Hello all. I'm in the Las Vegas area.
I have a 55 gallon tank that is a complete new setup.
I am planning on African Cichlids. Here is my results from testing my water after 5 days in tank with both filters on. Fluval 305 and Top Fin 60. I have all decor I want in the tank already.
Can you tell me if the following is suitable for African Cichlids and two plecos.
PH 7.6
High PH 7.4
Ammonia 0ppm
Nitrate N03- 0ppm
Nitrite N02 - 0ppm
Any suggestions would be great. I am planning on buying fish in two weeks or so.
thanks
-Brent
Water Testing
10 posts
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miami754 - Posts: 373
- Joined: Sat Feb 23, 2008 9:18 am
Ok, so the pH is fine. People will tell you that you need it higher, but you don't. The more important thing is that it is stable. 7.5 (averaging the two tests) is just fine for cichlids. What substrate are you giong with? If you go with crushed coral this will buffer the water a little and may put you in the higher 7's. The key really is just to keep it constant. Your pH is plenty high.
In terms of your parameters, it does you no good to test ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates before you have fish. Without any waste being produced, you will not produce any bacteria and, hence, you will always get readings of zero (assuming you have no nitrates in your tap water). I saw your list on the other post. What you need to do is start out with one of the species you listed - I cycled with my demasoni. Then wait and you will see the ammonia rise and drop to zero in about a week. Next, the nitrites will rise and it takes them 3-4 weeks to drop to zero. Once they have dropped to zero, then you can slowly add in each individual species.
So, in summary, only add one of your species and there is no reason to wait two weeks unless it is due to other concerns. Nothing is happening in your tank right now and no cycle will occur until fish are in there. If you add all the fish you listed at the beginning, the ammonia will spike off the charts and many will die - not good when you are paying for more expensive fish like cichlids.
There will always be some nitrates in your tank once it is cycled - the fact that yours are reading zero is another clue that your tank is not cycled. You want to do enough water changes to keep the nitrates below 20 ppm at all times. Once you pass this, the health of your fish are in danger. If you never do water changes, the nitrates will just continue to rise.
In terms of your parameters, it does you no good to test ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates before you have fish. Without any waste being produced, you will not produce any bacteria and, hence, you will always get readings of zero (assuming you have no nitrates in your tap water). I saw your list on the other post. What you need to do is start out with one of the species you listed - I cycled with my demasoni. Then wait and you will see the ammonia rise and drop to zero in about a week. Next, the nitrites will rise and it takes them 3-4 weeks to drop to zero. Once they have dropped to zero, then you can slowly add in each individual species.
So, in summary, only add one of your species and there is no reason to wait two weeks unless it is due to other concerns. Nothing is happening in your tank right now and no cycle will occur until fish are in there. If you add all the fish you listed at the beginning, the ammonia will spike off the charts and many will die - not good when you are paying for more expensive fish like cichlids.
There will always be some nitrates in your tank once it is cycled - the fact that yours are reading zero is another clue that your tank is not cycled. You want to do enough water changes to keep the nitrates below 20 ppm at all times. Once you pass this, the health of your fish are in danger. If you never do water changes, the nitrates will just continue to rise.
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Snowboss4492 - Posts: 2098
- Joined: Sun Jan 27, 2008 11:24 pm
I am NOT a fresh water guy so I am not questioning your advice to brent - -but i would like to know if in fresh water like salt water cycles there is any other options.........when I did my first salt water cycle I was told to use live fish to do so with the same reasons you postd above - - only to find out that it is extreamly cruel to the fish - -as a matter of fact before the cycle was complete i had killed 6 damsels - - and was told this is normal...... then for reasons outside of this post the entire tank crashed - - after some hard studying and lots of questions I ended up doing a fishless cycle with table shrimp [yes the kind we eat from the grocery store,lol} the shrimp starts to break down making the needed waste matierial, bactierais etc etc - -the only thing i did notice was it took about a week longer for the cycle than doing a fish cycle - - I am not concerned about the money lost with the fish cycle but more concerned about it just being mean - - i am wondering if a person could cycle fresh water the same way? i am actually contemplateing a nano fresh tank right now?
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miami754 - Posts: 373
- Joined: Sat Feb 23, 2008 9:18 am
No problem in questioning me - that is what forums are for, right. Yes, there are other methods to cycle the tank. The most obvious one is using media from a cycled tank. The new tank will need to cycle and there still needs to be fish there to keep the bacteria alive, but it will speed the process up.
There also is a fishless method used now by many people where you manually add the ammonia to the tank. In essence, you are simulating the fish being in there by adding ammonia yourself. This method works great and is widely used now. I am actually going to write an article on it and it should be up in the articles section in the next couple of days. If you can't wait that long then just google "fishless cycle". You should be able to find some good procedures. It is very easy to do and, yes, it is probably the more humane method. I am sorry I did not mention this in the earlier post - you are right, I should have.
