about 20 hours after that post, I just tested ammonia and nitrite, ammonia is 2.00ppm, and no nitrite. Not even a hint of purple in nitrite. Let me know if I should be testing nitrAte at this point... At last check it was about 160, the max on the chart, so it wouldn't do any good checking that now.. If needed I could do WCs to get it down to readable levels but do I need to do that? IK i will before I get fish, though.Ammonia went down to 0.25ppm so i dosed back to 4ppm. Nitrite is 1ppm. For my stock I'm getting 1x BN Pleco, 5x Cory Catfish (albino or panda or whatever they have in my lfs), and 25x Orange flame tetras. What is a good plan for adding them when my cycle is complete? Maybe add the BN and Cory Catfish in one week, and 5-10 tetras per week after that until its fully stocked? Or should I get all the tetras at once, or the tetras before the pleco and corys?
Any help is appreciated,
-1998golfer
Ok thanks for the info.
Sorry, I can't help on lights if anyone else may know? I know mine is led but that is it... Then i'll do a few WCs to restore some nutrients to the water for the bacteria to grow more and to get the nitrAtes to readable levels.
Lol, my tap water is also around that and I end up testing ph twice
On stocking, this is just IMO. I would in general add some to start, then more and add last school 3 months later. The last school is most sensitive fish and also by then I can see how the tank looks for stocking. So say first week might be half top dwellers and all bottom dwellers as your tank will be cycled. I guess cichlid stocking would be different. I know the fishless cycle means you can fully stock straight away but I tend to be cautious as I find a new tank (even cycled) not as established and more trouble prone as one that is 6 months old. Unless you add all at once I find I have to test to check a mini-cycle doesn't occur anyway so I tend to add schools over time whenever I feel particularly up for possible water changes. Would be interesting to see what others do.
