Gwenz

I have put the gravel, rocks and decorations in, but need to add plants (and water obviously!) I have a Duetto filter and Aqua One heater to put in and I will be cycling fishless.

Gwenz

kerryve

Sounds good so far...

Gwenz

Last night I filled my tank and put in the filter and heater. The filter I have is a Duetto filter and it is surprisingly quiet. At first I didn't think it was working but it was. I have an AquaOne heater that is very accurate. It has a thermometer on it, but I have another one at the opposite side of the tank, and it is very accurate.

Gwenz

Gwenz

The water in the tank was cloudy when I first put it in, but the filter seems to be doing a good job and water is very clear now. The temperature is around 26-27 degrees C.

NitrAte = 0
NitrIte = 0
PH = 7.4 (Is this too high?)
Ammonia = 0

Gwenz

fish_r_friend

A Ph of 7.4 is not hight at all it is a very good reading . be glad that it's not 8.4 or 8.2 like in my tanks

Gwenz

OK thanks. It's just that my other tanks are around 7.0. But if it's not too high I won't worry about it.

Gwenz

Gwenz

Here is a pic of the tank. (still no plants yet!!)

Gwenz

Attached Images

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Boxermom

My hubby has that same rock structure (only I think his is larger) in his 29g tank. He's got some java moss attached to it and it looks really cool.

chickadee

The tank is beautiful, Gwenz. Do you know what fish you are going to put into it yet? It sounds like the cycle is over and the parameters are perfect. Very nice.

Rose

Gwenz

Acctualy I don't think it has started cycling yet. It's only been set up a week.

This is the tank I'm going to put the corries into (which are currently in my Q tank), and I was going to put a betta in there with them, but I've noticed recently that my lfs doesn't have bettas any more so I went to another two and they don't have them ither. Today I asked the manager at one of the stores why they don't have them any more, and he said that nowhere around here will have them anymore because there is something about the water over here that bettas can't cope in, and that all bettas we have over here have died after a few days of them being here. I realy wanted a betta, but doesn't look like I'll be able to have one. Now I have to rethink what I want in the tank.

Gwenz

Gwenz

It's been set up for 2 weeks now and nothing much seems to be happening.

NitrAte 5.0
NitrIte 0
PH 7.6
Ammonia 0

Shouldn't something be happening by now? When I was cycling my other tank the levels started changing after about a week. Why is it so slow?

Gwenz

Boxermom

What are you using to cycle it?

Gwenz

I'm adding a pinch of flake in there every day. This is what I used in my other tanks too, and they had signs of the cycle starting by 2 weeks.

Can you think why it might be slow? The weather here has been very hot lately (34-36 ' C / 93-96 ' F). Could this have affected the cycle?

Thanks

Gwenz

Boxermom

No, the heat shouldn't affect the cycle. My guess is that there's not enough food to deteriorate and create ammonia. You might want to either add more, or I would suggest throwing a piece of shrimp (human type) in it. That's what everyone I know does. Its too hard to judge how much flake too use.

Gwenz

Ok thanks for the tips.

Gwenz

Gwenz

Well I know it's been ages but I'm using pure ammonia to help cycle the tank now. It's working realy fast. Rose gave me this idea and I thank her for it. It's great.

Gwenz

Gwenz

Tank is nearly cycled. Can't wait.

Gwenz

Gwenz

I now have 5 male guppies in my tank. They are called : Joe, Junior, Sam, Spike and Mac.

Gwenz