Total newbie!!

[Teagteag]

A "friend" recently gave me a 125 gallon set up with Fluval 5 canister filter. I have been reading and researching endlessly, decided on a freshwater tank with artificial plants. I am currently fish in cying. It's going good so far but not getting nitrites to start. I discovered our tap water has 2.0 ppm ammonia. I use prime to treat water and reading with API master test kit the lowest reading I can get is .5 ppm ammonia. I also use stability to help BB cycle start. Have done few 20% water changes. I am guessing the ammonia my test is reading is unharmful ammonia?? Also my ph is steady at 7.6 and temp is great.

Also need some help checking my projected stock list.
Freshwater 125 gallons
Fluval x5
Gravel substrate
Silk plants
Rock and ornaments


6 x Cardinal Tetra
9 x Cory Catfish
4 x Pearl Gourami
3 x Dwarf Gourami -have cycling
6 x Rummy Nose Tetra
3 x Blue Gourami- have cycling
4 x Boeseman's Rainbowfish
4 x German Blue Ram
4 x Hatchet Fish
6 x Zebra danio -have cycling

Thanks for your help!

 

[Crazyhermitcrab]

1234567

 

[Teagteag]

There is currently only 12 fish in a 125 gallon tank during cycling.

 

[Crazyhermitcrab]

1234567

 

[Teagteag]

Ammonia reading was the same for 4 days prior to adding fish.

 

[Crazyhermitcrab]

1234567

 

[philipraposo198]

Those 12 fish are not a lot of stock for a 125g. No offense to crazy hermit crab but he/she is wrong.

I am concerned with the blue gourami, these fish are more aggressive than the rest of your stock choices and could be potential problems waiting to happen. I would get 15-20 rummynose tetras if not more. And same with cardinals. I have 25 cards in my 75g.

When you get the pearls try and get 1 male with 3 females. I found with this configuration to have great success and hardly any aggression issues. The rest of your stock seems fine.

As for water changes I would like to see 30-50% while cycling if your not using a product like ATM colony or tetra safe start.

Sent from my SGH-I747M using Aquarium Advice mobile app

 

[Crazyhermitcrab]

Those 12 fish are not a lot of stock for a 125g. No offense to crazy hermit crab but he/she is wrong.

I am concerned with the blue gourami, these fish are more aggressive than the rest of your stock choices and could be potential problems waiting to happen. I would get 15-20 rummynose tetras if not more. And same with cardinals. I have 25 cards in my 75g.

When you get the pearls try and get 1 male with 3 females. I found with this configuration to have great success and hardly any aggression issues. The rest of your stock seems fine.

As for water changes I would like to see 30-50% while cycling if your not using a product like ATM colony or tetra safe start.

Sent from my SGH-I747M using Aquarium Advice mobile app

It's a lot of fish for a in-tank cycling. Well anyways. I didn't see how many fish he had at first.

 

[Mebbid]

I would honestly rethink your stocking process. That many separate schools of fish are going to look crazy in a tank like that.

Instead I would suggest focusing on 3 - 4 main schools of fish and getting larger numbers of them while picking a few centerpiece fish.

 

[treemanone2003]

It's a lot of fish for a in-tank cycling. Well anyways. I didn't see how many fish he had at first.

It's not a lot of fish for a fish in cycle at all. No offense but you're a little off on your thought process there.

 

[Teagteag]

I do have one blue gourami that has established himself as the leader of the tank. But he doesn't bother the others in a harmful way. Even the dwarf gourami swim with the blues (except for one really shy dwarf).

I am reconsidering my stock list to possibly take out one of the smaller schooling fish as someone suggested. Thinking of taking out the rummy nose tetras and adding more of the zebra danios. Would the other danios I add be accepted into the current school of them? Also trying to decide to keep the German blue rams in stock list or not.

 

[Teagteag]

Updated. What do you think


125Gallon Tank

13 x Cardinal Tetra
9 x Zebra Danio -have 6 now
3 x German Blue Ram
4 x Clown Loach
5 x Hatchet Fish
1 x Bushynose Pleco
6 x Cory Catfish
3 x Dwarf Gourami -have
4 x Boeseman's Rainbowfish
3 x Blue Gourami- have

I feel like this May be over stocked. I know my filter can handle it. Just don't want it to look over crowded. My husband insists on keeping the German blue rams and now wants clown loach.