Omgami

After 7 years of storing my 75 g tank I have set it back up. Its still fishless but its had water, pea gravel substrate , rocks and plants for about three days now. I just bought a new test kit but have not tested the water yet so do not have any readings. The water is a little cloudy even though i rinsed everything for what seemed like hours. I plan on getting two Orandas, Two lack moors and maybe a fifth fancy goldfish after the tank cycles. I can't believe I let the tank sit empty so long! The fish will join: two llamas, two dogs, five cats and my very special flock of chickens.

iloveengl

Welcome to the forum and welcome back to the hobby

I just moved off my folks' farm. We had alpacas, llamas, pygmy goats, geese, and chickens; they were all pets and I miss the fun and noise of the farm. If you have pics of your farm pets, we'd love to see those and the tank as it sets up.

peacemaker92

Welcome to Fishlore!

Your fish list sounds good. Just remember that goldfish are very high maintenance so daily water changes must be done. But I'm sure you know that Good luck and please keep us updated with your readings and plans

iloveengl

Peacemaker, did you mean "weekly"?

aquarist48

Hello Omangi and Welcome to Fish Lore. Your stocking list sounds great. Here is a link you may find helpful:

Goldfish Caresheet

I hope you can share some photos a long the way! By doing weekly water changes you'll be fine.
Ken

Shawnie

welcome to fishlore!!!!!!! sounds like a great tank and share pics when you can

bolivianbaby

Welcome to Fishlore!

click

Welcome to Fishlore! You will love it here, I guarantee

Nate McFin

Welcome to Fishlore! I am a fellow webfoot as well!

harpua2002

Hello and welcome!

Be sure to show off some pics of your goldies when you get your tank started.

Lucy

Welcome to Fish Lore!

Robin4

Omgami

Thanks for the welcome. Took my first readings today. ammonia - 0 PPM, nitrite 0 ppm, pH 7.6, kh 71.6, GH 400. Of course here's the catch, I still don't have anything in the tank so as much as I would like to believe I can add fish, I haven't had any spikes in ammonia yet. Patience is a virtue, patience is a virtue. Temperature is unknown, forgot the thermometer! Its in now andthe water is room temp. I'm not putting the heater in this tank, saving it for tropical tank to come later.

Meenu

welcome to fl!

what do you have in your tank to make the ammonia go up?

also, most people on this website agree that the liquid test kit made by API is much more accurate than the strips. What are you using?

Omgami

I put Nutrafin Cycle in the tank. My test kit is a Freshwater Master test kit by API. Thanks for asking.

Meenu

I was told at 3 stores to use Cycle, but the fishlorians told me that it doesn't contain aquatic bacteria. when you stop using the product, you get an ammonia spike.

Also, as far as I know, without fish or food or shrimp, etc., you probably don't have anything creating ammonia to feed the bacteria.

You might want to do a search for nutrafin cycle here on the forum and see what others have said about it.

Good luck!

callichma

She's right. I found out the hard way--LFS talked me into using a product like cycle called Stability. The bacteria in it can't reproduce underwater, so they die off if you don't constantly add them forever. The only bacteria product on the market that provides natural bacteria (as far as I know) is Tetra Safe Start (TSS). It contains bio-spira bacteria. It can be hard to find at petstores, but you can order it online. You add it to your tank once with the fish and it should be an instant cycle. Of course you have to watch your water parameters closely just to be sure. The only problem for you is that the bacteria you added will compete for ammonia with the natural bacteria in TSS and may not take hold. You could kill off the bacteria in the Cycle somehow and add the TSS and fish, or you could do a fishless cycle--there are a number of ways to do it--fish food, raw shrimp, pure ammonia. You can find instructions on this site. In any case, you have to have an ammonia source to feed the bacteria.

You also said you had not put in a heater. The beneficial bacteria will reproduce faster if your water is warmer so your tank would be cycled quicker. You could remove the heater before you added your goldfish.

Congratulations on deciding to set up your 75g. This forum has a wealth of information and will not steer you wrong. Welcome!

Omgami

Thank you all for the encouragement, advise and friendship. I did put two smallish dead shrimp in the tank and then borrowed gravel from a fellow fish lovers tank. It took awhile but I cycled and now have added 2 small black moors and 4 rose minnows. I have been reading this site everyday and have learned so much. Thanks! I have up dated my tank information and also started a 2nd betta divided tank. I want to try TSS sometime but will need to get it over the internet as I am 130 miles R/T from a LFS. I already have a 3rd tank waiting in the wings and oh my I know where there is a forth tank at a thrift store just waiting to go home with me. I dreamed about that tank last night, is this a syptom of MTS or nothing to really worry about?

Meenu

congratulation on a fishless cycle. It sounds like you are doing awesome.
Your aq info isn't showing as updated. Could you update for us please?
I am so glad that things are going well for you.

MNfishMama

Welcome to Fishlore from freezing Minnesota!
It's an AMAZING site with EXCEPTIONALLY helpful members!

dragonshark

nothing to worry about we all get MTS and its ok lol welcome to FL

kthomas

Thanks for welcoming me!

kthomas

Do you like trivia? Here's an interesting one: Discus are interesting fish: when their fry hatches, they produce a component in their skin to feed the fry and the fry literally feeds off the fish!!!

kthomas

I am going to update my tank's info when I get home!