awesome! i'm going to do that right away when i get home.... o boy, wheni get this tank up and running i'm gonna have some pictures =] i've prolly got more questions coming but i'm gonna finish cleaning when i get home and see how much my lfs sells the mini for and see if i can get it cheaper online or something =] starting to LOVE this forum
want to get started again![aquarium]
- Thread starter blipblop
- Start date
The friendliest place on the web for anyone with an interest in aquariums or fish keeping!
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
TankGirl
Aquarium Advice Addict
I am positive you will find that filter cheaper online (bigalsonline.com) but you have to wait for it, and since it is not a very expensive item anyway it might be worth it to get it at a PetsMart type place.
Good luck, and I will look forward to pics!
Good luck, and I will look forward to pics!
ok, so let me get this straight. I'm going to buy my penguin mini, set up the heater etc everything, fill my tank up with tap water and add ONE teaspoon of pure ammonia and let it run and do tests until the ammonia levels go down and nitrates go up, do i need to use any dechrline thing or sort? thanks!
TankGirl
Aquarium Advice Addict
That is pretty much it. You need to use dechlorinator when you add the tap water, though, as the chlorine present in tap water will tend to kill the bacteria you are trying to grow. Ideally you put in enough ammonia to register 5ppm on your test.
You will find that after maybe a week or so your ammonia will no longer register on your test, but keep adding it, maybe a very slightly lower amount, as your first batch of bacteria is present. The longest part is waiting for the second batch to finish, so be patient with that leg of your journey! Once you test zero ammonia and zero nitrite you should be testing very high for nitrAte, and at that point you do a 50% water change (using dechlor for the new water) and put your fish in. If you have a delay in getting the fish in the tank once you have cycled just keep putting a small amount of ammonia in there to keep your bacteria happy.
You will find that after maybe a week or so your ammonia will no longer register on your test, but keep adding it, maybe a very slightly lower amount, as your first batch of bacteria is present. The longest part is waiting for the second batch to finish, so be patient with that leg of your journey! Once you test zero ammonia and zero nitrite you should be testing very high for nitrAte, and at that point you do a 50% water change (using dechlor for the new water) and put your fish in. If you have a delay in getting the fish in the tank once you have cycled just keep putting a small amount of ammonia in there to keep your bacteria happy.
ooo.. so i need to add ammonia twice? or even more.. icicici.... so after i initially add my tsp of ammonia... i wait until i get test reading of ZERO, then i add the ammonia again.... and wait for it to be at zero or 5 ppm or something? am i correct?
TankGirl
Aquarium Advice Addict
No - you are adding a certain amount of ammonia once a day until the cycle is done, 4-6 weeks. How much ammonia you add is the issue, so when you set up your tank, put in the dechlorinated water, then let's say add 1/2 tsp ammonia. Test for ammonia right then, and see what reading you get. If you show 5ppm, then that tells you that you should add 1/2 tsp ammonia every day for the duration of the cycle, to act as "food" for the bacteria. It needs to be fed every day or it will die, and later the fish will replace the ammonia you are adding yourself now.
I suspect that a bit more than 1/2 tsp will give you 5ppm ammonia, but I can't remember, so start there and test it to see. If you are at 2.5ppm then you add another 1/2 tsp and test again, and hopefully you will be at 5ppm, which means you should add 1 tsp every day for the duration. Even later in the cycle when you are getting zero ammonia readings every day, you still add the ammonia that you were adding all along because the bacteria you grew needs it to stay alive. You only stop adding ammonia after the nitrIte reading is zero and you are ready for your 50% water change and add fish.
I suspect that a bit more than 1/2 tsp will give you 5ppm ammonia, but I can't remember, so start there and test it to see. If you are at 2.5ppm then you add another 1/2 tsp and test again, and hopefully you will be at 5ppm, which means you should add 1 tsp every day for the duration. Even later in the cycle when you are getting zero ammonia readings every day, you still add the ammonia that you were adding all along because the bacteria you grew needs it to stay alive. You only stop adding ammonia after the nitrIte reading is zero and you are ready for your 50% water change and add fish.
bungle
Aquarium Advice Freak
i started my fishless cycle a little over a week ago. to measure out ammonia, i just used the cap from the amonia bottle. it took about 4-5 capfuls to reach 5ppm in the tank (55gal.).
i should have the filter and the heater goin gas well right? everything is going as normal, except no fish... allright i think i get the general idea and i'll start soon, is water conditioner the same as water dechrlinator? or not..
bungle
Aquarium Advice Freak
thats what i'm doin'. so far, so good 
Menagerie
Aquarium Advice Addict
Yes, you can get dechlor at Big Al's. They have a store brand that is cheap.
is it common to have this white "hard water deposit stuff" it's very annoying and it seems to happen when the water dries out or something, i soaked it in a water/vinegar based bath overnight and when i get back home i'm going to scrub it and rinse it agaion.... other that that, i'm just waiting for the parts to come in so i can start the cycle.
TankGirl
Aquarium Advice Addict
These represent the minerals present in all well and tap water, but usually shows up as white deposits in harder water (water spots are the same thing on dried dishes or on your car). Anyone who keeps fish will from time to time have to deal with this, so if you scrub it off from time to time it won't get too bad. Often used tanks will have it on there.
whenever i rinse and clean the tank there's this stuff all over the place when it dries =( any solutions of like soft water stuff or should i use soap and water on the outside of my tank to clean it and stuff.. thanks
TankGirl
Aquarium Advice Addict
I use vinegar for the hard water deposits that have been there a while, but I try to keep after it so it does not collect. On the outside I use Windex wipes, or spray Windex on a paper towel away from the tank and wipe the outside with that. Some would not use any Windex near their tank, but I do, with care.
but when actually keep fish i should only have the water stains when it has evaporated or something rite? cause righ tnow i hose down my entire tank getting it clean and when it dries in the morning, there are white stains everywhere! but if keep it filled, i shouldn't have any of that correct?
Menagerie
Aquarium Advice Addict
When the tank is filled, it should be fine! 
Menagerie
Aquarium Advice Addict
Sounds great!! Keep us updated!
