New member

[Rumor]

Hi all, new member here also new to tanks, I was told I should post a little info here so here it is:

Setup:
10 gal tank with 50W heater and Elite hush filter.

Stock:
1 male Betta
1 albino rainbow shark

Water conditions:
pH - 6.5-7.0
NH3 - 0
NO3 - 0
NO2 - 0

 

[ilovemydragongoby]

welcome to AA.

Just a note...Rumor, is your tank cycled? You should have some nitrate in your tank.

 

[HN1]

Welcome to AA!

Let us know what the LFS has told you so far so that we can debunk some myths and save you some money (and fishy lives).

 

[melosu58]

Welcome aboard.

 

[Rumor]

Well i had no idea about cycling a tank at first, we got the tank and fish same day, and i only learned later that night about cycling a tank so it was too late by then, I do more research now so hoping to avoid future pitfalls.
We have had the tank running now for 6weeks ish, so I assume it is cycled now, I do 30% PWC every two to three days with a full tank cleaning every 3 weeks, could this account for the 0 readings, also there are only 2 fish in the tank. I had an ammonia spike back at the start then it decreased to 0, the NO3/NO2 have always read 0 though.I use the Aquafin mini master test kit, maybe i am doing the tests wrong?or got bad regent?

PS. I find the instructions with this test kit irritatingly lacking, but then again I could just be slow heh.

Also the scale for nitrates starts at 5mg/L, could it be that there is small amounts just not enough for the test to really show?

 

[HN1]

Been there, done that. Good on you for doing the research now. Keep an open mind and you'll have a beautiful, low stress tank in no time.

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forum...-but-i-already-have-fish-what-now-116287.html

And the test kits irritate me as well. lol

 

[ilovemydragongoby]

i'm not sure about the nitrates being there but not showing on the chart. you have a liquid test kit right?

but i would like to add that the rainbow shark will eventually need a quite larger tank. i would say the minimum would be a 30gal...but as he gets bigger, you should get a 55 gal or bigger.
i think for now you should be fine right now, but def. think about getting a bigger tank soon

 

[zach_1_6]

yes i agree i have an albino rainbow who started in a 10 gal, mine started sitting in a corner with its head up and tail down, im guessing he needed a bigger tank at that point, so i put him in a 65, so just watch for that. good luck

 

[Rumor]

Yeah a bigger tank is in the cards, i just wanted to start small/cheap. When I get some free cash i'm going to atleast a 30 would rather have a 40+ though heh

 

[ilovemydragongoby]

try to go BIGGER if you can lol remember, i don't remember whos sig this is in but heres a quote "minimum requirements means minimum happiness" who ever has this in their sig please feel free to take rights of the comment lol

 

[Rumor]

How long should I let the dechlorination stuff work on the new water before i add it to the tank? Could adding the water too soon be stopping my tank from cycling?

 

[mgamer20o0]

Welcome to AA.