28 replies to this topic

[diannpf]

Hi, as you can see in a previous post, i have a new 260lt tank. i have just got the filter going and am about to add the water...yippyy. All i need to get now is a heater and temp guage.

I am planning to put 4 clown loaches, 2 pakastani loaches, 2 silver sharks and about 10 tiger barbs (thanks to golden_dase for suggesting this i love the idea).

My problem is i dont want to wait for the new tank to get all the right levels eg, bacteria.

How can i go the express way and get all my fish at once, NOW without harming the fish.

Very impatient lol

[Fish Antics]

Hi diannpf

My problem is i dont want to wait for the new tank to get all the right levels eg, bacteria.

How can i go the express way and get all my fish at once, NOW without harming the fish.

There is no real way of bypassing the natural cycleing system. You are better off doing it slowly and properly to avoid problems and even fish deaths. It is possible to slighly speed up the system by " seeding" your filter from a mature filter. This can be done if you know someone that has a filter system already matured, by squeezing out some of the contents into your tank and filter. This will only give you a head start, it doesnt stop the need to go through the full cycle. Trust me when I say to start of slowly with a couple of fish and build up from there. It will save you major problems later and your fish will be happier for it.

Tony

[diannpf]

so if i were to add the water tonight and add 2 fish per week would that be ok?

[diannpf]

also what are the right ph nitrite etc levels

[golden_dase]

May I ask, what filters are you using? As stated in the other post, filtration will be a major factor in regards to the number of fish you can keep. Tony's reply regarding "seeding" your filters is quite correct and you should heed his advice!

In regards to tiger barbs, there's a few 'types" available. Most common ones are black tiger barbs and golden tiger barbs. The black tiger barbs will be good if you want to see your clown loaches swimming with them. This is because they're similiarly coloured. The golden variety will be good if you want to see different "schools" of fish swimming around your tank. Eg: A school of clowns and a school of golden tiger barbs.

Regarding heaters and temp. gauge, stick to eheim heaters if you can (more reliable). Also, glass and electronic thermometers are better than those plastic "stick-ons" in my opinion.

Adding 2 fishes a week is ok as long as you have good filtration. However, please be patient and only add your first fish at least 1 week after filling your tank.

Everyone wants to fill their tank up with fish when the tank is first filled... however, a bit of patience will ensure you will have a healthy tank and happy fish!


Cheers!
Kevin

[diannpf]

ok i am not sure what the filter is called...it is one that goes in the lid. Here is the pics:


 filter1.jpg   28.37KB   39 downloads under water part
 filter2.jpg   35.96KB   32 downloads top section
 filter3.jpg   37.62KB   27 downloads middle section
 filter4.jpg   28.85KB   20 downloads end section
 filter5.jpg   31.95KB   26 downloads full piece as in top of lid

[seriavo]

Yes............patience Grasshopper

You will have appreciation if you wait instead of disappointment and frustration when your fish die!

[Donna]

Hi there,

Please, please don't cycle with clown loaches. They are sensitive, as are all other fish, but those guys, particularly so.

You must wait for the cycle, I am going through it again with my 4th tank and it cannot be avoided no matter what method is used. It is not an ideal experience that I am going through now either, but because my bigger tank crashed I had to quickly house a lot of fish. I had no choice but to place a huge bioload in the new tank to start with, and now it is cycling....I am scared for my fish. I am testing constantly and performing daily water changes, and I have now added a cup or so of gravel from a seeded tank. I have not lost a fish yet, but only time will tell.

Now once in an ideal situation, with my third tank, I was patient and cycled a fairly small tank by having just a couple of fish in there, and a cup full of gravel from an aged or seeded tank. I put the gravel in a stocking so it came out easily after the event. You must be careful to keep the gravel warm and wet while getting it to your tank. I lightly planted the tank, and let nature take it's course. I added a couple more fish slowly over the next few months and have used the tank for fry as well. This was really painless and those original fish are fine to this day and have spawned three times (ate their babies though, yummy). At the moment I have way to many fish in that very tank because of my emergency, but the filter has held up and has risen to the occasion because there is an established bacteria colony.

With my first tank, I was impatient and bought a fish of every colour.... I am ashamed of that now, and don't want to talk about it.

Trust me, be patient, cycle with a couple of fish, then build on slowly. You will be a lot happier in the long run, and will be responsible for far fewer ghosts than I am

Regards,

Donna

[golden_dase]

With my first tank, I was impatient and bought a fish of every colour.... I am ashamed of that now, and don't want to talk about it.

Regards,

Donna

You bought some rifties, oscars, neons, goldfish, green terrors and put them all into the one tank for different colour, didn't you? Shame shame! LOL!

[Donna]

Worse, dwarf gouramis

[diannpf]

ok as i do not wish to harm my future loaches i will start my tank off with a few tiger barbs and maybe some neon tetras.

[golden_dase]

NOOOOOOOOOOO!! Dont mix tiger barbs with Neons! The neons will be continuously picked on by the tiger barbs!

And if you're gonna add some tiger barbs, add at least 6 or else they'll start fin-nipping each other.

If you want, add 1-2 silver sharks to your new tank. They're quite hardy and will be good as initial fish...
I personally don't like them coz they're boring!!

