New Tank Questions

[dallasfishguy]

I'm sure this has been asked before, but...

I have a new tank (20 gal), it's had water in it for 2 days. I've heard it is better to cycle the fishless way, but I've heard that cycling takes 4-6 weeks. My ammonia is @ 3 ppm, pH=7.2, GH=75ppm, KH=80-100 ppm, nitrite=0 ppm, nitrate=20 ppm.

I want fish, but I don't want to get them and kill them. Is there a way to put fish in this tank relatively soon?

Also, I want to put plants in, can I do that at any time, or should I wait for that too?

New guy here, so any help is greatly appreciated.

 

[Fruitbat]

dallasfishguy....

Welcome to Aquarium Advice!! I'm in the Dallas area too (Garland) and it is good to see yet another Texan on the forum.

If you put any fish in there now you're dooming them to a fairly rapid and painful death. That ammonia is still too high! Boutique Pets near the intersection of Garland Road (78) and Buckner Blvd. carries Bio-Spira, which is a bacteria culture containing the necessary microbes to cycle your tank quickly. It isn't cheap but it does the trick!

You can put plants in there any time...they'll actually help get rid of some of the problem compounds in the water.

 

[dallasfishguy]

Thanks for the help, I knew from the side of the bottle of the ammonia test that 3 is pretty high, so I wasn't planning to throw fish in there yet. I'm wondering how expensive something is that "isn't cheap."

That store's actually not to far from me, so I'll have to check it out.

Dallas water is pretty bad, I was almost tempted to use filtered/store-bought stuff.

 

[TankGirl]

May I assume you are adding the ammonia yourself?

If you are going to use Bio-Spira go ahead and do an almost complete water change and start with fresh ammonia-free water, get the temp stable over a day or so, add your plants, then add fish with the Bio-Spira together. The stuff has a bit of trouble knocking out ammonia that is already present when it is added, so it is much better to add it at the same time as your full fish load, and it will keep up as the ammonia rises. Wonderful stuff - read my article!

 

[pachuco2k]

I have a question for you. Did you add a bacteria starter like Bio-Spira already? Nitrates at 20 ppm would seem to indicate that. If you did or plan to I agree with everyone else. Use Bip-Spira, life will be much easier.

 

[dallasfishguy]

A couple of good questions, I didn't add any ammonia. Is it possible to get a "false" reading for ammonia from the little test strip? I've yet to get Bio-Spira, the store closed right as I called to get price info.

 

[QTOFFER]

If you did not add ammonia, you really should not be seeing ammonia nor nitrates. I would test your tap water with the strip - do you get the same readings? Also, bring a sample from your tap and your tank to your lfs and ask them to test them. This will tell you if your test strips are no good.

 

[BrianNY]

Hi dallasfishguy, I think you should go into the lfs and have them show you how to use the test kits. It's not possible to have ammonia without something producing it. Likewise, nitrates are at the end of the nitrifying cycle. So it's doubtful they're in your tank either.

Don't feel silly about asking for help there either. I had a lot of probs at first doing all those tests

 

[dallasfishguy]

BrianNY, all it is is a little stick with a pad, shake the stick in a vial of water for 30 seconds, shake off all the excess water, match the color. I tested tap water and got the same thing (looks like 3.0 ppm). I'm not sure how I could screw it up, but it's possible I suppose. The only thing I've added to the water is this "Stress Coat" stuff they showed in a video that came with the aquarium kit.

 

[Allivymar]

Heya dallasfishguy and welcome to Aquariumadvice

Without adding an ammonia source, you shouldn't have ammonia readings. I'm suspicious of your testing kit, especially since you are getting the same reading out of the tap (ammonia in the tap water?? eeek!).

I have 2 suggestions:
Bring in a water sample to your lfs and have them check it. Its likely the tests you have are defective.
Buy the liquid water tests; the ones that come with the vial. They are much more accurate.

As for the Bio-Spira, if it turns out you have no nitrogenous waste readings (and you probably really don't, but do make sure), you can add the fish and the Bio-Spira right away. Bio-Spira is the correct nitrifying bacteria (that converts ammonia and nitrites), but as TankGirl said, it works best with rising levels of nitrogenous waste, and not already established levels. If things are truly at zero, then the fish will add the ammonia slowly, and the Bio-Spira will go to work.

 

[QTOFFER]

dallasfishguy, I would also opt for the liquid test kits - much more accurate than the strips.
Try to get the Salicylate-based kit for ammonia - it will have two reagent vials.
The single reagent Nessler kit often gives false ammonia readings if your tap water contains certain chemicals such as chloramines.

 

[dallasfishguy]

Thanks for all the advice everybody! Hopefully I can get it sorted out tomorrow and get me some little fishies.

Now all I'll have to do is decide what kind...

 

[tabitha]

no dont get fish yet!! your tank isnt cycled!!

btw the test strips i had were not accurate either... said my pH was 8.4 but the liquid test kit said my pH was 7.2 so i'm going with defective test strips on this....

good luck

 

[TankGirl]

I agree and think you should pitch the dip-type test strips, as they are extremely sensitive to moisture, and who knows how long they were sitting at the LFS. I have tested them side by side with liquid reagent tests, and they are not reliable, though so much easier!

Also, something to keep in mind is that some water conditioners will give you a false ammonia reading, though Stress Coat is not one of them. (Bio-Safe is one)