Need help with tank paramiters

**billandkerri001** · 05-14-2012, 12:27 PM

Hello everyone have the old 40 gal up and need help with the paramiters. I will either collect rainbow darters or long ear sunfish. This is my setup at this time. 40 gal with 80 lbs of natural gravel collected locally with 30 lbs of colored gravel from a previous setup. I am running 2-30 gal whisper internal filters. At this time am using the 2-18in florescent hood lights. 1 peice of driftwood and rocks that was collected locally as well. I have added liquid bacteria and am feeding flake food every third day. Still have no fish or plants. Water test with a 5 in 1 test strip is as follows ... Nitrate is 10ppm... Nitrite is 1.0 ppm... Hardness GH 75ppm... Alkilinity 30ppm... PH 6.8 ... What adjustments do I need to adjust it to to keep either of the two native speices that I have mentioned? I will eventually add live plants. At this time the tank is still just a little cloudy.

**Honey Badger 1** · 05-14-2012, 12:32 PM

You need an ammonia tester. Don't add any fish until your results are 0 for ammonia and nitrite and you have some nitrate.

**ScottishFish** · 05-14-2012, 12:33 PM

Just a suggestion - you are running 2x30gal filters?

After they fill up with media and bacteria their outflow can half, so you would be running 2x15g which gives you 30gal of filtration. IME it is better to over filter your tank by double the ammount at least. I suggest either getting another one, or returning one and getting a bigger one

**imma24** · 05-14-2012, 12:36 PM

+1 with an ammonia tester. It's the ammonia that is growing bacteria to cycle the tank. You will need to monitor its level as the food rots to make sure you keep the ammonia level high enough to keep growing bacteria. Test strips aren't very reliable and they will cost you more money in the long run than a liquid test kit (like API freshwater).

Also agree with adding no fish until you are completely cycled.

**billandkerri001** · 05-14-2012, 02:44 PM

Hey thanks for the reply. I have had a saltwater tank years ago and many freshwater tropical tanks but this will be my first cold fresh water native tank. Im disabled so at times money is a little tight but not bad. Just less than what I am use to. I agree with your statement about the test strips. I will take a water sample to my LFS Wed. They are about 60 miles away so I have to be going that way to get them to test my water. I will be able to get a master freshwater test kit by the end of the month. I havent had a tank setup in just a little over 5 yrs so I am a little rusty to say the least.

As for plants I want to look in my local creeks and streams for plants that I can put in my tank. I will be collecting local fish so I will look for local plants as well. If anyone has any suggestions, any at all on this project of mine PLEASE speak up. I can use your help on my first cold water tank.

My long term plans are to have a different setup for filtration as well as a 48 in full spectrum light on the top.

I totally forgot about getting a test kit for amonia... Thanks for the help...

**imma24** · 05-14-2012, 03:32 PM

Before adding local plants to your tank, you might want to get advice about doing that - I'm thinking you might need to prepare them for your tank in the event that they are carrying something you dont want to introduce to your fish. I could be wrong but you never know - there is a subforum here for plants as well.

**billandkerri001** · 05-14-2012, 05:34 PM

I have allready did just that andreahp. I have called my States Game and Fish Commission. I explained to the lady what info I was needing and she sent all the regulations to me as well as having one of there plant experts call me. They gave me a list of fish,plants ,etc that are protected. He said to inspect completly and to quarintine for 14 days to be sure there are no snails etc hitching a ride. I am also thinking of some plants to buy that are all close in paramiters. I like swords, anacharis, among others.

**billandkerri001** · 05-16-2012, 02:50 PM

API test kit ordered this morning...

**imma24** · 05-16-2012, 03:19 PM

Once you have your liquid kit, the ammonia should be the 1st thing you test to see its level - feeding fish flakes is not a reliable way to cycle a tank because you need to keep a consistent ammonia level (from the rotting food) but not too high. I would personally add pure ammonia because you can add just enough to get the reading you need.

**Lady Hobbs** · 05-16-2012, 04:09 PM

I also noticed those filters first thing. Not nearly enough for that tank. Those little filters are used on perhaps small betta tanks. The problem being that tiny filters like that don't hold the space to grow enough bacteria to support several fish or larger fish.

You will have to be viligant watching for anchor worms, lice, ick, etc, from introducing wild caught fish.