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[Nuadu]

Thank you to those who offered their advice and guidance... my 55 gal tank is completely cycled and I have already introduced fish - so far I have added:

-4x Boesemans Rainbow
-12x Neon Tetras
-6x Serpae Tetra
-1x Dwarf Gourami

The folks at the LFS (Fish Safari in VA Beach) flat out told me I would not get a guarantee because my water is 8.2 pH and didn't think any of them would survive, but I worked hard to acclimate them last night and they survived the night just fine - and today seem very active and happy.

I plan to get 4 Corys to have some bottom swimmers and after that, I'm not sure - I think I have a bit more bioload space available (I have an AQ70 and AQ50 filter running on this tank).

Thanks to all!

Requisite photos:

 

[jcolon]

I have to say that is an excellent looking tank .. has a jungle / rainforest theme to it IMO. For now wait a couple of weeks to see how the fish acclimate, hopefully no one comes down with anything and then start to stock some more.

Good luck!

 

[Flossie]

Looks awesome!!! Congrats on ur cycle... Did u do a happy dance? I do.. My husband probably thinks I'm crazy hehehe

 

[HN1]

Very nice! Neons always worry me, but that is independent of pH. lol

I think the fish will be fine if you acclimated well and things are stable. Good job.

 

[librarygirl]

Wow, gorgeous tank, nice job! And congrats!

 

[rich311k]

Great looking tank!

 

[eco23]

Looks great! Smart move with the acclimation, congrats and great job!

 

[bruinsbro1997]

Great looking tank! I agree with jcolon, it's got a jungle theme to it!

 

[bstnrdsx]

Great job on the aquascape! I like the stock list as well, it sounds like Gourami is more of a centerpiece with the 3 different schoolers. It's a lot like what I plan to stock as well but with only a 29gal I don't have as many in terms of numbers.
IMHO in a 55gal with the stock you have so far you could easily get the corys and a whole new school of something with a low bioload and STILL have room for expansion. I could be off due to lack of knowledge on the Rainbows you have though.

Again, great looking tank!

 

[Nuadu]

Just tested the water and saw nitrItes?! Why would this even be happening if the tank tested free of nitrItes every day for the last 2 weeks of the fishless cycle? Should I wait until tomorrow and test again before panicking and doing a big PWC?

 

[eco23]

Just tested the water and saw nitrItes?! Why would this even be happening if the tank tested free of nitrItes every day for the last 2 weeks of the fishless cycle? Should I wait until tomorrow and test again before panicking and doing a big PWC?

Does your tap water have a high ammonia reading? It's possible that your large pwc before stocking introduced a fair amount of ammonia into the water and you are simply watching the conversion of ammo > no2 > no3. If you used a product like Prime during the pwc, the ammo and no2 will be rendered non-toxic for 24-36 hours while your bio-filter consumes it.

I assume you were continuing to add ammo to the tank for the two week period after the cycle completed and before you added fish?

 

[Deckape]

Fish safari is the best LFS in Va Beach. That's where I do buisness.

 

[Nuadu]

Yes! I followed your guide to the letter, keeping the ammonia dosed appropriately each day, and it was going to 0 by the time % tested the next day. The tap water doesn't register any ammonia in it - it tests 0 right out of the faucet. The only thing I have added to the water during this whole process is water conditioner, making sure that I replace it whenever I have changed the water.

That's basically why I was dumbfounded to see nitrites today. I tested twice just to be sure, and it is reading approx. 3ppm. Not light purple but not dark either.

 

[Deckape]

Yes! I followed your guide to the letter, keeping the ammonia dosed appropriately each day, and it was going to 0 by the time % tested the next day. The tap water doesn't register any ammonia in it - it tests 0 right out of the faucet. The only thing I have added to the water during this whole process is water conditioner, making sure that I replace it whenever I have changed the water.

That's basically why I was dumbfounded to see nitrites today. I tested twice just to be sure, and it is reading approx. 3ppm. Not light purple but not dark either.

Did you add all those fish at once? Did you pour the water the fish came in into the tank? You need anything let me know.

 

[Nuadu]

Did you add all those fish at once? Did you pour the water the fish came in into the tank? You need anything let me know.

Most were at the same time, but my tank had been fishless cycling for more than 3 weeks and had finally tested as though it showed that the cycle was complete. I acclimated the fish very gradually over about 4 hours. None of the LFS water got into my tank.

 

[eco23]

Did anything else odd happen during the pwc? Was the tank perhaps left without water for any significant amount of time? After the cycle completed were you still dosing 3-4ppm, or adding less for the 2 weeks?

 

[eco23]

Before we forget to address it...large back to back pwc's are needed to get the nitrAte under .25.

If you cycled the tank at 4ppm, there is another variable happening. I 100% don't believe the bio-load is the problem here, part of fishless cycling is the ability to heavily stock your tank initially due to the ppm of ammonia you cycle with.

Try to run through a checklist of everything from water temp during the pwc, if you remembered the dechlorinator, if the tank or filter may have dried out, etc...

 

[Nuadu]

Did anything else odd happen during the pwc? Was the tank perhaps left without water for any significant amount of time? After the cycle completed were you still dosing 3-4ppm, or adding less for the 2 weeks?

Nothing unusual - we did go out of town for 3 days this past weekend (I posted in another thread about this) - I dosed 4-6ppm ammonia before we left and when we got back Sunday night, all traces of ammonia and nitrites were gone. Nitrates were spiked, so I dosed once more and tested the next day. Again, no ammonia or nitrites. So, the next day, I did the 85% PWC and we introduced the fish about 8 hours later, after acclimating them first to the temp, and then slowly to the new water. We didn't get any of the LFS water into the tank.

I am thinking I should watch them for tonight and if the nitrites are still there tomorrow, I guess I'm going to have to do a big PWC again. I just don't understand what made me register nitrites again out of nowhere!

 

[Nuadu]

Before we forget to address it...large back to back pwc's are needed to get the nitrAte under .25.

If you cycled the tank at 4ppm, there is another variable happening. I 100% don't believe the bio-load is the problem here, part of fishless cycling is the ability to heavily stock your tank initially due to the ppm of ammonia you cycle with.

Try to run through a checklist of everything from water temp during the pwc, if you remembered the dechlorinator, if the tank or filter may have dried out, etc...

Nitrates tested as negligable today - .25 or less. I didn't let the tank be without water for more than it took the python to suck it down and refill it right away. I replenished the dechlorinator prior to filling it up again.

Water temp was constant - 82 degrees the whole cycle. It is now 78, I lowered it prior to stocking. I did add the Aquaclear 50 to the tank about a week ago (roughly 2 1/2 weeks into the cycle).

pH out of the tap is 8.2 - it tested at 7.6 today. Is there anything else I can tell you to fill in more details?

 

[eco23]

I am absolutely baffled TBH. If a tank is converting 4ppm in 24 hrs...there is no feasible possibility the fish produced far and above 4ppm in this short time IMO/E.

The amount of fish is in no way the culprit IMO/E. I know of dozens of other members who have initially stocked much higher than that without the bio-filter blinking an eye. I personally added a ton of fish at first (more than I usually admit) and the bio-filter swallowed it up.

Things like dried media, major pH swings, chlorine, disinfectants and sanitizes are possibilities (you'd be shocked what can find it's way into the tank) are the only things that come to mind.

For now you'll have to do pwc's to keep the no2 below .25 until things stabilize.

I'll keep thinking...but right now there's a big question mark floating over my head.