Author Topic: Andy M fishless cycle (Read 71041 times) 241 replies

Andy M · « **Reply #220 on:** June 17, 2013, 07:23:22 PM »

Day 30

24 hour test

Ammonia zero

Nitrite zero

Dosed 3ml ammonia to get 3 ppm

Resa · « **Reply #221 on:** June 17, 2013, 07:42:48 PM »

How exciting! Fishies this week, do you reckon?

Andy M · « **Reply #222 on:** June 17, 2013, 08:02:50 PM »

Hopefully a few endlers tomorrow resa, and also possibly some harlequins

Andy M · « **Reply #223 on:** June 18, 2013, 08:10:07 AM »

Day 31

12 hour test

Ammonia zero

Nitrite 0.5 ppm, not quite there

Sue · « **Reply #224 on:** June 18, 2013, 08:15:01 AM »

Almost but not quite. With those 12 hour readings you should be OK for fish. Leave the cories a while though as some species prefer a more mature tank.

The hengels rasboras you saw are related to harlequins. Care is the same. The main differences are the shape of the black patch and they are a bit smaller than harlies. Trigonostigma hengeli grow to 25 - 30mm and Trigonostigma heteromorpha grow to 35 - 45mm. Use slender rasbora (T. espei) in the community creator. They are a third species the same size as hengels rasboras.

Andy M · « **Reply #225 on:** June 18, 2013, 08:32:15 AM »

I am just a bit wary, I don't want to harm any fish even though like you say, I should be ok. I have only got tomorrow left off work so if I don't get any by then, it will be next tuesday

Andy M · « **Reply #226 on:** June 18, 2013, 07:53:22 PM »

Day 31

24 hour test

Ammonia zero

Nitrite zero

Added another 3 ml to get 3 ppm

Was told this was an ideal starter fish, any thoughts?

http://www.seriouslyfish.com/species/pristella-maxillaris/

Sue · « **Reply #227 on:** June 19, 2013, 08:19:06 AM »

When people talk about fish being good starter fish, they usually mean it is a fish that can survive a fish-in cycle. With that kind of cycle, some fish are more likely to survive than others, though they will most likely live a shorter than maximum life span and be more likely to get diseases after the cycle. For fishless cycling, fish just fall into 2 categories - those that need a mature tank and those that don't. With fish-in, there are three: those that will most likely survive, those that may lose a few of them, and those that will die within hours.

Those Pristellas are considered hardy fish, ie will survive a fish-in cycle, so they are not on the need a mature tank list.

I just tend to forget about them as I'm not a fan of grey fish with coloured fins

Look a the fish in my tanks - bright orange-red ember tetras, bright blue and red green neons ('green' is not accurate), multicoloured male endlers, yellow honey gouramis, cockatoo apistos (OK the male is grey with bright orange fins but the female is bright yellow). That gives you some idea of my tastes in fish

Well, I do also have black and white dwarf chain loaches, and grey black and white pygmy cories but you can't have all the fish brightly coloured.

Andy M · « **Reply #228 on:** June 19, 2013, 08:48:22 AM »

Day 32

12 hour test (13 actually)

Ammonia zero

Nitrite 0.25

Andy M · « **Reply #229 on:** June 19, 2013, 09:10:35 AM »

Quote from: Andy M on June 19, 2013, 09:09:20 AM

Quote from: Sue on June 19, 2013, 08:19:06 AM
When people talk about fish being good starter fish, they usually mean it is a fish that can survive a fish-in cycle. With that kind of cycle, some fish are more likely to survive than others, though they will most likely live a shorter than maximum life span and be more likely to get diseases after the cycle. For fishless cycling, fish just fall into 2 categories - those that need a mature tank and those that don't. With fish-in, there are three: those that will most likely survive, those that may lose a few of them, and those that will die within hours.

.

That's what I thought even though I made it clear that I had almost completed my fishless cycle, yet he recommended platys which goes against all I have been told

Sue · « **Reply #230 on:** June 19, 2013, 09:49:43 AM »

Ah well, if it was a fish shop that said that, they don't usually believe in or understand fishless cycling. He has probably been taught that first fish should be hardy ones. Full stop. He's probably never been told that such things as fishless cycles exist, he just has his check list which says "if the customer is getting his first fish, recommend fsh from this list".
The vast majority of customers go into a shop, say to the workers I have a new tank, I want some fish, what do you recommend. They don't often get customers who have done a fishless cycle, or have read up on fish and know what kinds are on their shortlist. I've overheard some interesting converstions in shops over the years. Like the couple who were pointing at tanks saying
'can we have some of those'
'no not with the fish you already have'
'What about those'
'no they'll get eaten too'
'OK, what fish can we have then'
'These will go with the fish you already have, and these and these, which of them do you prefer'.

That is the kind of customer shops usually have to cope with.

Or the couple who said to the worker - 'we got some fish from here a couple of months ago and they were this big. Now they're this big - why have they got bigger, you never said they would'
[Have I mentioned that the fish in shops are juveniles and that's why you should always check what size they'll grow to - that's why the community creator is useful]

Oh, and after all that waffle, platies are actually 'hardy' fish in the fish-in cycling sense. They like hard alkaline water. But they do grow quite big which will reduce the numbers of other fish you could keep with them.

Andy M · « **Reply #231 on:** June 19, 2013, 10:13:22 AM »

I am in two minds as to whether to do a water change and go get a few endlers and half a dozen harlequins or to wait till next Tuesday when I am next off work and able to go get some

Andy M · « **Reply #232 on:** June 19, 2013, 01:39:29 PM »

Done the massive water change, nitrates still at least 40ppm (shouldn't be any more really given a full water change) Temp around 25 deg, off fish hunting

ColinB · « **Reply #233 on:** June 19, 2013, 01:53:44 PM »

Woop-woop!!

Remember.... we want piccies.

Andy M · « **Reply #234 on:** June 19, 2013, 03:29:30 PM »

6 harlys and 5 cherry barb purchased. Couldn't get endlers as they are not for sale till Saturday

jesnon · « **Reply #235 on:** June 19, 2013, 04:35:29 PM »

Ooh great stuff - glad you hear you finally have fish! Looking forward to some pictures too :-D

ColinB · « **Reply #236 on:** June 19, 2013, 04:39:38 PM »

Good news indeed - your patience has been rewarded.

Resa · « **Reply #237 on:** June 20, 2013, 09:23:02 AM »

Yippee...fishies at last!

Now I suppose you'll be poo-watching too

Andy M · « **Reply #238 on:** June 20, 2013, 09:41:57 AM »

Quote from: Resa on June 20, 2013, 09:23:02 AM

Yippee...fishies at last! Now I suppose you'll be poo-watching too

Think i'll skip that one

Resa · « **Reply #239 on:** June 20, 2013, 11:33:14 AM »

Steve and I are leading the revolt against the revolting

Welcome aboard!

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Andy M Fishless Cycle

Andy M Fishless Cycle

Author Topic: Andy M fishless cycle (Read 71041 times) 241 replies

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