Author Topic: 10 days in, are my test readings to be expected for this length of time (Read 27355 times) 75 replies

Sue · « **Reply #20 on:** June 11, 2018, 11:47:03 AM »

I have been keeping fish for just over 20 years. I started with plastic plants then moved on to silk ones. Every live plant I tried died. Even duck weed died, and that is indestructible. But I kept seeing photos of tanks with live plants on forums and wishing I could do that.

So a few years ago I changed approach. I bought some java fern and attached to a plastic log ornament. It survived

For a long time that's all I had - java fern attached to more and more ornaments. Then I got daring and gradually changed the plastic decor for real wood; and got more plants. My tank now had lots of plants. They are virtually all plants that grow on decor, though I do also have water sprite as a floating plant and hornwort wrapped round wood branches and also left to float.
This type of plant can be added whenever you want. They do not need any fancy substrate because these plants do not have roots in the substrate. They don't need any fancy lighting because they are slow growing. And they are very easy to move around if you don't like the arrangement

Stay with the silk/plastic plants until you are used to the maintenance regime of keeping fish. Then if you want to try live plants, look at java fern already attached to a coconut shell, or some other decor.
I've got most of my plants from Ebay!

Matt · « **Reply #21 on:** June 12, 2018, 07:07:56 AM »

You might find this page helps with choosing potential plants:

www.ScapeEasy.co.uk/plants.htm

pollydoodle · « **Reply #22 on:** June 16, 2018, 04:38:37 PM »

Quote from: Sue on June 10, 2018, 02:41:42 PM

As soon as you have 0.75 ammonia, add a tiny bit less ammonia that you added yesterday so it gives 3 ppm rather than 4 ppm.

Not quite there yet, but how much is a tiny bit less? I added 4.75, so would 4 be the right amount? and would things speed up a bit if I added some real plants - at the moment I feel like I'm all dressed up for a party, but no ones asking me to dance

I guess all newbies are in a hurry to start. $:-\$

Sue · « **Reply #23 on:** June 16, 2018, 06:31:53 PM »

If you don't get live plants, 4 ml should be fine, just check after half an hour (to let the new dose mix in)

If you do want to get live plants, either wait till the cycle is finished, or get them now, but wait till ammonia and nitrite have dropped before planting them. Or do a water change to get the readings low. Too much ammonia or nitrite in the water can harm some plants.
If you want just a couple of live plants it is better to wait till the cycle finishes as you need more than a couple of plants to remove the ammonia made by a tankful of fish.
With several plants wait a week or so after planting to make sure the plants are OK. The last thing you need is having plants die when there are fish in the tank because then there'll be nothing to take up the ammonia made by the fish, and decomposing plants will make additional ammonia.
Once you are satisfied that the plants are thriving, you can get the first of the fish species you want. For shoaling fish, get the whole shoal. Then test for ammonia and nitrite every day. If you get a reading above zero, do a water change. Once the readings have been zero for at least a week, get the next species and so on till you have all your fish.

pollydoodle · « **Reply #24 on:** June 24, 2018, 11:43:16 AM »

Had my first reading of o ammonia and nitrite today

Hopefully by the end of the week I can have fish!!

fcmf · « **Reply #25 on:** June 24, 2018, 12:09:22 PM »

TopCookie · « **Reply #26 on:** June 24, 2018, 12:12:41 PM »

Well done Miss Doodle... Exciting times ahead...

Littlefish · « **Reply #27 on:** June 24, 2018, 12:22:14 PM »

Hooray!

Matt · « **Reply #28 on:** June 24, 2018, 08:26:45 PM »

Congrats

daveyng · « **Reply #29 on:** June 24, 2018, 10:22:06 PM »

Now for the exciting bit. Choosing you first fish.

pollydoodle · « **Reply #30 on:** June 26, 2018, 06:54:14 PM »

Yippee

My second 0 reading of ammonia and nitrite.

What to do now please Sue

TopCookie · « **Reply #31 on:** June 26, 2018, 08:07:03 PM »

Do you already have a plan, fish wise, @pollydoodle ...?

Sue · « **Reply #32 on:** June 26, 2018, 08:11:36 PM »

The next stage is to add 3 ppm ammonia and test in 24 hours. If both ammonia and nitrite are zero, the cycle is finished. Do a big (and I mean big) water change the day before you can get to the fish shop. If that will be more than 3 days, add 1ppm ammonia on the second day after double zeros 24 hours after adding ammonia.
If they are not both zero 24 hours after adding 3 ppm, tell us and we'll say what to do - it just saves me typing out all the possible scenarios at once

pollydoodle · « **Reply #33 on:** June 27, 2018, 07:02:05 PM »

Oh dear, no fish for me tomorrow

my readings tonight. ammonia .5 and nitrite 1

so disappointed

Sue · « **Reply #34 on:** June 27, 2018, 07:09:29 PM »

Oh dear

The silver lining to the cloud is that you haven't put fish in a not-quite-cycled tank.

OK, so now -

#1 Test every 24 hours. As soon as you have ammonia less than 0.25 and nitrite less than 1, add another 3 ppm ammonia.
#2 Test again after 24 hours.

If that test shows 2 zeros, good. If they are not zero, repeat #1 and #2 until you get 2 zeros.

pollydoodle · « **Reply #35 on:** June 27, 2018, 07:26:40 PM »

Sue, what would I do without you and 'ThinkFish'

Thank you so much

pollydoodle · « **Reply #36 on:** June 27, 2018, 07:31:29 PM »

I was going to top up my empty water butts with the change!!

Sue · « **Reply #37 on:** June 27, 2018, 07:33:26 PM »

My water change water has been going straight onto the garden this last week. It saves using the hose pipe

Helen · « **Reply #38 on:** June 27, 2018, 08:08:21 PM »

Mine too. I'm hoping my roses enjoyed the 55l water change yesterday. Not that there's any nutrients left in my tank water.

Littlefish · « **Reply #39 on:** June 27, 2018, 08:55:05 PM »

I don't have an outside tap, but I do have a hose that fits onto my external filters, so the tanks have been having more frequent water changes during the warm weather so I can water the garden.

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10 Days In, Are My Test Readings To Be Expected For This Length Of Time

10 Days In, Are My Test Readings To Be Expected For This Length Of Time

Author Topic: 10 days in, are my test readings to be expected for this length of time (Read 27355 times) 75 replies

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