Aquarium: freshwater tropical fish, Tips/Advice

[Rat]

Ive started noting down the test readings
NO2 nitrite = 10
NO3 nitrate = 25
GH general hardness = 8d
KH carbonate hardness = 6d
pH acidity and alkalinity = 6.8
CL2 chlorine = 0.8

this is after adding live plants and food as you advised

I think Ive done it in the right order lol

 

[Mick]

if your ammonia is 0 then you are now on the nitrite spike, as you can see 10mgl.

that needs to drop and will over the next few days to 0.

Once that hits ZERO that is the time you can start to add your fish pal.

See easy init lol

Watch that nitrate, fish can tolerate that reading (25mgl) easy!!!, however your plants wont like that at all.

I would also expect that to drop down once the nitrite settles down.

But keep an eye on nitrate because you will get your nitrite down to 0 and you will 100% add fish lol... and do so but add a few... one or two to start.

Test the tank results of nitrAte every day see if it goes up or down.

Because you are keeping plants you will need to be on top of the nitrate mate!

I would test for PO4 too pal
I think you need to test the chlorine (CL2) of you water before water changes to see if you are actually putting the chlorine in the water pal.
DKH looks good, saying that I have no idea of the right results for fresh water.
Keep noting the test results down too!!

Well done pal

Mick

 

[Rat]

Tomorrow is the last day of water treatment (7 days) until I do a water change or add fish
so the nitrate will carry on falling after tomorrow just through the water passing through the filters I take it

thanks Mickie

 

[dibbers]

Good work Rat.

Just thought I'd show you them, they love you for it Rat, they have a new light, new filter and a new air stone.


Good luck with yours mate...

 

[Mick]

John what is this water treatment you are doing?

I am not sure but you might not get a cycle while treating water???

I thought and let me know if wrong, that water treatment is added to the water before a water change not during ???

I think you have put chlorine into the tank from the PRE water mate, you will need to test a bucket of change water as well.

John it's important to test the water you are putting in, not every time but now and again to make sure the water you are putting in does not contain nitrate/phosphate etc...

Believe me I have found out the hard way, when it comes to RELAXED testing lol... and its very difficult to get it back into check once you get nutrient issues... so please take this tiny bit of advice test weekly for the basics (P04/N03) they only take 10 mins to do both

 

[Rat]

Im using Seachem Stability Daily for 7 days and I used Seachem Prime when I first added the water as per instructions on box and shop

Seachem. HeadStart

Ive had the water tested by a shop too mate as well as the strip testing im doing




its my last water treatment tonight (7days) was hoping to add some fish the weekend lol maybe not :err:

I need to get this PO4 test mate as this inst included in what I have

 

[Rat]

with the above test strips Im doing according to the test they are all in the Safe Zone


tbh its a lot more involved than I first thought lol although I am enjoying it, daughter is a little less patient tbh lol (she's only 9 bless her)

I will get a proper water test done by a shop the weekend too and get some of there advice

appreciate all the tips mate

 

[chrispeters]

just shove some fish in lol ! get some cheapo hardys in there your tank will soon cycle...then flush them and get yer proper ones in ...

 

[Mick]

I have never used it (seachems stability) but I have heard very good things about it in the marine industry.

It's a very good idea to dose bacteria or a source of good carbon that will feed bacteria, that will build up the good bacteria super fast , and should help with this cycle pal.

For some its not involved (keeping fish), they stick in fish they never test and there aquariums start to yellow, they over stock, over feed, algae starts to bloom all over the tank, they get fed up with the tacky look of the tank, the tank plants start to go white and they die, one fish might die and kill them all... then they end up out of a fantastic hobby.

I mean why would someone buy a tank, buy fish spend allot of money (and it is allot of money), to hope everything will just be fine. My mother is a classic example, I even asked her today when was the last time she tested her tank... she answered never... I replied that is why they are all dead lol (i never laughed lol).

I know the start is a little bit involved, but like all trades, and things alike, preparation is key!

Anyway this is starting to sound like a lecture lol, and its not meant to be

Enjoy it, test once a week buddy its nice and easy, small feeds to begin with until your tank is stable, then you can measure what you tank can handle

I cant wait to see pics pal.

