq-to-fishless-cycling-148283.html

FISH IN
http://www.aquariumadvice.com/artic...g-but-I-already-have-fish-What-now/Page2.html

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f12/fish-in-cycling-step-over-into-the-dark-side-176446.html

BEGINNERS GUIDE
http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f15/guide-to-starting-a-freshwater-aquarium-186089.html

 

[Sushisnake]

Thanks Mumma. I've read so many of your threads and learned so much- it's a pleasure to talk to you! I'll grab a prawn tomorrow and make a start. I'm not worried about being fully stocked. I will move the kuhlis on to their bigger tank in a month or two and probably the platys with them. I'm thinking the 40 litre will become a quarantine tank and the 20 litre a single betta tank. The 40 litre tanks still a little cloudy from the PFS. I'm looking forward to seeing it in all it's crystal clear glory in a day or two. Before I forgot, do plants count as stocking?

 

[Sushisnake]

Sorry Mumma - one more question: my master test kit quotes in g/l. Is that the same as ppm?

 

[Mumma.of.two]

Sorry Mumma - one more question: my master test kit quotes in g/l. Is that the same as ppm?

Plants actually consume ammonia, nitrite and nitrate so they are very beneficial to an aquarium.
So grams per litre???? So that would be parts per 1000? Sounds confusing! are you sure it's not mg/L?
Ppm is parts per million.

 

[jetajockey]

For this type of test you can interchange mg/l and ppm as one in the same.

 

[Sushisnake]

LMAO! Yep! And this one is a little box store and the only one for more than 100kms. Thanks Jetajockey!