Newbie Qs. / Introduction.

[neilp]

Apologies if this ends up being long.

I've been wanting an aquarium since I moved into my apartment. I used to keep gold fish as a kid but managed to kill 'em off rapid style despite the fact I worked for a pond plant nursery / fish importer as a weekend job in high school. Having access to two marine biologist for advice couldn't lessen the attrition!

Anyway I was given a 29g tank a few days ago. So I scoured the local stores for low cost necessities: HOB filter (Aqueon Quietflow 30), heater (200w with thermostat) and hood (cheapo was left over part from a kit). Compromises were made due to budget constraints (unemployed single parent....) I've read my Aquariums for Dummies and read for hours on line too!

So I now have the tank set up after testing for leaks and a good clean. I dechlorinated the water and waited 24 hours to add some fish - 5 Zebra Danios, which I understand are quite hardy and have a chance to survive the cycling.

So the questions:

- How long to run the light each day? Currently I have the timer set to be on from 10am to 1pm. I'm a bit of night owl and want to watch the fish in the evening. I bought a few live plants which I understand may help the cycling?

- The ph tested high at 8.4 using the multi test strips from Jungle. Should I worry? What to do to correct this? Use a PH down product?

- I bought some faux logs that already seem to be getting some algae growth. Good? Bad?

- The light went off but the fish were still active. Does soft lighting in the room keep them active? I turned the room lights off for now.

- Temp is stable at 80F - a bit too high? What to aim for?

- Do all new tank owners feel a bit like a new parent - all questions and worries?!!

- My plan, once the tank is ready is to gradually add about 8-10 neon tetras, and about 6 platties (the red ones with the black tails, I forget the name). I think these should be compatible? Too many fish? Or could I add more? Maybe an Otocinclus Catfish to eat the algae?

Thanks for any advice, apologies if these are Qs asked all the time!

Neil

[Neon]

hi and welcome to AC !

My advise is do not add fish !!! Be patient, You need to cycle the tank first and just to dechlorinate and wait 24 hrs is not enough !!! Please read about cycling in the beginner section of this forum + download the free e-book , you will find plenty of knowlegeable infos there.

Book here : [Only Registered Users Can See Links.]

Cycling here : [Only Registered Users Can See Links.]

then enjoy your hobby!!!thumbs2:

[wlepse]

neilp...I am new to this as well but am going through the same things you are just a few weeks ahead of you. I ran my tank for a few weeks before adding fish, also Danios....only one survived a week. I recently added another danio and some platys and they are doing well except for one platy that has gone missing. Watch how much you feed since this just makes more waste and increases the ammonia levels and constant check teh levels and do a water change if needed.

I too have a high pH and have tried pH Down with no effect. Turns out my water is buffered and I am starting to think it is my substrate. Tap water is about 7.4, no change after dechlorination but add some of my rock and the pH starts to climb. From what I read you are better off adding some natural driftwood as it will lower the pH and help keep the ph buffered so it doesn't go crazy. Also from what I have read...a stable pH is more important that a specific pH (within reason).

As for temps...really depends on what you want to keep. Currently I am running aroun 78 but most hardy fish seem to do well between 72-82.

[rich311k]

Do you have a test kit? What are the parmeters?

Leave the PH alone it will be fine. Playing with it will just make things worse.

Reduce the lighting period. 10 hours is plenty. It should help with the algae.

Please read the free E-book it should help you out.

[Northernguy]

Welcome to the Fabulous AC!:22:
I agree ,read! lol
Your ph is fine as long as it is stable where it is.The fish will adapt if they are not wild caught fish.Most fish are farm bred and can handle the different ph.
Most important is learning about the cycle,without that you will not have much success.

[Padams]

Welcome to the School

Since you added fish already read the cycling with fish ([Only Registered Users Can See Links.]) a few times (i had to). What are you levels for ammonia, nitrIte, & nitrAte? How are you reading them? Liquid (recommended)? How often are you water changes and how much?

[lahlumdi]

You are so right - all new tank owners feel like you do. There are lots of questions. Worries at not doing it right, etc.

You are asking the right questions. You have come to the right place.

Be patient. At the beginning a very important factor is to have a test kit, so if you don't go ahead and invest in one. The levels will be changing. Keep coming back here with your questions.

In time the tank will calm down. The main tinkering to do right now is testing and water changes. As others have encouraged... please read about cycling!

[neilp]

Thanks for all the replies.

The test strips I purchased do not test for ammonia so I bought a kit to test for that today. I initially tested a few hours after setting up the tank and just tested again 1 day after adding the fish. Results are below, listed original test, current reading.

Ammonia - , 0
ph 8.4 , 6.8
Alkalinity 75 , 80
Hardness 75 , 75
Nitrite 0 , 0.25
Nitrate 0 , 0

So it looks like the ph has settled down to a more neutral reading. I'm not sure what the "hardness" indicator tells me?

I did purchase some Stress Zyme water additive which is billed as helping the tank cycle but I'm leaning towards leaving it alone right now?

I plan to do 10-15% water changes every two days starting tomorrow.

All comments appreciated

Neil

[hybridguy]

Apologies if this ends up being long.

I've been wanting an aquarium since I moved into my apartment. I used to keep gold fish as a kid but managed to kill 'em off rapid style despite the fact I worked for a pond plant nursery / fish importer as a weekend job in high school. Having access to two marine biologist for advice couldn't lessen the attrition!