At the moment, I have Mpangas, Electric Yellows, Cobwe Afra, Tiger Barbs, and Brittlenose catfish all living in the same tank (5x18x18) and they're all healthy and happy!
They're also getting along quite well!
Maybe instead of silver sharks, you could change it to Mpangas or Electric yellows?

I'm sure all LFS sponsors will be able to assist you with the right fish. My personal favourite has been Aaron at Midland Pets. I've purchased 90% of my fish from him lately coz he looks after customers quite well!


Cheers!
Kevin

[FishGal]

Just goes to show different strokes for different folks!

I wouldn't cycle a tank with Silver Sharks, I've known a few who have done this and well lets just say...the Silver Sharks didn't live out the cycling process

Out of all the fish you've listed that you want to stock your tank with, if you choose to cycle with fish, I'd do it with the Tiger Barbs.

Golden-Dase is right about the Neons, not only may your Barbs pick on them but when you do put Sharks in the tank, they'd pick them off one by one...

Good luck!

[Fishy]

I have read that fishless cycling speeds up the process much quicker (within week/fortnight full cycle), just google to get more info. You need clear ammonia for this process and I think the benefits would be; that you arn't stressing out the poor fish gasping for breath; you can judge what level of bacteria colony has been built up; and also that you arn't tempting fate with an outbreak of whitespot which I think barbs are more prone in getting when stressed. You still would need the introduction of the good bacteria from another tank so as to build up the colony.

I think barbs are a great idea for your tank, they have great personalities and they think they are 20 times their actual size. I did find that as soon as I introduced more fish into my tank that intimidated them the barbs started killing each other off (big bullies).

Goodluck with your tank setup, there are many ways to set up a successful tank and all are right as long as you are left with happy fish that live a long life!

[shortie]

ok guys just to summarise some of these thoughts

do not rush the cycling
use hardy fish to cycle like the barbs
but do not i repeat do not use loaches, sharks or anything with skin or remotely skittish / sensitive
chances are they will die before cycling is half way through.

big white shot problems amongst clown loaches and silver sharks when introducing
you dont want this to happen during the cycling thats for sure

regards matt

oh and "fishy" clear ammonia isnt too easy to come by
i believe we've looking into this in a previous post

may i ask why this post is in the catfish section?
seems more like a technical type question

[Fishy]

oh and "fishy" clear ammonia isnt too easy to come by
i believe we've looking into this in a previous post


Hey Matt,

I read about fishless cycling when I was setting up my first tank and was trying everywhere to find clear ammonia - but none. I thought it was because I lived in the south west (not Perth), but it is good to know that even Perth doesnt seem to hold any.

I hadnt read the other posts on fishless cycling, I will have a search and read up.

Thanks for the input Matt,

Bon

[shortie]

no worries bon
yeh it is hard to come by
havent seen any myself.
i think dazzabozza started a post

[dazzabozza]

Nopes not me but I think this post by GrumpySmurf is the one you're after - http://www.perthcich...showtopic=17863

[Jenny]

You dont need ammonia to do a fishless cycle. I used Sera Nitrivec and watched my tank cycle quite quickly. Seachem Stability is also great. If you follow the instructions there will be no problem. Then just add one fish per week. Getting the cycle right at the beginning will prove to give you a nice tank. Throwing all the fish in together, or all too quickly and you will have nothing but problems.
The name of this game is patience...there is no 'quick fix'.

[troyww]

I've just passed the day 15 stage of cycling my 160L tank .
I started with 4 Platies 2 of which went on permanent vacation after about the 8th day due to ammonia hitting 2ppm .
I seeded the tank with some plastic plants from my old tank and five real plants from the LFS . Also used "cycle" to begin with .
+All tests were done with an API test kit and evaluated by my eyes (not great)

Day 1: Ammonia-0
Nitrite-0
Nitrate-0
~Day4:A-1.8ppm
Nitrite-0
Nitrate-0
Day 8 :A-2
Nitrite-1
Nitrate-5
2 fish died and did a %40 water change
Day 11:A-1
Nitrite-0.25
Nitrate-10
Day13:A-0
Nitrite-1
Nitrate-20
Day15:A-0
Nitrite-1.2
Nitrate-35
%30 Water Change

I'm going to continue doing water changes every second day or so to keep the nitrite level down as I've read there are few nitrifying bacteria in the water column . Would I be correct in assuming that my tank is close to being cycled because the nitrate levels are starting to rapidly increase ?
All the real plants I put in died , Is this because there was no nitrate for them to feed on ? . Aqaurium fertilizer was added but I don't think it contained phosphates . Guys down my LFS reckoned I could throw fish in straight away . , I get the impression the worse things go for you and your fish the more profit is in it for them .


Day 16:A-0
Nitrite-1
Nitrate-25
%20 Water change

Day 17:A-0
Nitrite-1
Nitrate-20
%20 Water change

Day19:A-0
Nitrite-0.8
Nitrate-25
%10 Water change

Day 21:A-0
Nitrite-0.25
Nitrate-25

I think I'm almost there as Nitrite levels seem to be dropping off now . I got a little impatient and dropped another 19 fish in . I know I'm a bad man .
15 cardinal tetras and 4 very small blue rams . The 2 original platies that survived the ordeal are back in the old tank . I think I'll go the fishless ammonia cycle next time as Changing water every day as the ammonia and nitite levels spike is a bit stressful .

And thinks for the replies and sorry for the hijack but i thought my post would be helpfull as to what to expect although I'm sure every tank is different .