Shea's first aquarium.

[Shea]

Up and running (fishless) for 2 weeks.

Basic 10gal tank

Filled with water that was purified by reverse osmosis. Treated with Tetra AquaSafe and Replenished with R/O Right by "Kent".

Tank Set-up
-Tetra-Care 10gal starter kit
-Tetra-Care 2-15 Whisper heater
-Thermometer
-Extra Filters
-Extra bulbs
-Electrical surge protector power strip
-Blue Gravel
-Rock centerpiece decor
-Plant background decor
-3 artificial plant decor
-Aqua Safe Water treatment
-Easy Balance Water treatment
-API Master Freshwater tester kit
-4in fish net (fine)
-Glass scrubber brush
-Kent R/O Right
-Siphon

Fishy Cycle starting this weekend with 3 Neon Tetra's

http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j190/swfoo7/FishTank1002.jpg
http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j190/swfoo7/FishTank1003.jpg
http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j190/swfoo7/FishTank1004.jpg

[Cameron]

not a bad looking tank, neon tetras arent the best thing to cycle with but they may work. Also if you dont have a Master test kit, you NEED to get one so you can keep track of ammonia and nitrites until you cycle is done. Otherwise looks good

EDIT: Sorry i read through it again, post your parameters up, good choice on the kit ; )

[robnepper]

Nice little tank there. I second the neon tetra thing. Looks like your going about things in the right way though.

[Lady Hobbs]

Hi Shea and welcome to AC.

Everything with your set up is fine but the neons most likely will not make it. They are rather fragile even in a cycled tank. It will also take a long time to get an ammonia level to get your tank cycling with only two small fish. Zebra danio's make a good cycling fish and are pretty tough. You may want to get about 6-8 of them.

[AABatteries]

Looks good, and I triple the neon suggestion. :hmm3grin2orange:
Also, you might wanna top off the tank, I can't stand looking at tanks that aren't topped off. :hmm3grin2orange: Also why would you go through all the trouble with the RO water and adding the RO Right, when you could just use tap water?

[Red]

I think hobbs ment zebra danios not neon danios.. But i would agree with her because neon tetras are hard to keep in a cycled tank. I have a 1 and half year old tank that has trouble keeping neons..

[Lady Hobbs]

OOPS Fixed it. Thanks sweet thang!

[Red]

LOL no problem hobbs :) I also agree with AA that you don't need RO water you could just use regular tap water (treated)

[travie]

-Aqua Safe Water treatment
-Easy Balance Water treatment

You really do not need the two things in red if you are going to continue to use RO water. It is already very clean water. You will need to use the RO right if you continue to use RO water though.

[Rue]

Yes. Don't use R/O water for a FW tank. You want those minerals in your water.

For a SW tank it's different. Since you're adding the salt mix, you want the original water as pure as possible. And you want to avoid adding any phosphates etc.

So use tap water for your FW tank, and a water conditioner. Unless you have strangely bizzare tap water, you'll be better off.

[Shea]

Alright I'm convinced the neon tetra's aren't ideal to begin a cycle with. What do you guys think about the black phantom tetra's to begin the cycle?

For those concerned about the R/O treatment........

I filled my tank with purified water purified by reverse osmosis. Remember this is my first tank, I didn't know what I needed and what was recommended when I started. I had no knowledge or experience going into this hobby in the beginning so I began to research. I know tap water is sufficient enough when treated with AquaSafe. Did I know that in the beginning, no. I figured purified water would be better, but after I researched some more I found that using purified water would mean that I need to replenish/restore the vitamins, minerals, electrolytes, etc....thats when I discoverd R/O Right.

I will continue to use purified water treated with R/O Right until its all gone. Once its gone I will use my tap water treated with AquaSafe and Easy balance.

Not that i means anything right now since I have no live plants or fish but someone asked if I would post up my water results so here they are.....

Temperature: 76-78 steady (2-15 Tetra heater)

pH: 7.0

Ammonia: 0ppm

Nitrite: 0ppm

Nitrate: 0ppm

(All tests done with the API Freshwater master testing kit)

[Shea]

Someone mentioned to top off my tank....... Now if I'm mistaken please correct me but aren't you suppose to have the water level a inch from the top? Thats exactly from the top....

[Red]

I am not sure but i fill it up to the black trimp around the tank..

