I just bought my first big fish tank. Its a 55 Gallon. I bought some of the bacteria stuff to put in there. I have 6 molly's in there right now. I plan on getting some live plants tomorrow. I would like to get a couple of bamboo in there. I am just wonder how long it should take for environment to take hold. I would also like to know how many fish I should put in the tank after the environment takes hold. I would like put some shrimp in there and some other bottom feeders. I am very new to this fish tank idea, and I am just looking for suggestions and and info I can get. Because I would like to make everything last as long as I can.
New 55 gallon tank
- Thread starter Shimano
- Start date
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Well first welcome and I am from Idaho too and starting the tank for the first time. First, did your tank cycle yet or did you put the fish in there without cycling it? If so, you will prob. want to start reading soon about the nitrogen cycle and its affects on fish.
http://www.aquariumadvice.com/article_view.php?faq=2&fldAuto=21
http://www.aquariumadvice.com/article_view.php?faq=2&fldAuto=21
You can do it like that, but the fish are going to go through a lot with it. You should have done a fishless cycle and then after it was complete put the fish in. But this way can be done as well so don't worry 
! Who can help this guy out with fish in the cycle?
! Who can help this guy out with fish in the cycle?
LandGhoti
Aquarium Advice FINatic
Well, cycling with fish will cause the cycle to last longer than it would had you decided to go fishless. Fish produce waste, which produces ammonia. Ammonia is toxic to fish. Once there is ammonia in the tank, bacteria will begin to produce and "eat" the ammonia, producing nitrite (also toxic to fish). The nitrite will then be broken down by bacteria and form nitrate (not toxic to fish in smaller ppms [20 or so]).
When cycling with fish, you are letting their respiration and waste become the ammonia source. Unfortunately because ammonia is harmful to the fish, it will be necessary to do water changes to keep the ammonia levels low (.25 ppm or less), which will keep the tank cycling longer as the ammonia needs to really establish to build up the bacteria to convert it to nitrite, then nitrite to nitrate. In a tank that big, you might have some luck with only 6 mollies, but you will still have to do water changes to keep the ammonia levels low enough, and your cycle will not be complete for probably two months.
The fish store person just wanted the sale, IMO. Running a tank for a day with no ammonia source doesn't do anything for a cycle. Yes, you can cycle with fish but it's harmful to them. The addition of live plants will help because they will absorb some of the ammonia. A fishless cycle starting from scratch with no seed material from an established tank (like filter media or gravel, which already has some of that good bacteria) can take up to 6 weeks.
Did the fish store employee sell you a kit to test your water? If not, nearly everyone on here recommends the API Master Freshwater Test Kit. It tests everything you need to know about your water parameters during a cycle (pH, ammonia, nitrite, nitrate). It's smarter to test the water to find out what's going on than wait until the fish start acting strangely.
When cycling with fish, you are letting their respiration and waste become the ammonia source. Unfortunately because ammonia is harmful to the fish, it will be necessary to do water changes to keep the ammonia levels low (.25 ppm or less), which will keep the tank cycling longer as the ammonia needs to really establish to build up the bacteria to convert it to nitrite, then nitrite to nitrate. In a tank that big, you might have some luck with only 6 mollies, but you will still have to do water changes to keep the ammonia levels low enough, and your cycle will not be complete for probably two months.
The fish store person just wanted the sale, IMO. Running a tank for a day with no ammonia source doesn't do anything for a cycle. Yes, you can cycle with fish but it's harmful to them. The addition of live plants will help because they will absorb some of the ammonia. A fishless cycle starting from scratch with no seed material from an established tank (like filter media or gravel, which already has some of that good bacteria) can take up to 6 weeks.
Did the fish store employee sell you a kit to test your water? If not, nearly everyone on here recommends the API Master Freshwater Test Kit. It tests everything you need to know about your water parameters during a cycle (pH, ammonia, nitrite, nitrate). It's smarter to test the water to find out what's going on than wait until the fish start acting strangely.
My sister has a 120 gallon tank and she gave me one of her pcyasmas a.k.a the algae eater and it got out last night some how. But to my surprise I picked it up and I saw it breathing and I put it back in the tank and it swam away and started to clean again.
Update:
I got the API test kit and tested my water this morning before I went to work. My ph is between 7.2-7.6. My ammonia is at .25. My nitrite is between 0-0.25, its closer to the 0 side. My nitrate is between the 0 and 5, and its closer to the 0 side.
I got the API test kit and tested my water this morning before I went to work. My ph is between 7.2-7.6. My ammonia is at .25. My nitrite is between 0-0.25, its closer to the 0 side. My nitrate is between the 0 and 5, and its closer to the 0 side.
With only the 6 mollys in the 55 gallon, I think it would be easier to get through the cycle than with a smaller tank. Just don't add any more fish for a while. You should wait untill your ammonia levels are consistently 0 (not immediately after a water change, always) and then when the nitrites are also consistently 0 your tanks should be cycled. It could take quite a while though. You don't want to add anymore fish untill this happens. If your sister has a tank set up, you could get an old filter from her or just a clipping from it and put it in your filter. (I'm talking about the cartridge). That's assuming it's the type of filter that hangs over the back of the tank too, but that will have bacteria on it which will help the cycle speed up. Or you can get some gravel from her tank as well, which will also help, or maybe a plastic plant or two, which should have the bacteria you need as well.
I need some advice here. My sister gave me her pleco from her tank because she said she didn't like it much. My question is how do I get rid of all of his poop? Will shrimp/snails/bottom feeders clean that up? Please let me know.
Thanks
Thanks
LandGhoti
Aquarium Advice FINatic
I don't know of any bottom feeders that will eat poop. If you are going planted as you said before, some poop is OK because it will act as fertilizer. The only other way I know of to get rid of poop is to vacuum the gravel.
Also BTW, I believe bamboo is not an aquatic plant. So it will look good for awhile, then eventually rot. If I'm wrong, someone else will say so...!
Also BTW, I believe bamboo is not an aquatic plant. So it will look good for awhile, then eventually rot. If I'm wrong, someone else will say so...!
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