Hi All and help

[hamish]

Well I'm about to take the plunge and wanted some feed back on aquariums size,shapes amongst other questions like seed media.

I have a choice of a rectangle shape tank, it's 37gallon 30wx12d22h or a 40gallon cubish shape tank 20wx18dx27h.(The 37gallon size is max for the space)

I'd like a planted tank with 5 angel fish (which I already have at a friends), as far as filtration goes rena xp2 or xp3 or ac70 or ac70 with xp2.

Second question, my friends are going to seed ceramic rings for me.
Would they go in the filter or can they be placed within the floor of tank and for how long.

Lastly I have been all over town and cannot find plain ammonia so I'm going to have cycle with shrimp.

Oh, when everything is set-up and I put the shrimp in to start the cycle when do I add the seeded media.

I hope this wasn't too much all at once.

Any suggestions, thoughts, comments or views are most welcome.

Thanks again.

 

[melosu58]

Moving this to the FW general discussion forum. You`ll get more answers there as this is the welcome wagon.

 

[corrado33]

I think tall skinny fish like taller, skinnier tanks. So I'd probably go with the rectangular tank, as it also gives more room to swim (back and forth).

As for the ceramic rings, I believe they can go either place. Most filters use some kind of ceramic rings (or similar product), so I'd just keep them in there until you feel like replacing them. (After the cycle is done of course) With seeded media, your cycle should be pretty quick.

 

[jsoong]

Welcome to AA!

Rectangular tanks have more surface areas & swimming room, so is better for the fishies. Also, shallower tank will be easier to clean ... you won't be up to your armpits in the water..... and it would be easier to light for plants.

But a cubish tank would look quite nice for angels, with their squarish shape. To compensate, you just need to get a bigger cube (compared to the rect), say something like a 24x24x24. And you might need more light to penetrate the deeper tank, say upping it to 2.5 - 3 wpg for medium light.

As for seeding, it is best to have the seeding material & the ammonia in the tank at the same time. Since it would take the shrimp a bit of time to rot & make ammonia, I would give the shrimp an overnight head start. If the ceramic rings are seeded properly, your cycle should be really quick. <Perhaps a mini-cycle, done in a week.>

The cycling bacteria works best in an O2 rich environment, so it is best if you can place it in the filter. The next best place would be in a mesh bag directly in the outflow of the filter. You can remove the rings after the tank is fully cycled & enough bacteria had transferred to your own media. 4-6 weeks to be safe.

 

[logansmomma1228]

Looks like you got some good answeres already! Welcome to AA I found my pure ammonia in the household cleaners aisle at Meijer's. Believe it or not it is pure ammonia, doesn't bubble or anything. I have also read that you can find it at hardware stores.

Make sure that if you do end up with ammonia that it is pure and unscented. Detergents and the like can kill your bacteria.

The bigger the tank you can get the better, no matter what shape it is. +1 on angels liking taller tanks, however.
You can put the seeded rings wherever you want but I think in the filter would be the best place.

Do you have a test kit? API master freshwater kit is a fave around here, but any liquid kit will do. Strips are very innacurate.

 

[hamish]

Many thanks for all the great advice, sorry it took so long to reply.

I've gone with the standard rectangle shape rather than a cube, am on the 4th day of cycling.

Couldn't find plain ammonia to save my life, it always had suds, fragrance or surfacants in it and from all I've read thats not good either. So I had to go with shrimp.

I do have the API tester and am getting an ammonia reading of 4ppm.

I've also added the seeded filter material to the filter.

Can I add live plants or would that hinder the cycling and is there a point of too much ammonia that would stall the cycling process, if so what is it and would water changes help.

Thanks again

 

[jsoong]

Live plants can take ammonia directly from the water, so it might complicate a fishless cycle. <There is a way to cycle with plants - the so called "silent" cycle. But since you already stared on your fishless cycle, may as well finish it instead of changing things in mid course. And with seeded filter, it shouldn't take too long .... >

4 ppm of ammonia is good level to start the cycle. If you get over 8, the bacteria may be killed, so a pwc is in order at that point.

 

[logansmomma1228]

I have heard that plants can help speed up the cycle but I am not sure if you want to mess with that just yet. Here is a helpful link for cycling your aquarium fishless: Cycling A Freshwater Aquarium - Paw Talk - Pet Forums

Good luck! Now is the boring part lol .... waiting. At least it gives you time to plan though

 

[hamish]

Help again please,

I have been testing the water and for the past 2 days I've been getting Ammonia readings at 1-2ppm, no nitrite but nitrates at 5ppm.
Using the API liquid test kit.

Is this possible or am I crazy.

As always thanks for your imput

 

[Lowryder]

What does your tap water test? Some tap water is known to have nitrates.

 

[hamish]

Well I just tested the tap for nitrates but it was at 0ppm

 

[Crepe]

Hmm it could be your test kit is:
A: Expired.
B: You aren't shaking vigorously enough. I get my friends to do it for me when they come over haha. Already have mild carpel tunnel, don't need to exacerbate it.

Could it be possible that nitrifying bacteria of the nitrate kind populated faster than than the nitrite?

I'd just go ahead and do a comprehensive water test once more of nitrite and ammonia. My water comes out 1ppm ammonia out of the tap with trace nitrite and 0 nitrate.

 

[hamish]

Great suggestion, I tested my tap again and there is what looks like 5ppm of nitrates, ammonia was 0ppm and nitrite was also 0ppm.

Tested the aquarium water again and got 1ppm of ammonia and .25ppm of nitrite.

Should I try and raise the ammonia level and should I wait to add some live plants.

Thanks