Changing Our Tank?

We haven't had our current tank very long but have decided that before the end of the year we would like a bigger tank.

We're looking at the fluval flex 123L with live plants, small gravel stones and driftwood type branches.

I'm looking to do a fishless cycle since my original fish in cycle hasn't been great.

I think I'm looking for advice on freshwater plants, branches and what I should be expecting with a fishless cycle.

We already have the spare filter parts, a spare heater, a gravel vacuum, buckets, net various solutions and test kits (will likely upgrade our current test strips to a proper kit when we buy the next tank) and 1 live plant (in the current tank).

Current tank houses 4 amano shrimp, 4 platy and 4 danio at about 20C we'd be looking to increase each group and add another species or 2.

 

I think a school of cory cats and maybe a dwarf gourami would be a good addition to the new tank. For plants java fern, java moss, moss balls, and cryptocorynes are usually good beginner plants. I personally like spiderwood for driftwood.

 

If you can tell me what kind of problems you are having with cycling the tank you have right now I might be able to help you.

The good thing about getting this cycle done is it can be moved over to a bigger tank and you wouldn't have to go through the long drawn out process again.

 

A mix of bad advice after bad advice before getting what I hope is good advice.

Tank is cycling but kept getting large ammonia and nitrate spikes so were doing 25% water changes every few days and adding 2 solutions. I'm hoping I've got that sorted now.

But the stock level we wanted and were assured by the shop would be slightly under stocking the tank we've got is actually fairly overstocking it so we haven't actually purchased all the fish we wanted either. So I thought a larger tank at the stock level we planned for the smaller tank would work.

 

I just read your original thread. I am sorry that the folks at the store didn't give you very good advice and caused you to get off to a rocky start.

I have to be off the forum for a little while to cook our dinner but will be back in an hour or so and will do my best to help you get this cycle done.

In the mean time if you could tell me what products you are adding, how many fish in what size tank and how long it has had fish in it I will have a better idea as to where you are right now.

 

I just read your original thread. I am sorry that the folks at the store didn't give you very good advice and caused you to get off to a rocky start.

I have to be off the forum for a little while to cook our dinner but will be back in an hour or so and will do my best to help you get this cycle done.

In the mean time if you could tell me what products you are adding, how many fish in what size tank and how long it has had fish in it I will have a better idea as to where you are right now.

Aww thank you

Had the tank about 5 weeks, 57L/15G

1 week with no fish. Followed the fluval tap water conditioner, bio enhancer and bio cleaner solutions instructions. Pet shop treated the water and confirmed tank at safe levels for nitrite, nitrates, pH and ammonia.

1 week with 4 platy. Again followed pet shop advice of 2 small feeds a day. Did our own test and water still fine. Pet shop tested and still ok. 25% water change per week. Changing/ rinsing the filter media as required. Tank temp is a constant 20C

Now there are 4 platy, 4 danio and 4 shrimp. Constant spiking so now on 1 small feed a day for the fish and 2x a week for the shrimp plus the addition of the live plant in an attempt to help. Testing again in a few days to see if this has had a positive affect.

If this one cycles properly I'd like to use it to start the new tank.

 

I read in the other thread that you are using test strips. They are great for taking a quick glance at what is happening with the water but if at all possible I do highly recommend you get an API Master Freshwater Test Kit. With it you can know exactly what is going on it your tank.

I also can't speak highly enough about Seachem Prime. It is first and foremost a water conditioner but has the added benefit of neutralizing low amounts of ammonia so protects your fish from its damaging affects.

When doing a fish in cycle you need to keep the ammonia as low as possible with water changes. With that many fish in there if it were me I would be doing 50% water changes at least every 3rd day.

The last time I did a fish in cycle I was doing 30% water changes every other day and every day once the nitrites spiked. It took 6 weeks from dry tank to fully cycled. I never registered an ammonia reading but I know it was there because the tank did in fact cycle.

Since you are still getting ammonia spikes I have to think the bottled bacteria you used failed but without knowing the exact numbers for your ammonia, nitrite and nitrates it is difficult for me to know where you are in your cycle. Can you give me a close estimation from the reading you are getting on your test strips?

You can get by without a test kit but it will be hard to know when the cycle is finished without one. For now though the most important thing to do is water changes. Since the bacteria doesn't live in the water you can change as much and as often as needed to keep the ammonia as low as possible.

You mentioned changing and cleaning your filter media as needed. I know the cartridge makers recommend changing them out each month but you really don't want to do that.

Most of the bacteria lives on that filter media so you don't want to be replacing them until absolutely necessary. You can clean them off in some of the waste water when doing a water change. Only replace them when they are literally falling apart or water will no longer flow through them freely. When that happens cut the fiber off the plastic frame. Toss the frame and put that piece of fiber in with the new cartridge. This way you aren't throwing away the bacteria that is keeping your tank cycled.

 

NO3 as high as 80. Live plant bought to help with this.
NO2 as high as 5
pH always seems to be around 6.5 - 7
Ammonia went as high as 3. Hasn't been that high since as I'm doing more water changes and feeding less often.

Shop did say that that level of fish would be fine to have straight away and said I could easily fit the other 6-8 Fish I wanted in there too. Thankfully I only wanted to add a few at a time or I'd be very over stocked.

I need to do another test tomorrow so will be able to give more accurate results then

 

Thank you. Those numbers help a lot.

The number of fish you have in there is a bit more than some folks recommend for a fish in cycle but I am not one of them. I think you are fine with the number you have in there right now. I actually cycled my last one with it fully stocked. I have been at this for a very long time though and already knew what to do should things get out of whack. I am surprised that you haven't lost your shrimp. I've never had them but lots of folks say they can't handle the cycling process.

Your PH is a bit of a concern. When your PH drops 6.5 the cycling process slows to a crawl and when it gets down lower it is my understanding it stops. The low PH turns the ammonia to ammonium and is not good food for the bacteria.

Does your source water have a higher PH? If it does water changes will get it higher in your tank and will get this cycle moving in the right direction.

If it is this low from the tap you may want to get some crushed coral. It slowly dissolves and raises the hardness of your water and in turn raises and stabilizes the PH in your tank. I have very soft water so keep both crushed coral and seashells in my tanks to stabilize my PH at a steady 7.2

Right now the very best thing you can do to get this cycle finished is water changes and lots of them. You need to get and keep that ammonia as low as possible. The water changes will also lower both nitrites and nitrates. It is good that you bought the plant but it actually takes lots of plants to make a dent in the nitrate level.

Water changes will not slow down the cycling process any appreciable amount. Keeping your fish safe and healthy is the most important part of fish in cycling. The cycle will happen. When you can get a steady reading of 0 ammonia, 0 nitrites and more than 5 nitrates this tank will be cycled.