First Tank, just set it up (7/28) got questions

[Sutster]

This is my first aquarium. Details: Freshwater 20gal long, HOB whisper 105gph filter, 100w heater, gravel substrate, 2 plastic plants, crock skull decoration and various rocks. Everything was washed in a very mild bleach solution then scrubbed with a tooth brush and rinsed with fresh water. Substrate was rinsed in a colander.
The day after set up the water got cloudy, white colored. Don't know if it is from the gravel or could be bact. bloom?
I would like to get a couple of Corys and Danios to start. If those fish are a good start up group what kind of temperature would be ideal?
My local pet shop does free water testing, going to drop off a sample tomorrow. I'm not adding any fish till everything is 100% OK.
Any advice or criticism on my setup or fish selection feel free.
Thanks

 

[henningc]

First, if I understand correctly the tank has only been set up a day or two right? If it has, wait until mid-week next week to get the water tested before adding fish. I would invest in a cheap test kit from the pet store so you can do it yourself. If I am correct about the length of time it has been set up, your levels of ammonia and nitrates are going to spike up soon. My suggestion is after five days, change 30% of the water every other day. Once you hit 16 days let it go for a week and test again. You may need to do every other day water changes another week or so. then you're ready to roll.

I don't know what type of filter you're using looks like an overflow hanging power filter. Make sure you have 1-2 spare carbon added filter cartrages when you first get fish. I would start with the Danios, say 4 and test water after two days. Feed very little as the waste will get the bacteria going strong. You can add more Danios if your water is stable. Just a suggestion, get Celertial Peal Danios-You'll thank me later. Once you have had the Danios a full week add the corys if the water is stable. I would go with 6 of the same kind.

Many people try to rush the process and unless you have access to a large set up with a lot of not so typical equipment they run into nitrate issues and lose fish. Check back as you go or start a journal so folks can guide you along. You can p.m. me or email if you need help or get in a jam.

craigstropicals@yahoo.com

 

[Mebbid]

This is my first aquarium. Details: Freshwater 20gal long, HOB whisper 105gph filter, 100w heater, gravel substrate, 2 plastic plants, crock skull decoration and various rocks. Everything was washed in a very mild bleach solution then scrubbed with a tooth brush and rinsed with fresh water. Substrate was rinsed in a colander.
The day after set up the water got cloudy, white colored. Don't know if it is from the gravel or could be bact. bloom?
I would like to get a couple of Corys and Danios to start. If those fish are a good start up group what kind of temperature would be ideal?
My local pet shop does free water testing, going to drop off a sample tomorrow. I'm not adding any fish till everything is 100% OK.
Any advice or criticism on my setup or fish selection feel free.
Thanks

Very thorough decoration washing! I usually just use scalding hot tap water myself (I'm a cook scalding hot to me is ridiculously hot to others)

The cloudiness shouldn't be from a bacterial bloom yet. But that's what it resembles. Are there any levels of ammonia in your tap water?

The cory cats are terrible start up fish because they need good water conditions. I would skip them until the tank is fully cycled. The danios would work fine, although I would suggest against stocking any fish that you don't want in your final stock list.

The pet store water testing is nice but I would seriously suggest that you go out and buy an API master test kit so you can test your water whenever you want and you are certain it's being done properly. They can be purchased online for a lot less than they can be bought in a lfs.

I would also take a look at this link and read up on the cycling process to decide whether you want to do a fish in or fishless cycle. The fishless cycle is by far less work but you have to look at an empty tank for a few weeks which is saddening

Guide to Starting a Freshwater Aquarium - Aquarium Advice

First, if I understand correctly the tank has only been set up a day or two right? If it has, wait until mid-week next week to get the water tested before adding fish. I would invest in a cheap test kit from the pet store so you can do it yourself. If I am correct about the length of time it has been set up, your levels of ammonia and nitrates are going to spike up soon. My suggestion is after five days, change 30% of the water every other day. Once you hit 16 days let it go for a week and test again. You may need to do every other day water changes another week or so. then you're ready to roll.

I don't know what type of filter you're using looks like an overflow hanging power filter. Make sure you have 1-2 spare carbon added filter cartrages when you first get fish. I would start with the Danios, say 4 and test water after two days. Feed very little as the waste will get the bacteria going strong. You can add more Danios if your water is stable. Just a suggestion, get Celertial Peal Danios-You'll thank me later. Once you have had the Danios a full week add the corys if the water is stable. I would go with 6 of the same kind.

Many people try to rush the process and unless you have access to a large set up with a lot of not so typical equipment they run into nitrate issues and lose fish. Check back as you go or start a journal so folks can guide you along. You can p.m. me or email if you need help or get in a jam.

craigstropicals@yahoo.com

I'm curious, what is your reasoning behind waiting a week to get the water tested?

Also, why do you say the ammonia and nitrates will spike soon? Neither of those can raise at all without organic matter in the tank to create ammonia.

I don't understand where you get the suggestion for the water change schedule.

Why does he need extra carbon added filter cartridges?

 

[Sutster]

Thanks for the info. I'll be near the pet store today. Going to drop off a sample to see how my tap water is. I'll stay away from the Corys and just start with Danios till things are stable.

