strange cycle

[patola_l]

hey all....im currently cycling a 15 gal tank right now....its only been a week and a half since i started....and im adding about 4ppm each dose of ammonia, and the last 2 days its gone almost to 0 in less than 24 hrs.... My nitrite is quite high at this point as well....would you say the ammonia bacteria are ready to go? and now im just waiting on the nitrite ones? ill continue to dose ammonia.

 

[adeebm]

Yep, looks like you're in the second stage now. If your test kit registers the ammonia and it disappears in 24hrs then it's working Just wait for those nitrites to drop and you'll be ready.

--Adeeb

 

[patola_l]

perfect.....i still have no clue what to put in it.....any ideas? its only 15-17 gallons....

 

[patola_l]

anyone can chime in, i have no clue what to get for fish?

 

[Mr. Limpet]

anyone can chime in, i have no clue what to get for fish?

What kinda fish do you like?

You could do a Betta community tanks.

 

[patola_l]

something colourful... im not opposed to betta, but they arn't my favourite....in fact i dont even think i have a favourite.

 

[jeffruth]

Red Minor Tetras are pretty cool. School of six or so. Dwarf gourami may work aswell.

 

[patola_l]

can i only get one dwarf gourami do you think?

 

[jeffruth]

I had two in my 20gal. Didn't work. The one harassed the other to the point the he started getting stressed/sick. Had to get rid of one. The other is happy and doesn't bug the other fish.

 

[patola_l]

okay, what could i put with one of them?

 

[jeffruth]

I have Julii cory, tetras, guppy, snail.

 

[patola_l]

how does this sound: 1 dwarf gourami, 6 cardinal tetras, 5 guppys? or is that too many fish?

 

[patola_l]

i have a felling that might be overstocked.... anyone?

 

[Lokkzer]

If you've got good enough filtration then that would be fine.

 

[jeffruth]

I fine stocking depends on the bio load / type of the fish. IE goldfish have a large bio load. I am at 112% according to aquaadvisor however I have zero issues with water quality etc. I do PWC regularly and have dual filtration on the tank. Swimming room for the fish might be more important then anything.

 

[patola_l]

right now i have an AC 30 on it...so i think that should be good filtration. I think if i do good PWC those fish would work.

 

[Aspencer]

If you like to have some breeding fish, Andler's Livebearers would go well in the tank and you have room for babies but need plants to let the hid and survive.

 

[patola_l]

i think im set on dwarf gourami, guppys and cardinals...

 

[treym563]

Dwarf gourami and cardinals is what I was going to do in my 20 gallon before I upgraded and decided to go with cichlids and use that 20 for a quarantine tank. Another option for you would be to not get the gourami and replace it with an algae eater, bristlenose pleco are good for small tanks because they stay small compared to regular pleco's which get huge. In addition now that you wouldn't have the larger Gourami you can get some small shrimp which I think are awesome (the Gourami would eat the shrimp). Red Cherry Shrimp and Ghost shrimp are all cool looking, stay very small (less than an inch) help keep your tank clean and add another dimension to the tank. I would recommend the red cherry shrimp they aren't aggressive towards each other and look really cool! You could have about 10-15 of them in your tank.

In the end you have to be happy with it so choose what you want. Just some ideas. Good luck!

 

[patola_l]

i think im going to stick with the dwarf gourami as my centre piece... my cycle is almost done, nitrites arn't as high, and 3ppm ammonia is only taking 12 hours to almost got to zero