hey I'm new need help!!

[Meganns]

Its gonna take time I know .. I just hope to have it all done by Christmas

 

[Meganns]

Sorry but that is totally wrong your tank needs to cycle. This means letting your tank grow BB or beneficial bacteria. It will take around a month

What are ur suggestions .. I can use all the help I can get

 

[Mrc8858]

Ya I'm sorry typo but your advice isn't very accurate. For a healthy tank you need a BB (beneficial bacteria) colony to convert fish waste to ammo to nitrites to nitrates which you then remove thru either water changes, live plants, or nitrate sponges. Ammo and nitrites are very harmful to fish which is why many people have deaths when they first setup and don't cycle. Also algae eaters should be added to established tanks so that they don't starve.

 

[Meganns]

Ok so I'm just confused what steps should I take first

 

[Typow07]

You will get out what you put in. Do your research and spend time testing and making changes you will definitely have a established, thriving aquarium by Christmas.

 

[Mrc8858]

There are a couple of articles on this site that will teach you everything you need to know about the nitrogen cycle which you can either do fish in or fishless which both are the same idea. Your adding food for your BB to eat (ammonia). You can speed this up by seeding your tank (adding filtermedia, decor, substrate) from an established tank that already has the needed bacteria but a cycle will usually take 4-6 weeks to complete.

 

[Typow07]

Im pitching in my two cents like everyone else does on the internet. Im not an expert by any means ...

 

[Meganns]

So Tuesday once I get the tank filled up and everything hooked up what is the first thing I need to do what do I need to buy to get to where I need to be the fastest

 

[Nu-Nu the eel]

There are a couple of articles on this site that will teach you everything you need to know about the nitrogen cycle which you can either do fish in or fishless which both are the same idea. Your adding food for your BB to eat (ammonia). You can speed this up by seeding your tank (adding filtermedia, decor, substrate) from an established tank that already has the needed bacteria but a cycle will usually take 4-6 weeks to complete.

Thanks for helpin MRC, doing homework and didnt have time to fully explain myself

Very good advice though, i agree 100%. Op take notes lol

Dont worry about it typow, we all learn something new on AA everyday! lol

 

[Mrc8858]

First thing you want to do is decide which way you will begin your cycle. Fishless means you will need to buy pure ammonia (no additives) or use fishfood/raw shrimp and dose your tank to 4 ppm ammo which you can test for with an api freshwater liquid master kit (must have for all fish keepers) with no fish in it just your filter running and your heat cranked up. Fish in means just add fish from the start and do water changes daily to combat the ammo as it rises and then the nitrites keeping both at .5 ppm or lower.

 

[Meganns]

I'm gonna start with no fish .. What do u mean heating the tank ..

 

[Mrc8858]

Im pitching in my two cents like everyone else does on the internet. Im not an expert by any means ...

Meant no offense by any means and glad you are trying to help and thank you Nu-nu (S.S. is now up to you me your bro Dan jess Andrew and I think dino!)

 

[Mrc8858]

I'm gonna start with no fish .. What do u mean heating the tank ..

BB will establish faster in warmer waters so in a fishless cycle you don't have to worry about cooking your fish .. raise it up to about 86-88 degrees

 

[Typow07]

I added a few plants at a time and let them grow for a while ... and tested the water regularly. Started with a few guppies after about a week. Now I have a huge family of guppies and plants lol

 

[Meganns]

What type of stuff do I need to buy to put in the water

 

[Mrc8858]

You'll need water conditioner like prime or stress coat to neutralize the chlorine

 

[Meganns]

How long will it take before it is ready for fish and are plants a good idea to have

 

[Typow07]

No harm taken, I was actually looking into turning sea water into power with fuel cells when i found a damsel in distress lol I just moved my well established 55g up 2 stories to my new apt today, had to break it fully down so a Buddy and I could carry it. Plants, sand, fish, rocks, equipment all in buckets all up 2 flights haha

 

[Mrc8858]

Plants improve water quality and lessen the need for water changes but also bring more maintenance. A cycle will last 4-6 weeks on average without introducing any BB from seeding.

 

[Mrc8858]

No harm taken, I was actually looking into turning sea water into power with fuel cells when i found a damsel in distress lol I just moved my well established 55g up 2 stories to my new apt today, had to break it fully down so a Buddy and I could carry it. Plants, sand, fish, rocks, equipment all in buckets all up 2 flights haha

I'm moving my reef tank 6 blocks tomorrow :x finally upgraded from apt to a house