Anyway I was given a 29g tank a few days ago. So I scoured the local stores for low cost necessities: HOB filter (Aqueon Quietflow 30), heater (200w with thermostat) and hood (cheapo was left over part from a kit). Compromises were made due to budget constraints (unemployed single parent....) I've read my Aquariums for Dummies and read for hours on line too!

So I now have the tank set up after testing for leaks and a good clean. I dechlorinated the water and waited 24 hours to add some fish - 5 Zebra Danios, which I understand are quite hardy and have a chance to survive the cycling.

So the questions:

- How long to run the light each day? Currently I have the timer set to be on from 10am to 1pm. I'm a bit of night owl and want to watch the fish in the evening. I bought a few live plants which I understand may help the cycling?

- The ph tested high at 8.4 using the multi test strips from Jungle. Should I worry? What to do to correct this? Use a PH down product?

- I bought some faux logs that already seem to be getting some algae growth. Good? Bad?

- The light went off but the fish were still active. Does soft lighting in the room keep them active? I turned the room lights off for now.

- Temp is stable at 80F - a bit too high? What to aim for?

- Do all new tank owners feel a bit like a new parent - all questions and worries?!!

- My plan, once the tank is ready is to gradually add about 8-10 neon tetras, and about 6 platties (the red ones with the black tails, I forget the name). I think these should be compatible? Too many fish? Or could I add more? Maybe an Otocinclus Catfish to eat the algae?

Thanks for any advice, apologies if these are Qs asked all the time!

Neil



If you will go to your local pet store and ask for some bio booster to start your tank they will usually give you some. This will add bacteria to your tank. You do need at least 1 fish in your tank to properly cycle it.

[Padams]

The test strips I purchased do not test for ammonia so I bought a kit to test for that today. I initially tested a few hours after setting up the tank and just tested again 1 day after adding the fish. Results are below, listed original test, current reading.

Ammonia - , 0
ph 8.4 , 6.8
Alkalinity 75 , 80
Hardness 75 , 75
Nitrite 0 , 0.25
Nitrate 0 , 0

So it looks like the ph has settled down to a more neutral reading. I'm not sure what the "hardness" indicator tells me?

I did purchase some Stress Zyme water additive which is billed as helping the tank cycle but I'm leaning towards leaving it alone right now?

I plan to do 10-15% water changes every two days starting tomorrow.

All comments appreciated

Neil

StressZyme can't hurt. You will need to test daily and do w/c accordingly. Your goal is change water (often) until your readings are A=0 Ites=0 Ates=<20. It may take up to 2 months, so be PATIENT. you're on the right path! With the fish you have (to the best of my knowledge) you are ok in hardness and PH. A stable environment is more important, the fish will adapt. DO NOT add any more till you stable.

Good luck & keep us informed on your progress!!!!

[tibob32]

If you keep up with water changes your fish will probably survive the cycle. Hell, a school of neon made it in my first tank throughout the cycle. Plants really do help too. Good luck!

[Lab_Rat]

- How long to run the light each day? Currently I have the timer set to be on from 10am to 1pm. I'm a bit of night owl and want to watch the fish in the evening. I bought a few live plants which I understand may help the cycling?


With live plants I am for 8-10 hours a day of light. Longer exposure times will increase the chance of algae without enhancing plant growth.



- The ph tested high at 8.4 using the multi test strips from Jungle. Should I worry? What to do to correct this? Use a PH down product?


Don't touch your pH with chemicals, it will only lead to trouble. You can add some real driftwood to naturally bring down the pH. A stable pH is much more important than a perfect pH.


- I bought some faux logs that already seem to be getting some algae growth. Good? Bad?


I don't like algae so for me it would not be good. I would not try to remove it until after your tank cycles as it will use up some of the nitrogenous waste the fish produce.


- The light went off but the fish were still active. Does soft lighting in the room keep them active? I turned the room lights off for now.


My fish sleep when it is totally dark. I don't worry about ambient lighting.


- Temp is stable at 80F - a bit too high? What to aim for?


I keep my tank heaters set at 77f, though my apartment gets hot so sometimes the tanks are 80-82. It's cuz I almost live in Mexico.


- Do all new tank owners feel a bit like a new parent - all questions and worries?!!


The ones who care about doing it right and keeping their fish healthy do. :ssmile:


- My plan, once the tank is ready is to gradually add about 8-10 neon tetras, and about 6 platties (the red ones with the black tails, I forget the name). I think these should be compatible? Too many fish? Or could I add more? Maybe an Otocinclus Catfish to eat the algae?


I would keep the zebra danios as your schooling fish if you like them, and increase their numbers to a total of 6-8. Adding 6 red wag platies would be fine, and I'd finish it off with a centerpiece fish such as dwarf gourami. Otos are sensitive little fish who need a mature, heavily planted tank to do well. If you have your heart set on neons, you could rehome the danios and have the neons instead. They are not as hardy as the danios at all.

Test strips are pretty much garbage, very unreliable. I'd get the API master test kit if you can (liquid set), or since you already have an ammonia kit (liquid?), you can just get nitrite and nitrate for your cycling. Hardness is going to tell you the buffering capacity of your water.

I've not used the product, but Tetra Safe Start is the new name for freshwater Bio-Spira. Since you have fish in the tank already I would get this product since it is supposed to instantly cycle the tank. It's not going to hurt to try it.