 

[Fishman007]

I personally advise getting a ammonia and ph test kit while cycling

 

[Fishperson]

This is my first aquarium. Details: Freshwater 20gal long, HOB whisper 105gph filter, 100w heater, gravel substrate, 2 plastic plants, crock skull decoration and various rocks. Everything was washed in a very mild bleach solution then scrubbed with a tooth brush and rinsed with fresh water. Substrate was rinsed in a colander.
The day after set up the water got cloudy, white colored. Don't know if it is from the gravel or could be bact. bloom?
I would like to get a couple of Corys and Danios to start. If those fish are a good start up group what kind of temperature would be ideal?
My local pet shop does free water testing, going to drop off a sample tomorrow. I'm not adding any fish till everything is 100% OK.
Any advice or criticism on my setup or fish selection feel free.
Thanks

Your tank looks good, and you definitely washed the gravel well! You should really get an API freshwater master test kit, on ebay or amazon, for about half of what they are at stores. But don't add in fish until you know about cycling and stuff. Just because the store says the water is "okay" doesn't mean that the bacteria can break down the ammonia that fish will produce. Unless, of course, you decide to fish in cycle, but then you still gotta research first. Mebbid beat me to it again and posted a link about cycling, but I have another one: The (almost) Complete Guide and FAQ to Fishless Cycling - Aquarium Advice
Read those two links and post any questions on here and you will be good to go! d

Welcome to AA!

 

[Fishperson]

I personally advise getting a ammonia and ph test kit while cycling

Generally, testing for ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate are considered absolutely necessary, especially during cycling, with ph being very important too. Not just ammonia and ph.

 

[Fishman007]

Generally, testing for ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate are considered absolutely necessary, especially during cycling, with ph being very important too. Not just ammonia and ph.

True...

 

[Fishperson]

First, if I understand correctly the tank has only been set up a day or two right? If it has, wait until mid-week next week to get the water tested before adding fish. I would invest in a cheap test kit from the pet store so you can do it yourself. If I am correct about the length of time it has been set up, your levels of ammonia and nitrates are going to spike up soon. My suggestion is after five days, change 30% of the water every other day. Once you hit 16 days let it go for a week and test again. You may need to do every other day water changes another week or so. then you're ready to roll.

I don't know what type of filter you're using looks like an overflow hanging power filter. Make sure you have 1-2 spare carbon added filter cartrages when you first get fish. I would start with the Danios, say 4 and test water after two days. Feed very little as the waste will get the bacteria going strong. You can add more Danios if your water is stable. Just a suggestion, get Celertial Peal Danios-You'll thank me later. Once you have had the Danios a full week add the corys if the water is stable. I would go with 6 of the same kind.

Many people try to rush the process and unless you have access to a large set up with a lot of not so typical equipment they run into nitrate issues and lose fish. Check back as you go or start a journal so folks can guide you along. You can p.m. me or email if you need help or get in a jam.

craigstropicals@yahoo.com

You would "invest in a cheap test kit"?!?!?!
That's not a good idea, and it doesn't make any sense. Cheap kits are, well, cheap, so why buy one if they are almost useless anyway. For twice the cost you can get a perfectly good test kit that will last you way more than twice as long, and give you great results, far, far better than a cheap strip test kit. I don't know why you suggested that to a beginner...
Also, why do you suggest all this stuff about testing after a week and fishless cycling if the op specifically said they won't add any fish until "everything is 100% OK", so they obviously don't have fish in yet, and you didn't even bother to mention that what you said is called fish in cycling.

Also, there isn't anything wrong with this, but why do you suggest CPD's in particular. That's just out of curiosity.

 

[Sutster]

Thanks for all the great advice! I'm really glad I joined this forum, noobs certainly get a warm welcome. I saw that API master test kits on amazon are about $20 this morning, so I purchased one and it should be here for the weekend.

I forgot to mention that I treated the water with API Tap water Conditioner the day of set up, but that is it.

 

[Fresh2o]

You may want to consider a fishless cycle. Yes, it takes a lot of patience watching a fishless tank while you go through a series of dosing ammonia and monitoring your parameters. But if you are not in a rush to get fish, then this will give you plenty of time to research what types of fish are suitable for your tank. As for an ammonia source, you can try Ace Hardware or Harris Teeter.

 

[Fishperson]

Thanks for all the great advice! I'm really glad I joined this forum, noobs certainly get a warm welcome. I saw that API master test kits on amazon are about $20 this morning, so I purchased one and it should be here for the weekend.

I forgot to mention that I treated the water with API Tap water Conditioner the day of set up, but that is it.

Yay, that's good! Everyone loves the feeling when they got a good deal on something and it's going to come in soon.

 

[Fishman007]

You may want to consider a fishless cycle. Yes, it takes a lot of patience watching a fishless tank while you go through a series of dosing ammonia and monitoring your parameters. But if you are not in a rush to get fish, then this will give you plenty of time to research what types of fish are suitable for your tank. As for an ammonia source, you can try Ace Hardware or Harris Teeter.

I personally like fish in cycling because you get to watch a few fish in your instead of an empty tank and its not as trouble some as fishless cycling...

 

[Fishperson]

I personally like fish in cycling because you get to watch a few fish in your instead of an empty tank and its not as trouble some as fishless cycling...

Not as troublesome?!?!?!?!

When fishless cycling there are no fish to endanger, and you barely have to do water changes.

Fish in can be harmful, and requires frequent water changes.

 

[monaro_gto]

fish in as we have read can work but for beginners I would not advise. Im new to the hobby, did my research 2 weeks in to my setup (two weeks too late) and did everything as close to right as possible. PWC's every time ammo spiked, waited for nitrites etc etc, after testing water twice a day and sometime PWC's twice a day I lost my 3 cory's, 6 cardinals, some platy's 2 molly's etc etc.

From now on fish-less only for me. But each to their own. Make sure you use this time to research what fish you want and who play's nice with others. You have the same kind of gravel I started with and my Cory's did not like it. I have sand now and they are having a blast!

 

[Sutster]

Would it be a pain to mix sand with my gravel some how?

 

[Mebbid]

You can but the sand will generally end up underneath the gravel because it will sink to the bottom.