Almost Done!

[Nativ3 Girl]

Hi Guys,

I am doing a fishless cycle on my 55 gal tank (after the nightmare fish cycling my 10 gal) and it is going much faster than i expected. Its a 55 gallon tank with sand and no live plants. I have a marine land canister filter with ceramic rings, filter floss, carbon, bio balls and the black foam stuff. I also put a bag with a handful of gravel from my other tank in, not sure that helped so much though.

i have been adding amonia for about a week and a half now to reach about 5.0 each time and have done no water changes, just added evaporated water.

my readings right now are
Amonia 1.0
Nitrite 2.0
Nitrate 80

i added amonia i am going to try to keep it around 3 or so that i dont starve the bacteria. Once amonia and nitrite drop to 0 i will think about getting some fish.

My question is how do i go about getting fish? I know i need to do a big waterchange a few days before i put any fish in it to get rid of nitrates. My concern is with adding fish few and far between will the bacteria die off if it is not getting enough amonia? and if so will it be easy for it to repopulate itself?

I may just be worrying too much but i want to be sure.

Also i would like to know how some of you guys do water changes on such a big tank? I think i may need to get a few more buckets lol. i usually like to let the water sit in the bucket a day or 2 so that the aqua safe has a chance to do its job before i pour it in the tank.

thanks guys

-Kass

[Sharon]

How many fish are you planning on adding? You can add quite a few, having done the fishless cycling. I find the Python Syphon System a must with larger tanks. It's definitely worth the extra cash!

[gm72]

With readings like that you probably can fully stock immediately. Probably being the key there.

Myself I take things a little more slow and stock 50% at first then 25% every other week. I just prefer to be safer than I may need to.

EDIT: Sharon mentioned a python, which is a good idea, but I use a garden hose for my 220 gallon tank. Siphon starts and empties out into the yard. I then attach the hose to a faucet, adjust temp and fill. Mind you I have a well and don't need to add water conditioner.

[Nativ3 Girl]

Im not exactly sure how many fish i want yet, and i dont want to figure it oui dont want to add them all at once then when i see a fish in a few months or so i want i wont have room for it. ( i hope that made sense lol)

but right now i have a red eye chocolate pleco that is almost 2 inches, he is in my 10 gallon and will be put in the 55 once it has algea in it and is cycled. then he has a home to go to when he outgrows the 55.


but i definately want 6 to eight panda cories i have fallen in love with them.

Maybe a khuli loach but i found out that they like groups and that may be too many bottom feeders.

I definately want to get a black ghost knife fish

im not sure what all else. i want some colorful fish that are bout an inch long, colorful, and school together. lol my mystery fish

ill have to look into that python syphon system but i have a feeling it will be a little out of my price range

Thank You Sharon

-Kass

[Nativ3 Girl]

yea im a better safe than sorry person too, i really want to wait till i have 0 nitrites before i add fish. And no i dont have a well, im on city water ill have to condition it.

Thanks gm72


and i think i am goin to add a bunch of some type of schooling fish first. Suggestions on this? and how many

[Sharon]

Yes, Nitrites have to be 0ppp...I wasn't intending to imply that you should add the fish now. Because you have a high Nitrate reading, the indication is that the cycle is very close to the end. If you definitely want the Knife fish, you should probably plan the tank aound him, and research suitable tankmates. Some of the small schooling fish would be an expensive snack for the Knife.....

[Nativ3 Girl]

yes i thought of that but the black ghost knife is still very small he is not even 2 inches yet. He is a cute little guy.

[Sharon]

He's gonna grow up, though!!!:laugh1blue: