Bill's 29 Gallon Freshwater

[Bdj470]

As some of you may have read I started a 29 gallon freshwater tank back in March. Tried a fishless cycle but was unsuccessful.

On May 22 I added 4 Zebra Danio's to start a "Cycle with Fish". Talking with Lady Hobbs she felt the 4 would not build enough bacteria. So the next day I added 4 more Danio's.

Of the items in my tank. The only thing I need to fix is my background. Some of it has pulled away.

Yesterday I tested my water and thought I seen a hint of ammonia (maybe only a .10 ppm). Today I got a more measurable reading of .25 ppm. Monitoring the water carefully and will do water changes as necessary.

Once my tank cycles I plan on stocking slowly:

1 Dwarf Gourami
10 - 12 Cardinal Tetra's
3 - 6 Red Wag Platies
And still undecided to get some type of algae eater

My Tank Equipment:

29 Gallon Aqueon tank
AC 70 Filter
Marineland 150 watt Visi-Therm
I also have a Marineland 100 watt Stealth Pro in as a backup
Various fake plants and decor

[ohmikeosh]

As some of you may have read I started a 29 gallon freshwater tank back in March. Tried a fishless cycle but was unsuccessful.

On May 22 I added 4 Zebra Danio's to start a "Cycle with Fish". Talking with Lady Hobbs she felt the 4 would not build enough bacteria. So the next day I added 4 more Danio's.

Of the items in my tank. The only thing I need to fix is my background. Some of it has pulled away.

Yesterday I tested my water and thought I seen a hint of ammonia (maybe only a .10 ppm). Today I got a more measurable reading of .25 ppm. Monitoring the water carefully and will do water changes as necessary.

Once my tank cycles I plan on stocking slowly:

1 Dwarf Gourami
10 - 12 Cardinal Tetra's
3 - 6 Red Wag Platies
And still undecided to get some type of algae eater

My Tank Equipment:

29 Gallon Aqueon tank
AC 70 Filter
Marineland 150 watt Visi-Therm
I also have a Marineland 100 watt Stealth Pro in as a backup
Various fake plants and decor
Nice looking tank where did you get the tree thingy on the left and that log on the right? that looks really cool. cant find decorations like that anywhere.

[Bdj470]

Nice looking tank where did you get the tree thingy on the left and that log on the right? that looks really cool. cant find decorations like that anywhere.

Thanks.

I got the tree at Petsmart as well as the fake plants and grass in my tank. The fake log looking thing and the half sunken ship I got at Walmart. My fiance and her kids picked them out for me. Cannot disappoint them. :ssmile:

[BiGBlak]

Nice Little tank Im going to do my 20 gallon later this month but more on the dark side of things lol black is my name and black is my color. Might wanna hid the heater on the right side by laying it down in the back.

[ohmikeosh]

Thanks.

I got the tree at Petsmart as well as the fake plants and grass in my tank. The fake log looking thing and the half sunken ship I got at Walmart. My fiance and her kids picked them out for me. Cannot disappoint them. :ssmile:
lol... i almost picked out a sunken ship myself, but then returned it..lol..cool thanks I am going to look for that tree. Looks good.

[Bdj470]

It has now been a week since I added my Danio's to my 29 gallon tank. All fish are doing fine. Although I am worried about one fish. It was on either Tuesday or Wednesday of last week when I noticed one of my Danio's had larger belly. It only protrudes down and not out. I am wondering if this fish has Dropsy?

For the past week I checked ammonia levels daily. Never really got higher then 0.25 ppm (maybe 0.40).

This morning I performed a partial water change of about 25%. Added Prime and Stability.

Water parameters:

Ammonia - 0.12 - 0.25 ppm
Nitrite - 0 ppm
Nitrate - 10 ppm (also tested out of the tap this way)
pH - 7.6
High pH - 7.4

[Taurus]

This morning I performed a partial water change of about 25%. Added Prime and Stability.


Very smart move. I've had success with both when I started my 29 gallon a year ago.

[Bdj470]

Well here I am. End of week 2 with my Cycle with fish.

As of around 11:30 a.m water parameters are:

Ammonia 0.25 ppm
Nitrites 0 ppm
Nitrates 10 ppm (as stated even out 10 ppm out of tap)

All Danio's appear to be doing good. They are very lively. It's hard to get a count on them sometimes to make sure no fish are missing (dead amongst the decor) as they are actively moving around.

Wiped down the inside of the tank on Thursday. Then I performed around a 50% water change as ammonia level was nearing 0.50 ppm.

I add Prime after a water change and Stability with every water change and every since May 30. Stability bottle says to dose daily for 7 days. Should I continue to add Stability after day 7? I know to add it after every water change.

[Taurus]

No, I would not keep adding stability. After 7 days the spore state bacteria should be established in your filter.

Remember Prime turns ammonia into ammonium, which is less toxic to your fish.
But most ammonia test kits test for all forms of ammonia including ammonium, so you maybe be getting a false positive for ammonia.

