A New Bigger Tank

After a couple more water changes here are my latest test results:

Ammonia: Less than 0.25ppm but not quite zero. Might be 0.1ppm or less.

Nitrite: .5ppm-1.0pmm. Closer to .5ppm

Nitrate less than 5ppm

pH: still 7.4


I called every single store within a 45 minute drive to see if they have Dr. Tim's Live Nitrtifying bacteria and only found it at the one I thought I would which is about an hour away. Once my GF is off of work we will go and purchase that. I guess as a plus I can see if they have any amazonian frogbit or dwarf baby tears.

From what you describe, you didn't do anything wrong unless you forgot to add dechlorinator.

I wonder if a large proportion of the 'old' bacteria were on the substrate and glass which were left behind. The good news is that you will have transferred quite a lot of bacteria, it's just a case of them multiplying to cover the losses. The longest part of cycling is getting the bacteria started, so it shouldn't take anything like as long as a full cycle to get back up to strength. The Dr Tims will help a lot too.

Ahh yeah, I added dechlorinator every single time the water went into the tank, and I always try to do it before I put it into the tank.

But yeah...I mean I did have gravel so I don't know if bacteria normally grows more on the substrate in gravel tanks or not?

I just got back form the store and immediately added the Dr. Tim's live bacteria. It said 10ML/10G and so most of the bottle went in. It said it was impossible to overdose, and also recommended to be used for water changes so I figured that meant it was safe for fish.

While I was at the store I also got a GH/KH kit, copper kit and phosphate kit along with some Iron supplement for my plants. I checked out CO2 but I just don't think it will be necessary for me, at least right now.

I'll report back tomorrow what my new test results are, and with the Dr. Tim's saying for a new aquarium fish can be added right away-48 hours I expect to see results fast.

Good news on the ammonia and nitrite readings. Dr Tims is the one most likely to work provided it hasn't been kept to hot or too cold between manufacture and your tank..

Nitrate is the most difficult one to make really accurate tests for, so I wouldn't worry too much as long as ammonia and nitrite are low. With liquid testers, one bottle has be shaken even more than the instructions say, but even so the reading is only ball park.

Well today's test results were ammonia at zero, nitrite at .25, and with that I feel rather safe about the tank now. However....there seems to be another mystery.

@Sue any idea if this is pregnancy or constipation?
This Zebra Danio is significantly larger in the belly than the others.

Good to hear that your water test results are looking better.

If it's any help both of my zebra danios and 2 of my leopard danios look like that.
I was wondered if they were constipated and a few weeks ago I fed chopped peas and then put them on a couple of fasting days. They looked more normal, but still quite round after that, but as soon as they fed again they looked big again.

Intersting...I just went to bought peas because my fish need more fiber in their diet anyway. I just found it odd that Zebra is the only one with such a large belly. But if yours are also like that I have hope

It would be worth getting the advice of a more experienced keeper, but I'm begining to think that they are just "big girls". 

Indeed, more experience is usually better in all cases lol 

I just blanched and de-shelled the peas, squished them up and dropped them in and all the fish went crazy for them. I also put a thing of lettuce and a small cucumber slice in for the Pleco and Oto's and the fish to munch on if they want.

Females of many species can look a bit, shall we say rotund when carrying eggs. Zebra danios spawn easily. There are reports of them spawning in the bag on the way home from the shop. A fish that spawns this easily is likely to have females carrying eggs. She'll either lay them (whether fertilised afterwards or not) or she'll reabsorb them. Spawning the fish is the easy bit, the eggs and/or fry will get eaten very quickly.

Thanks @fcmf @Sue and @Littlefish

We will see what happens I suppose should be within a week or two if I remmber when she started to get bigger correctly.

Also some minor news...got the Dwarf Baby Tears in today, going to plant them and I hope they carpet well.

Latest update, after having success with my test results we got some new friends today bringing my stock for this tank to...

1 Bristlenose Pleco
3 Oto's
4 Giant Danios
7 Zebra Danios
7 + babies of Malaysian Trumpet Snails
and 15 Red Cherry Shrimp, which sadly might've been eaten by the Giant Danio's already....they were ballsy shrimp climbing the sides of the tank rather than staying on the ground. And also as promised here is a full tank shot as it stands now.



Sadly I think I yet again rushed too quickly into this and now it is too late. Not in terms of the fish but in terms of plants. I am purchasing a CO2 system that I am going to slowly use to bring my CO2 up to about 25ppm which means it'll be dropping my pH to about 6.5. That process will take about 4-6 weeks and I am hoping that the increase in CO2 will make my plants thrive, and that I'll be able to increase it slowly enough and to the right amount to where I don't harm my fish. In addition to the CO2 I'll be using tablet based fertilizers where needed along with water based. I am excited to see if I can make these plants thrive and get on a good start to a healthy aquarium.

Lovely, and great about the new additions.