egironda
Aquarium Advice Apprentice
This is a rather indepth series of questions, but remember it's not for me...It's for the kids.
We have a 90 gal freshwater tank, Fluval 404, and 2-1/2 inches of gravel. Peacefully living here are 4 mollys and 5 gold barbs, and 6 cherry barbs. The tank has been setup since Aug 5th. We added the first 6 barbs (3 gold, 3 cherry) on the 11th, along with the filter, then added the rest of the family on the 18th of Aug. We are in the midst of a "fishy" cycle. I do not want to injure my new 'kids', so I have been checking the tank twice a week for ph, ammonia, nitrAtes, and nitrItes. The ph has stayed constant at 7.4 on the Wardley mid range kit. Yesterday I noticed that the NH3/NH4 kit from Aquarium Pharmaceuticals was about the same color as the 0.5 to 1.0 box on the card. The nitrAtes on the Jungle Labs dip stick was between 20 and 40 ppm, while the nitrItes were not as pink as the 0.5 ppm indicator. :?
I am wondering how soon I should do the first water change (25 gallons?), trying to balance the cycle with the health of the fish.
How often does the fluval need taken apart and cleaned? The media changed?
Also, how often should I 'gravel vac' the bed? From reading other posts, I know to only do half the gravel at a time.
What kind of "maint. chart" should I put together on the calendar above the tank? How often should I do what? I have two books on FW fish, and they both have different time tables, probably due to not knowing the specifics of an individual tank. I have one of those electronic reminder things on the tank stand, so with the chart AND that, I should be able to remember
Thanks in advance
Eric G
We have a 90 gal freshwater tank, Fluval 404, and 2-1/2 inches of gravel. Peacefully living here are 4 mollys and 5 gold barbs, and 6 cherry barbs. The tank has been setup since Aug 5th. We added the first 6 barbs (3 gold, 3 cherry) on the 11th, along with the filter, then added the rest of the family on the 18th of Aug. We are in the midst of a "fishy" cycle. I do not want to injure my new 'kids', so I have been checking the tank twice a week for ph, ammonia, nitrAtes, and nitrItes. The ph has stayed constant at 7.4 on the Wardley mid range kit. Yesterday I noticed that the NH3/NH4 kit from Aquarium Pharmaceuticals was about the same color as the 0.5 to 1.0 box on the card. The nitrAtes on the Jungle Labs dip stick was between 20 and 40 ppm, while the nitrItes were not as pink as the 0.5 ppm indicator. :?
I am wondering how soon I should do the first water change (25 gallons?), trying to balance the cycle with the health of the fish.
How often does the fluval need taken apart and cleaned? The media changed?
Also, how often should I 'gravel vac' the bed? From reading other posts, I know to only do half the gravel at a time.
What kind of "maint. chart" should I put together on the calendar above the tank? How often should I do what? I have two books on FW fish, and they both have different time tables, probably due to not knowing the specifics of an individual tank. I have one of those electronic reminder things on the tank stand, so with the chart AND that, I should be able to remember
Thanks in advance
Eric G