New - 9 gallon tank

[RozG]

First I apologize at the start, I tried to educhttp://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002DH0QM/ref=oh_details_o02_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1ate myself by reading but I am sure I know very little still.

I bought a EHEIM Aquastyle Nano Aquarium and I put down on it caribsea eco-complete planted aquirium . It arrived last week, and I basically just plugged it all in and laid out the substrate and turned it on.

The next day I walked past an Aquarium store (total coincidence), and they sold me Microbe-Lift Special Blend (which I used and smells horribly).

I used tonight the API Freshwater Master Test Kit (i saw it was recommended everywhere so I went with it), and did my first test.

• Date 6/8/2014
• PH 7.60
• Ammonia 0.00
• NitrIte 0.00
• NitrAte 0.00

The only item I see that is high is the PH. My questions are:
is this a good start?
any advice on what is the next step?
is it to soon to buy a plant?
if I buy a plant what plant should I get?
Should I consider getting a fish or just wait until PH is lower?
And if anyone feels I should get a fish, i need a real plan I got none on how to stock the tank?

Thank you all for reading my start of this journey and any feedback you might have.

 

[philipraposo198]

Only fish I would really suggest for that small of a tank is a betta.

Sent from my SGH-I747M using Aquarium Advice mobile app

 

[Sk3lly]

Hello Roz

Firstly this is a good start, although you need a good understanding of the nitrogen cycle within an aquarium. Its very important.

As fish live they create waste in the form of ammonia. This is harmful to fish!!

Dechlorinated tap water will allow bacteria to colonise your filter. (Untreated tap water will not only harm your fish but will kill off the good bacteria you need!!). This bacteria will consume the ammonia as a food source and convert it to NITRITE. Nitrite is also very bad for fish

At this point a different species of bacteria will start to form using the NITRITE as a food source. This is converted into NITRATE. Nitrate is only harmful in large amounts so is ok to have present in a fish tank. Nitrate levels are removed by weekly water changes normally of 50%. Be sure only to add treated tapwater.
THIS IS KNOWN AS THE CYCLING PROCESS!!!

The cycle process can last between a month to 2 months. Its not a fast process but its important to get right.

There are two main ways to CYCLE.

FISH IN: you buy your fish and add it to the tank. This creates an ammonia source to start feeding the bacteria. No food, no bacteria!!. This fish will be subjected to harmful ammonia/nitrite unless you are diligent. Daily water testing needs to take place and a water change whenever you get levels of 0.5ppm or higher. VERY IMPORTANT

FISHLESS: for this cycling process you actually have to add an ammonia source yourself. Most commonly household pure ammonia or a raw shrimp left to decay. You really want to dose up to 4ppm ammonia. Again test fairly often and keep the ammonia dosed up to 4ppm as it will lower as its consumed by bacteria. Eventually you'll start seeing nitrates. At this point you can stop dosing ammonia. Once you test 0ppm ammonia and 0ppm nitrite and have a positive high reading on nitrate test, your cycling process is complete. Immediately perform a 90% water change to get rid of all the nitrates and add your fish.

Onto fish. With a 9G you are limited to what fish you can have. Too many and you will battle high nitrates. A good fish for you is a betta. Maybe shrimp too if you can keep your water 'pristine'. Shrimp are sensitive to ammonia and nitrite.

You can add plants whenever you want. Now if youd like i would stick to low light easy care plants, such as java fern, java moss, anubias, crypts and amazon swords


Sorry for such a long message, hope some of it is useful to you

 

[RozG]

Thank you for the feedbacks. I started the ammonia right after I saw the reply yesterday.

 

[Sk3lly]

Its very easy. Just keep testing and record the results with the dates. Then just have patience, it might take 6 weeks to fully cycle