Mick

 

[chrispeters]

hahah i have never ever tested mine , but been lucky and had zero problems ,no deaths , healthy plants , great water ( i do 50 percent change once every 2-3 weeks)
sayin that , i used to keep marines so tropicals are a walk in the park in comparison.

 

[Rat]

cheers guys

I dont think its a lecture at all mate, I see it as advice

I will take a sample of water Saturday to the same guy as last week who said leave it another week as he seemed the most honest, he could of sold me fish there and then but he never

if he says its fine I will buys some platy's they seem to be the hardiest tropical fish and go from there, then Ill get some piccys up, dont wanna take pictures of an empty tank lol

 

[Mick]

great water

Only thing with that statement is if you have never tested how would you actually know?

But I do agree , keeping fresh water tropical, as marines are tropical too should be allot easier, and you have experience with marines it should be a walk in the park mate.

But never testing, that would freak me out a little lol not knowing the chemistry of the water, I always liked science at school and potions etc lmao... I guess it sticks.

@chris what made you give up marines, I could not give up my tank lol.

Mick

 

[chrispeters]

Only thing with that statement is if you have never tested how would you actually know?

But I do agree , keeping fresh water tropical, as marines are tropical too should be allot easier, and you have experience with marines it should be a walk in the park mate.

But never testing, that would freak me out a little lol not knowing the chemistry of the water, I always liked science at school and potions etc lmao... I guess it sticks.

@chris what made you give up marines, I could not give up my tank lol.

Mick

Mick i loved the marine tank , really loved it ..
But i just didnt have the time or money to keep it going at the time..
I had 4 big metal hallides suspended from the ceiling, external pumps , heaters and all sorts EATING my leccy lol.
The water changes was ridiculous , even the price of the special water and salt was too much .
The fish are 10 times more expensive , corals , live rock , the list was endless lol.
It was a full time job upkeeping the bloody thing .Testing every day ect ect , you really did not want to lose any expensive marine fish.
After 2 years of one it ruled my life at my wifes expense , so it had to go .
Tropicals pretty much look after themselves.and if you do lose a 3 quid fish , its better than replacing a hundred quid coral beauty lol

 

[earwig999]

The worst thing I have found about keeping fish is the constant water changing. I did find a system called a Python No Spill Clean & Fill Python Productss but couldn't fin one in the UK that would work, so I end up siphoning into buckets and refilling the tank again. Very messy if you spill it!

John are you having gravel, sand or soil as your substrate?

Depending on your substrate colour can effect the colours of the fish. My Bristlnose Plec camouflages itself if on the sand goes white if on my driftwood goes dark brown.

 

[Rat]

Hi Craig
I went with gravel mate, natural colour

I changed the white polywool filter (weekly change) just now and it was a brown colour YUK thats after a week and no fish lol just shows how dirty the water is

 

[earwig999]

Do you have 2 or 3 media types in your filter, if so the wool will help keep the water crystal clear, but the bigger sponge type just need to be rinsed in the old tank water you have taken out as although it's icky it contains the bacteria you need to help it cycle. Mine also has a carbon filter. I'm running 2 filters in my tank though as I'm paranoid one might fail lol

 

[Rat]

7 filters Craig
weekly to yearly changes

 

[dibbers]

That's one hell of a nice filter, lots and lots of medium for bacteria to thrive on.....nice one mate. looks good. what make is it ? I have all ways bought Fluval one's.....well I did for an external one.

Lots of surface space in that filter....should be really nice once it's settled and your up and running..

 

[Rat]

I nearly bought the Fluval but I decided on the Juwel Rio 125 because of the better lighting and filter system

Filters, heater and pump are hidden in back right corner
As you see the filters pull out in a plastic like cartridge so easily accessible too

 

[chrispeters]

i used to have a juwel vision 450 , the compartment is a neat idea with the heater and the filter in there, i ended up sellin it though when i quit keeping marine fish....the filter was pretty useless for marines anyway , i used a big external filter which situated in one of the cupboards underneath.Loads of options with them tanks.