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Freshwater Beginners A place where freshwater aquarium fish beginners can go to post their questions and hopefully get responses from those more experienced. Also check out the Freshwater Fish Beginner's Guide and Aquarium Setup Guides. Setting up a new freshwater aquarium can be a rather large project and you want to make sure you do it right the first time. If you need help with your fish tank please don't be afraid to ask questions. That's what this fish forum is all about!

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Old December 26th, 2008  
Fish Helper
 
New tank: questions!

Hi everyone!

I have had goldfish (and a small trop tank) all my life but I just purchased my first 'serious' tropical freshwater tank.

I have been researching tropical fishkeeping for ages while I've been saving up, so I know a fair bit.

So I'm cycling a 107 gallon with 'stability', 3 minnows and a hardy fish. There are also 5 plants.

The readings are: 0 ammonia, 7.2 pH and 150ppm hardness the nitrites and nitrates are fine also. The stability is designed to cycle it and that's why the reading are so good, also i'm putting a chemical called prime in which keeps the ammonias at bay.

My main question is: I have a power filter in the tank that is on it's last legs so I am going to buy a external canister filter for it. Now does the tank have to cycle all over again when I put the new filter in? I wondering if I should keep the old filter going with the new for a while??

Another question: What sort of fish should I put in the tank once it's finished cycling? I want a community tank with gouramis, angels, catfish but i know I should put hardier fish in first.

Thanks and sorry for the long post!
M
2lucky is offline  
Old December 26th, 2008  
Fish Mentor
 
Hi and welcome!

Unfortunately, stability contains the wrong kind of bacteria, so you have to keep adding it otherwise your tank will lose its cycle. The only product that seems to really cycle a tank almost "instantly" is called Tetra Safe Start.

Also, if you change your filters it will kill the cycle as well. The only way to prevent this is to keep the same floss that you've been using, and add it to the new filter. OR start running both filters and wait until the new one becomes "seeded".

It is also important to know your other readings, nitrite and nitrate. Without those it is impossible to know if your tank is cycled.

Also, cycling with fish is slower than doing the "fishless cycle" which consists in adding ammonia by yourself. With fish in the tank you should be doing water changes every day until the cycle completes to prevent the fish from suffering ammonia poisoning (which is very painful and sometimes lethal) ... unless you find Tetra Safe Start.

As far as the stocking goes, in a tank that big you have a lot of options, Just make sure to research all the fish you like, their requirements and necessities, before you go out and buy them.

Good Luck and let us know how it goes.
Alessa is offline  
Old December 26th, 2008  
Fish Keeper
 
Welcome to FishLore,

From what little I know about “Stability” it is seeding your tank with non-sustainable bacteria. Meaning you will have to continue adding the product for the life of your tank. This bacteria will not reproduce and will die off in time requiring you to constantly add the product. By allowing your tank to cycle naturally it will produce a sustainable bacteria. A bacteria that will reproduce on its own. There is only one product I know of that will introduce a sustainable bacteria colony and that is “Tetra Safe Start”.

Prime is an excellent water conditioner with the added bonus that it will detoxify ammonia for 24 hours between treatments. Once your tank is cycled properly you will only need this product for water changes and top ups and occasional emergency.

You should absolutely keep the old filter running with the new filter. The new filter will take some time to establish a bacteria colony. There are ways around this, by using the old filter’s media in the new filter system. But personally I’d just run both filters while allowing bacteria to grow in the new system.

I will leave your stocking questions for more experienced members in this field.

Best of luck with the new tank!

Alessa
Dozey is offline  
Old December 26th, 2008  
Fish Helper
 
ok thanks guys for the help.

i think that i will go and get some tetra safe start tomorrow as I have to have some more fish in the tank by a deadline.

Does anyone know if it is available in Australia?

Keep the stocking suggestions coming!
2lucky is offline  
Old December 26th, 2008  
Fish Helper
 
Another question about the filters: if i put the tetra safe start in with the new filter wouldnt that establish the bacteria in the new filter?
If so I think I'd add the old filter media into the new one anyway.

Thanks in advance!
2lucky is offline  
Old December 26th, 2008  
Moderator
 
Hi there,
when ever you can add established filter media to a new tank and filter it is always a plus. Best of luck with your tank.
capekate is offline  
Old December 26th, 2008  
Fish Keeper
 
welcome to fishlore! I just wanted to wish you the best of luck. -fishlover78
fishlover78 is offline  
Old December 26th, 2008  
Moderator
 
Welcome to Fish Lore
Lucy is online now  
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