New tank 75 gallon - HELP

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KatFish11

Aquarium Advice Apprentice
Joined
Feb 20, 2020
Messages
13
Location
Toronto
looking for some advice as this is my first tank and want it to go as smooth as possible. Currently there is no fish.

The tank has been cycling for over a month now and been testing the water everyday with the master kit and today finally got numbers i like.

0 ammonia
0 nitrates
0 nitrites
8.2 PH. (any suggestions on how to bring this number down?)

I have a 110 aqua clear filter.
a 300 w heater
im using lighting from a 40 gallon tank.
have decorations with gravel and all fake plants.

temperature is at 78.4

looking for feedback regarding stocking ideas, want fish at all levels and peaceful. (Wife freaks out when she witnesses a fish eating another fish)
and also how many should i add at once?

I really like the look of the gourami fish
so i guess my biggest question how many without overstocking and what are some good tank mates?

any suggestions will be helpful
 
Sounds like you know what’s going on but I have to ask the obvious question. Where are your nitrates? Just gone because of a big water change, hopefully?

How many you can add at once depends on how you cycled the tank (aka how much ammonia your tank can process in 24 hrs)

Driftwood will naturally bring ph down a bit as will peat moss or almond leaves.
 
Yea did a 50% water change
And added a multi purpose BIO support for new aquariums.

I did have a drift wood piece prior however it was making it cloudy and nitrates was in the the fatal range.

I just re tested the water and looks like I’m back where I’ve started.

8.2 ph
Ammonia ~ zero
Nitrates - 20-40ppm.

Didn’t bother measuring the nitrites as it’s still not ready for fish.
 
A fully cycled tank will still produce nitrates. That is the end stage of the cycle. The beneficial bacteria convert harmful ammonia into harmful nitrites and then into somewhat less harmful nitrates. You prevent buildup of nitrates in a fully cycled tank by keeping up a maintenance routine of regular (e.g., weekly) partial water changes.



You need to be testing for ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates to monitor your cycle. When you reach a point where the ammonia and nitrites are persistently zero and you are getting only nitrates, you are completely cycled. Do a large water change at that point to get nitrates to ~zero, and then add fish. After that you need to keep doing routine (weekly) maintenance--partial water changes--to keep nitrates under control.



I like gouramis, too. They are territorial, so make sure you break up the line of sight and have hiding places and territories for each if you plan to get more than one. Some of my favorite tankmates for them are schooling tetras (so many varieties, but my favorites are neons and glowlights), schooling praecox rainbowfish, schools of corydoras, and loaches. Glass catfish are fascinating in a school, too.



Most people will tell you not to mess with pH with chemicals. Most fish can adapt to a less-than-optimal pH as long as it is steady. Swings in pH are a lot harder on fish.



The website, aqadvisor.com lets you record your tank size and filtration and enter numbers and types of fish in order to get feedback on stocking and compatibility. Results aren't perfect, and it's always good to get a second opinion from actual human aquarists. However, the site is a fun way to experiment with different stocking options, and it can alert you to major mistakes in your plan. I've heard that, if anything, the site is too conservative about what it recommends, so if you have your heart set on something and the site contraindicates it, try posting here to make sure.



Youtube is a great place to window-shop for fish. There are uploaded videos of practically every fish available, and you can see what they look like swimming or schooling, and what others have chosen as tankmates for them.



You're at the most fun part of setting up an aquarium. Good luck!
 
A fully cycled tank will still produce nitrates. That is the end stage of the cycle. The beneficial bacteria convert harmful ammonia into harmful nitrites and then into somewhat less harmful nitrates. You prevent buildup of nitrates in a fully cycled tank by keeping up a maintenance routine of regular (e.g., weekly) partial water changes.



You need to be testing for ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates to monitor your cycle. When you reach a point where the ammonia and nitrites are persistently zero and you are getting only nitrates, you are completely cycled. Do a large water change at that point to get nitrates to ~zero, and then add fish. After that you need to keep doing routine (weekly) maintenance--partial water changes--to keep nitrates under control.



I like gouramis, too. They are territorial, so make sure you break up the line of sight and have hiding places and territories for each if you plan to get more than one. Some of my favorite tankmates for them are schooling tetras (so many varieties, but my favorites are neons and glowlights), schooling praecox rainbowfish, schools of corydoras, and loaches. Glass catfish are fascinating in a school, too.



Most people will tell you not to mess with pH with chemicals. Most fish can adapt to a less-than-optimal pH as long as it is steady. Swings in pH are a lot harder on fish.



The website, aqadvisor.com lets you record your tank size and filtration and enter numbers and types of fish in order to get feedback on stocking and compatibility. Results aren't perfect, and it's always good to get a second opinion from actual human aquarists. However, the site is a fun way to experiment with different stocking options, and it can alert you to major mistakes in your plan. I've heard that, if anything, the site is too conservative about what it recommends, so if you have your heart set on something and the site contraindicates it, try posting here to make sure.



Youtube is a great place to window-shop for fish. There are uploaded videos of practically every fish available, and you can see what they look like swimming or schooling, and what others have chosen as tankmates for them.



You're at the most fun part of setting up an aquarium. Good luck!



Thank you for the feedback, yes it’s fun however tired of looking at an empty tank
 
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