Final water change after cycle - help!!

[talieandsasha]

I have a 15g, finished my cycle, did the final conversion test and then did a pretty big water change, approx 75%, because of all my plants etc it was hard to remove more. So I added new water (with prime) tested nitrate, was still too high (40ppm) so I removed more water, added more water with prime and now I'm at 10-20ppm (I find the API color chart annoying for 10 and 20 ppm nitrate, the 2 colors look almost identical)

Should I change a bit more water tomorrow morning before heading out to buy fish?

 

[venymae]

Yep! You want nitrates down below 20, the lower the better. It will not hurt to do one more WC, and it WILL help Let us know what fish you get! Stocking is so fun

 

[talieandsasha]

thanks I'll do another one tomorrow early morning.. Nervous too much WC and I'll screw up my cycle :S

We're going to stock with 2 cory's and 5-6 tetras to start (probably black skirt)

Suggestions welcome!

 

[venymae]

Well, since you said suggestions are welcome.....
If you cycled with 4ppm ammonia, you should be able to add quite a bit of fish as once. I'd do 6 tetras (6 is really the minimum group number) and maybe consider dwarf cory cats as cory like to be in groups of 4+, and I think four 3inch cory (regular adult size) would be pushing it with a 15 gal.

 

[venymae]

cory cats are so stinking cute though!

 

[talieandsasha]

Hi,

We got 6 pygmy salt and pepper corys, 1 betta, 6 white spot tetras and 5 king blue tetras!

Now how often should I check my water for everything?

I just tested and my ammonia seems to be between 0 and .25, nitrite at 0 and nitrate at 10. Does this seem so far so good?

 

[venymae]

Well for the first week you could test it every 24 hours just to be super safe (and because you are showing a tad of ammonia). I think after that, if you do responsible weekly WC's and gravel vacs, you shouldn't have to test unless you sense something wrong. I'd love to see pics of your fish!