Chem Levels on new tank

[Bill M.]

So I finally added my two danios to my 29g. I also put one of the decorations, (a barrel which sits over an air stone) in the tank. As of 10 o clock tonight my nitrate is 0, nitrite is 0 hardness is 75 chlorine is 0 alkalinity is 80 pH is 7,2 temp is 78, and ammonnia is 0 ppm......how does this all sound? Within a few days I will add some gravel from the ten gallon to jump start the cycle...

[zackish]

Sounds good so far, your water is SLIGHTLY hard but nothing at all to worry about, I believe ideal softness is like 50 or something.
Even when you add the gravel from the 10 you will see some ammonia and nitrite but since you only have 2 fish it should be fine. Maybe a long cycle but I would imagine the fish will live.
Keep us posted so we can help as much as possible.
Also, just outta curiousity what kind of filter are you using?

[Bill M.]

for right now, well untill payday anyways, I am using a whisper type power filter. Its built for 20 to 50 gallons.... I was thinking about getting maybe a canister filter.. but i am relativly new to larger aquariums.... any advice?

[zackish]

Canister filters are a great idea. I am looking into one of those myself because I am just using a crappy HOB filter right now. It all depends how much money you want to spend. The Eheim's and Fluvals supposedly are better but I am looking into the Filstar XP1 becauase it's only $70 and it seems pretty nice. I might just go with that for my own experience since a lot of other people haven't really said much about them.
It's funny you should ask about canister filters because I am searching the web as I am typing this for them.

I can post some links later of my findings.
But if you really want really easy maintenance and good filtration I think most would agree that canister filters are the way to go.

[Bill M.]

sweet man.... do you have msn messnger? if you do, im me.....guitarguy719@msn.com

yea i would love some links you find!

[Lady Hobbs]

Two danios only to start the cycle will take a long time in a 29 gallon. I would add that gravel now, the used filter media and the tetra's now to get it going.

[Mark Lathrop]

Just a warning, I've had danios die when using them in an uncycled tank...but my rasboras lived through 8ppm of ammonia! Amazing little buggers...poor little guys too. I knew nothing of cycling at the time. And although your danios may live through the cycle process, there is no doubt in my mind that the gill burn is rather uncomfortable. I stuck my hand into my tank with pure ammonia in it at 5ppm and had a papercut on my finger and it burned like crazy. I never want to put another fish through that again. Just know what you're putting your danios through just to cycle your tank.

[cocoa_pleco]

i used danios to cycle a old 10g and they survived the cycle but died a month later. i prefer platys for cycling now. its impossible to kill em

[Bill M.]

Two danios only to start the cycle will take a long time in a 29 gallon. I would add that gravel now, the used filter media and the tetra's now to get it going.

Ahah.... I thought that would be the case.... I will add a few large scoops of the gravel, and my Black Skirt tetras and my Serpae Tetras.... cant add the filter yet....I dont have a replacement for the ten gallon.... After the tetras are in it there will be a guppy, a platy, a pleco and a gourami left in the ten... and they need the filter too...lol... ill go to the LPS and get a new filter within a couple days so I can put the old one in the new tank.....:19:

[Mark Lathrop]

Just get a cheapo whispter filter. Then you can use it on your 10 which would make a fine hospital tank.

[Bill M.]

Just get a cheapo whispter filter. Then you can use it on your 10 which would make a fine hospital tank.


That is what I currently have on my 10 gallon... which as soon as the fish are transfered, will become my quarantine/ hospital tank.... I love the fact that I have an extra tank to do that with.. it will keep my 29 so healthy!!!!

[Bill M.]

i used danios to cycle a old 10g and they survived the cycle but died a month later. i prefer platys for cycling now. its impossible to kill em

Lady Hobbs sugessted putting my other 4 tetras * 2 black skirt and 2 serpae* in to help the cycle. I also have a sunburst wag platy.... should I add him too??

[sunjwd]

This is a Tetra Whisper filter right? What if he puts some of the old gravel right into the filter bag? Won't that speed up the growth of the good bacteria and the colonization of the filter media?