Hi everyone!
I'm new to the aquarist hobby, having just bought my first tank (60L Biorb) just over a month ago. Granted, I should have researched more before getting the tank but I bought it in a rush from advice from the shop having just inherited my parents' shubunkin goldfish (5yrs old) and wanted to give him a bigger home than his wee bowl.
Obviously I have been doing fish in cycling and have gradually increased the stock to the goldfish, 4 guppies and a dwarf African aquatic frog. They all seem happy and I am delighted with my new hobby.
This forum has been very helpful in expanding my knowledge and i do now realise I haven't done things at all in the correct order but I can't bear to part with my new aquatic family so am continuing with 20% water changes every 2 days yet the levels stay consistent at:
pH 7.6
Ammonia 0.25
Nitrites 0
Nitrates 0
(according to the API master kit i use)
I removed the carbon granules from the Biorb filter a few weeks ago as they seemed quite bloated and I read on a forum that they're only really needed to remove medication from the water.
I use Tetra aquasafe to treat the water (6ml for 12L change) and nutrafin cycle (15ml every water change - ie every 2nd day). Despite this, the water doesn't really seem to be progressing in its cycle, though granted its only been 4 weeks.
I'm thinking about asking my LFS for a few bits of gravel to help seed the bacteria but am wondering if anyone out there has any advice/comments regarding getting the water cycled?
Thanks!
I'm new to the aquarist hobby, having just bought my first tank (60L Biorb) just over a month ago. Granted, I should have researched more before getting the tank but I bought it in a rush from advice from the shop having just inherited my parents' shubunkin goldfish (5yrs old) and wanted to give him a bigger home than his wee bowl.
Obviously I have been doing fish in cycling and have gradually increased the stock to the goldfish, 4 guppies and a dwarf African aquatic frog. They all seem happy and I am delighted with my new hobby.
This forum has been very helpful in expanding my knowledge and i do now realise I haven't done things at all in the correct order but I can't bear to part with my new aquatic family so am continuing with 20% water changes every 2 days yet the levels stay consistent at:
pH 7.6
Ammonia 0.25
Nitrites 0
Nitrates 0
(according to the API master kit i use)
I removed the carbon granules from the Biorb filter a few weeks ago as they seemed quite bloated and I read on a forum that they're only really needed to remove medication from the water.
I use Tetra aquasafe to treat the water (6ml for 12L change) and nutrafin cycle (15ml every water change - ie every 2nd day). Despite this, the water doesn't really seem to be progressing in its cycle, though granted its only been 4 weeks.
I'm thinking about asking my LFS for a few bits of gravel to help seed the bacteria but am wondering if anyone out there has any advice/comments regarding getting the water cycled?
Thanks!