There also is a fishless method used now by many people where you manually add the ammonia to the tank. In essence, you are simulating the fish being in there by adding ammonia yourself. This method works great and is widely used now. I am actually going to write an article on it and it should be up in the articles section in the next couple of days. If you can't wait that long then just google "fishless cycle". You should be able to find some good procedures. It is very easy to do and, yes, it is probably the more humane method. I am sorry I did not mention this in the earlier post - you are right, I should have.
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Snowboss4492 - Posts: 2098
- Joined: Sun Jan 27, 2008 11:24 pm
I can wait for sure and look forward to the article and look forward to it - and thank you for being open to questions - - I have heard of the adding ammonia theory - -what do you think about that "cycle" product? - -i don't really like to use chems if i can help it
your tank is very nice BTW i love the rock work - -ever thought about a salt system? lol ....Boss
your tank is very nice BTW i love the rock work - -ever thought about a salt system? lol ....Boss
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miami754 - Posts: 373
- Joined: Sat Feb 23, 2008 9:18 am
The Cycle product does not work - waste of money. I have done tests on numerous products that are currently available so I could prove to myself whether they worked or not.
Bio-spira is the only stuff I have ever seen that works. Even with Bio-Spira though, you need to add fish or ammonia. If nothing is in there, the bacteria will die. Bio-spira is a very nice product. It is, however, hard to find for many people. If you can't find it in a store near you, look on the internet. It does need to be refrigerated, as a side note.
Thanks for the comment on my tank. I appreciate it. I added some closeups of my fish that are currently waiting to be approved. Check back in a couple of days when they are posted to see what my fish look like. I left a comment on your profile as well. I am excited to see it with the fish in there. I'll stay updated on your progress as you set it up. Always an exciting time.
I actually have done a 12 gallon nano reef for my mother-in-law. I set it all up and got it going and she has taken good care of it for the past two years. She is actually upgrading. I found a great deal on the Nano cube 28 gall HQI tank. I got it for $500 with the stand (stand was free). Couldn't pass that up. She was ready for metal halide so she is taking the plunge. I am taking it to her in Missouri the last week of March and tranferring everything over to the new tank and getting it going. I'm also taking $400 in corals she picked out from my local SW store. Should be a fun ride - like a mobile fish store :) .
Bio-spira is the only stuff I have ever seen that works. Even with Bio-Spira though, you need to add fish or ammonia. If nothing is in there, the bacteria will die. Bio-spira is a very nice product. It is, however, hard to find for many people. If you can't find it in a store near you, look on the internet. It does need to be refrigerated, as a side note.
Thanks for the comment on my tank. I appreciate it. I added some closeups of my fish that are currently waiting to be approved. Check back in a couple of days when they are posted to see what my fish look like. I left a comment on your profile as well. I am excited to see it with the fish in there. I'll stay updated on your progress as you set it up. Always an exciting time.
I actually have done a 12 gallon nano reef for my mother-in-law. I set it all up and got it going and she has taken good care of it for the past two years. She is actually upgrading. I found a great deal on the Nano cube 28 gall HQI tank. I got it for $500 with the stand (stand was free). Couldn't pass that up. She was ready for metal halide so she is taking the plunge. I am taking it to her in Missouri the last week of March and tranferring everything over to the new tank and getting it going. I'm also taking $400 in corals she picked out from my local SW store. Should be a fun ride - like a mobile fish store :) .
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Snowboss4492 - Posts: 2098
- Joined: Sun Jan 27, 2008 11:24 pm
well look at it this way - - -your in a perfect situation, you get to play with all the salt stuff and don't have to pay for it....win win bud . . .so when and if you decide to make that move for yourself , you will be miles ahead of all of us that started in our own living rooms, lol
I just oredered 2 clown fish and 5 snails off line {first time doing that for me} because unfortunately the 3 LFS in my area all SUCK - - should be here Monday or Tuesday ....wish me luck....lol
I just oredered 2 clown fish and 5 snails off line {first time doing that for me} because unfortunately the 3 LFS in my area all SUCK - - should be here Monday or Tuesday ....wish me luck....lol
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miami754 - Posts: 373
- Joined: Sat Feb 23, 2008 9:18 am
Yeah, that's what I thought too. Get all the enjoyment without the hurt on my wallet. I would absolutely love to turn my 58 gallon into salt, but I can't afford that right now. Plus, I am really, really enjoying cichlid life. I have never had such enjoyment from a FW setup.
My mother-in-law is going to give my daughter (6) her old 12 gallon nano cube once I transfer her to the 28 so I will probably do that one as a saltwater tank. Then I'll start hanging around the saltwater forum as well. Good times.
Good luck with the clowns and keep us posted.
My mother-in-law is going to give my daughter (6) her old 12 gallon nano cube once I transfer her to the 28 so I will probably do that one as a saltwater tank. Then I'll start hanging around the saltwater forum as well. Good times.
Good luck with the clowns and keep us posted.