[travie]

Someone mentioned to top off my tank....... Now if I'm mistaken please correct me but aren't you suppose to have the water level a inch from the top? Thats exactly from the top....

Pretty much personal preference on where you have the water level. No set rule about where to have it.

[Shea]

Pretty much personal preference on where you have the water level. No set rule about where to have it.

I thought the inch rule was there to allow proper oxygen movement/distribution..

[Red]

No usually you are fine unless you are over filling up past the black trim and overflowing all over the tank and the ground... Unless some people have it down lower because they have fisht that jump out of the water..

[Northernguy]

I keep my water filled to the trim.I find my filters are silent that way.
Danios are a better fish to cycle with.Get the tetras after you finish the cycle.They will stand a better chance.
R/O water is not very good for fresh water tanks.IMO

[Shea]

R/O Right will have to do for now... we'll see how it works out for me....

Like i said, once I run out I'll will be going with the tap water treated with AquaSafe and EasyBalance.:ssmile:

As for fish to start the cycle...... I'm trying to avoid getting fish I dont plan on having in the long run. If I can do it with the phantoms or neons I'll go that route but if I have no choice I guess I'll have to figure out another plan of attack....

[korith]

R/O Right will have to do for now... we'll see how it works out for me....

Like i said, once I run out I'll will be going with the tap water treated with AquaSafe and EasyBalance.:ssmile:

As for fish to start the cycle...... I'm trying to avoid getting fish I dont plan on having in the long run. If I can do it with the phantoms or neons I'll go that route but if I have no choice I guess I'll have to figure out another plan of attack....

Maybe some biospira or another similar product to help get the bacteria going.

[Shea]

Maybe some biospira or another similar product to help get the bacteria going.

can you please elaborate? are you talking as a water treatment in place of the R/O Right or to get a fishless cycle going?

[lovleeko]

Cute tankthumbs2: One of my ten gallons is the same one that you have. I bought fluorescent lights for the hood to replace the incandescent. It will give you a more white light and you can't really grow much under the incandescent that it comes with. It takes a little adjustment to the little rubber guards around the bulbs but all you have to do is hold it to the side while you screw the bulb in and viola. You can use the kinds you buy as regular household bulbs. This was suggested to me a while back by a few members on here. I never wanted to dish out the money for the type you buy labeled for aquariums. Up until I changed them, I couldn't really grow anything in my aquariums that used incandescent. Just a thought in case you want to grow live plants. It will save you some money. I can't tell you how much I wasted trying to grow to no avail in my incandescent tanks.


Maybe you could think of another good type of cycle fish that you do want for the long run. Tetra safestart is a really good product for starting your cycle. In a small tank like that you will probably cycle in a week or two using this product. In my experience anyway. Good luck. Nice tank:19:

[lovleeko]

can you please elaborate? are you talking as a water treatment in place of the R/O Right or to get a fishless cycle going?


They no longer make bio spira, but tetra safe start bought the rights to it. It is a product that you add to the tank to cycle with fish. It keeps ammonia and nitrite at safe levels for them until cycle is complete. It adds some of the nitrifying bacteria you want to the tank and helps it cycle a lot faster. I have cycled tanks your size in a week with it. I dont do fish less cycle so I'm not the best person to ask on that one. IMO I would change some of the RO water out with tap before you add fish if you go with cycling with fish. But safe start is a great product if you go with the fish cycle. It keeps the levels in check and I have cycled tanks with a full stock of fish with it before without problems. It can be a bit on the pricey side though.

[Shea]

Hmmmm interesting. I will look into the SafeStart when I pick up the fish for the fish cycle.

[korith]

They no longer make bio spira, but tetra safe start bought the rights to it. It is a product that you add to the tank to cycle with fish. It keeps ammonia and nitrite at safe levels for them until cycle is complete. It adds some of the nitrifying bacteria you want to the tank and helps it cycle a lot faster. I have cycled tanks your size in a week with it. I dont do fish less cycle so I'm not the best person to ask on that one. IMO I would change some of the RO water out with tap before you add fish if you go with cycling with fish. But safe start is a great product if you go with the fish cycle. It keeps the levels in check and I have cycled tanks with a full stock of fish with it before without problems. It can be a bit on the pricey side though.

Thanks, didn't realize they stopped making it. I think top fin has a product that does this too, forget what it's called though. Anyhow should help cycle the tank quicker, and give the fish a chance.