You're testing positive for nitrates and 0 for nitrites which tells me your cycle has probably completed. Keep up the water changes and treat your tap water with Prime. It still takes 2 - 3 months for your tank to mature and become stable.

[Bdj470]

You're testing positive for nitrates and 0 for nitrites which tells me your cycle has probably completed. Keep up the water changes and treat your tap water with Prime. It still takes 2 - 3 months for your tank to mature and become stable.

My Nitrates reading from the tank are probably what is coming from my tap water. I wish my tank cycled but I have a feeling it is not. As with fishless cycle attemp I never seen any Nitrites. Same with my now cycling with fish. Week two and no Nitrites.

Yeah and I figured about three months for the tank to settle.

[Bdj470]

Woohoo.

20th day into my Cycle with fish I am showing a small hint of Nitrites. Not a big amount but there is some there. If i had to guess probably 0.05 - 0.10 ppm. Test normally is the light blue shade this time a very small hint of purple.

[ohmikeosh]

Woohoo.

20th day into my Cycle with fish I am showing a small hint of Nitrites. Not a big amount but there is some there. If i had to guess probably 0.05 - 0.10 ppm. Test normally is the light blue shade this time a very small hint of purple.
Nice... I may be going this route soon. Glad it's working out.

[Bdj470]

My "Cycle with fish" finished on Thursday June 17, 2010. Being paranoid I checked my ammonia and nitrite once when I came home from work and then a few hours later in the evening. And every time ammonia read 0 ppm and nitrite 0 ppm.

Friday June 18, 2010 I got off work early. And after having lunch with my Fiance I came home and performed large water change. I waited a few hours and re-checked my water parameters (still being paranoid). Again everything was at 0 ppm. Except for my nitrates only because I know my tap water reads 10 - 15 ppm nitrates.

Later that evening my family took a trip to the lfs. Same one where I purchased the previous 8 Zebra Danio's. This time I was purchasing some Platies. I intended on purchasing 2 Female and 1 Male Red Wag Platies. I looked in the tank of Red Wag's and could only find one female. There were not many Red Wag's in the tank. If I had to guess 8 Red Wag's total. So next to the Red Wag's were Sunburst Platies and Red Platies.

I ended up purchasing the one lone Female Red Wag Platy, one Male Red Wag Platy and one Female Sunburst Platy. Sometime next week once my filter catches up with the new bio-load. And as long the lfs gets a new shipment of Red Wag's. I will reverse what I purchased yesterday.

I am watching the tank closely. Once I released the Platies. The Danio's were chasing the Platies all over the tank. And the Danio's seemed more wild then normal. I read where Danio's could be fin nippers. Woke this morning and all fish seem fine. The Danio's chase the Platies some but not like last night.

[ohmikeosh]

Nice....congrats on the cycle......thumbs2:

[taralm13]

It has now been a week since I added my Danio's to my 29 gallon tank. All fish are doing fine. Although I am worried about one fish. It was on either Tuesday or Wednesday of last week when I noticed one of my Danio's had larger belly. It only protrudes down and not out. I am wondering if this fish has Dropsy?

I am wondering if you ever figured out what was going on with your danio that had the big belly? I have a danio that has a big belly also...seems like it has been growing bigger ever since I got my guppies. I orig thought he was just feasting on the fry and getting fat but I have never actually seen him do that. I also read somewhere that they can get tumors. He seems healthy though just has a big belly.

[Bdj470]

I am wondering if you ever figured out what was going on with your danio that had the big belly? I have a danio that has a big belly also...seems like it has been growing bigger ever since I got my guppies. I orig thought he was just feasting on the fry and getting fat but I have never actually seen him do that. I also read somewhere that they can get tumors. He seems healthy though just has a big belly.

I think I was just over feeding. I now feed them every other day. And since I have been doing that belly's are normal. Although the he or she has a rounder belly then most. I am believing it is a female as there is another one like it. These are the only two that show the rounder belly.

Other then that they are fine. Swim normally, eat normally.

[Bdj470]

I was finally able to grab a picture of all three Platies near one spot.

Hope the picture turns out ok.

[Bdj470]

It has been close to a week now since I added the Platies to the tank. Ammonia and Nitrites have been 0 ppm the whole time.

I have been watching the Platies. And it has got me re-thinking my stocking of my tank. I had originally planed of adding 6 Platies. I may only keep the three. Only reason is the male follows the 2 females all around. And I may have more Platies then I want.

So my next addition to the tank will be the Dwarf Gourami. In about another week.

[Bdj470]

It has been nine days since adding the 3 Platies to the tank.

This weekend I wanted to add either 3 more Platies or get my Dwarf Gourami. Today I purchased a Powder Blue Dwarf Gourami. I have seen Petco's and Petsmart's Dwarf Gourami's. None of them ever seemed active. The Dwarf Gourami I purchased from my lfs is very active.

The Danio's and the Platies seemed shy at first once I released them in the tank. Not the Dwarf Gourami. Seems he has taken to the tank right away.

For my next addition to the tank. I don't know if I am going to add more Platies or some Cardinal Tetra's.