Allach1

Hi,

I have been sorting over the web now for a week looking at fish and tanks and all the info. I bought home a 46' Bowfront and A Fluval 305 today which is more filter than I need but was reccomended to go a bit higher.

Im looking to set up some live plants maybe a couple dwarf frogs and a bunch of Miscellanious fish includeing A redtail shark and a couple catfish etc.

I am getting a lot of different answers as whether to use tap water, distilled water or soft water to get this thing going. I have been all over the web with fish compatabilites and all im looking at right now is an empty tank and a filter system that looks a little complicated.

Anyone have any advice here.

Thank you,

Kris

Muffymouse

The water you use to cycle your tank really isn't as important as the quality of the water when you add your fish. For your fish tap water is good because it has trace minerals that distilled water doesn't that your fish need. However if you have really hard water you may need to use a mix of your tap water and soft water.

Couple of other questions to think about: Have you read up and understand the nitrogen cycle? if not here is a great link to learn about it: http://www.fishlore.com/Forum/97-aqu...d-first.0.html

Are you planning on cycling your tank with or without fish? - Most around here recommend cycling without fish as the cycling process is very stressful for them. But if you want to get fish in there right away the most recommended product is BioSpira (beneficial bacteria to cycle your tank instantly) but it can be very expensive as it needs to be kept cold so it must be overnight shipped or purchased locally. Hope this helps. Best of luck to you and welcome =))

Allach1

Thanks you for reply,

I will cycle without fish, water is hard here. I had 3 different answers the first being distilled, which was debunked by a second individual who said tap water because you need the PH levels. Then today I grabbed the tank and the guy who seemed quite knowledgable told me to use soft water which made sense to me, so maybe a mix of tap and soft might be better.

I would get the impression that this should cut down on the cycle time and the filter I got is more than enough and should cycle through all these issues quickly. Im also wondering about live plants as it appears that different plants have different needs as well. A lot of information to absorb with these tanks.

Im going to water up on Tuesday and start the cycle and see what happens. Appreciate the link and the welcome.

Best,

Kris

COBettaCouple

The tap water here is hard and higher in pH (around 7.5) but seems to not bother the fish. i've never heard of using tap water because of pH levels.. i've found higher pH levels in spring water from the store. it's just the good minerals from tap water that you need. a combo of soft & treated (when you have fish) tap sounds fine to me. Cycling a tank seems to be a varied thing on how long it takes from 3 weeks to 2 months. just keep the ammonia source steady and remember the 15-hour life cycle on the bacteria.

Best of luck with your tank.

griffin

i'd probably go with tap water (either aged or conditioned). i have really hard water here, and it's not been a problem for me.

Allach1

Thanks guys,

I am going to get the gravel now and will set up the filter tonight after I water up, gonna use the tap I guess. Im not in too much of a hurry that I need fish today. I may try that chemicl bacteria Biro spira or cycle to see what happens with the readings and get a quicker cycle.

If anyone has anything to add let me know and I appreciate the help from all.

Best,

Kris

vin

Do yourself a favor and pick up an Aquarium Pharmaceuticals Freshwater Master Test Kit. This will help you to monitor your progress through the cycle and also while keeping your fish. It's important to remember that good water chemistry is the key to keeping healthy fish. Test y our water out of the tap so you know what your base chemical levels are.

I assume that you know that by cycling fishless that you have to 'feed' the tank using flake food or some other food source to get the cycle moving? If not, the chemicals never build and subside and the tank will never cycle.

If you want to cycle with fish, I used feeder goldfish to get mine going. They aren't expensive (5 for .50 cents) and while it may seem cruel I looked at it this way - they were going to die eventually....I just prolonged their fate. You can add "Prime" as a water conditioner so they don't feel the effects of the cycle. But in the event they don't make it through you haven't spent a lot of money on expensive fish to have them die on you.

lolagurl

uh what do you do with the feeder fish if they live through the cycle....let me guess flush em?

Allach1

Tank and filter are up and running, broke the bulb in the hood kit and now waiting to hear if ther have a replacement.

I used enough spriro for 60 gallong and running 46, that shoud be enough bacteria to cyle the system I hope. But it running anyway, very cloudy but used fine gravel and rinsed the crap out of it. see what it looks like tonight.

Thanks for the help, gonna try and run down this bulb

COBettaCouple

Is it a chain store or a small LPS/LFS that you get the BioSpira. I'd love to get it local and save the overnight shipping costs.

Allach1

Being a complete novice, I went to the computer first, then like any other hobby you get different answers but a lot of substance to ask the right questions. Also gave me a chance to read past posts.

But I went to a specialty store and they packed it with ice and wrapped it to keep it cold, they had a real cold system for all kinds of things there.

I threw 15 guppy feeders in the tank tonight and will see what happens, I will bring some water over there in a couple days as I was in no mood to get into a kit after I busted a 60.00 bulb and they can give me the readings and will start with live plants and grab the kit at that point.

Everything ap-pears to be running properly.

Thanks again to all and will keep you posted as I progress.

Best,

Kris

COBettaCouple

When you get your kit, I'd recommend this testing kit: http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Produc...&N=2004+113074. It's popular with the members, easy to use and accurate.

That does stink about the bulb. I've broken a few things myself. Can that specialty store open a sister store in our town? Sounds like a pretty nice store.

Did you check here: http://www.drsfostersmith.com/produc...?N=2004+113030 for the bulb you need? Could be cheaper and you can always order a few other things from them and have the same shipping charge.

vin

UH....No. I brought them back to the pet store to be bought and fed to other fish who need live catch. Sorry if you have a problem with allowing nature to behave naturally....

Allach1

Hi,

Thanks for the link, They do seem cheaper but do not have the exact bulb but close, shipping and all things considered they do seem a lillte less. Only one store that I know of is here but I will check tomorrow when I go over there.

The tank has cleared up a lot overnight and the guppies are all alive, so I guess thats god news, at this rate water might be clear by tomorrow this time and then I will grab some plants and do a little landscapeing.

Best,

K

Allach1

Well, the water wasy pretty clear yesterday so I went and bought a rainbow shark and several tiger barbs, need a few more as I thought 3 was the number.

Going to get some plants and a couple fish and start adding. Will get a couple pics.

Best,

K

Gunnie

Have you been checking your ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate levels? Can you post them?

Allach1

Hello Gunnie,

I went yesterday and had them check the water, all was fine except slightly high ammonia reading, my first water change will be sunday. Guy really know his stuff and he is from my area. I asked if it was safe to add a few more fish and remove some of the feeder guppies that I initially put in and he told me no more than 4 fish. So I came home with 2 live plants 2 striped loaches and 2 upside down catfish.

I had the reading written down but cannot find them now. But the tank is crystal clear and the fish seem to be pretty happy.

Gunnie

Watch your levels very closely. You have added more fish to a tank with an existing ammonia level, which will probably make that level increase quickly. You will probably have to do a water change sooner than Sunday.