Funkytown Posted January 23, 2005 Report Share Posted January 23, 2005 Hey all, So the tank has been running for a couple of weeks now with no losses (knock on wood), and I was getting ready to add "batch of fish #3", and thought I'd try out all my testing kits before I did a water change and went to the lfs. I'd been keeping an eye on ammonia, but I ignored nitrite because I tend to hear more about ammonia than nitrites. :roll: Anyway, when I decided to christen my nitrite testing kit, it rewarded me with a vibrant crimsony-maroony-purply colour, very pretty, until I checked it on the card. Off the charts. So I did a 25% water change using the gravel cleaner syphon, rinsed out the filter (for the first time), and tested again; a very slightly lighter shade of the same colour. I added a couple big squirts of Stress-Zyme, and decided against going to the lfs. Bristlenose will have to wait. Is this a normal part of cycling? Ammonia has never really cropped up too much at all, and I thought I was going slow, (waiting a week, adding two fish) I thought I was doing well.... It IS just a small tank at only 34 liters (AquaOne 380). I probably am overfeeding still. Is this just how it goes? Am I seeing a normal nitrite spike at about the right time, or do I need to do something different? Thanks, Brian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chimera Posted January 23, 2005 Report Share Posted January 23, 2005 yes this sounds pretty normal. ammonia will spike first, then nitrite then nitrates. you probably missed testing the ammonia spike. continue what you are doing and nitrifying bacteria colonies will build up and slowly consume the nitrites (then your nitrates will go up next ) except... how many fish are you adding? at 34 litres you should be keeping no more than about half a doz average size fish (and im talking from the fishes point of view!)... and even then you should only have one or two in there for a good month or so. any reason for keeping such a small tank? much harder to keep stable than a larger tank. Read these: http://www.bestfish.com/breakin.html http://www.bestfish.com/newtank3.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Funkytown Posted January 24, 2005 Author Report Share Posted January 24, 2005 yes this sounds pretty normal... Thanks for that mate! That second link was quite useful. Looks like I'm right on track! except... how many fish are you adding? at 34 litres you should be keeping no more than about half a doz average size fish (and im talking from the fishes point of view!).. This is a point for discussion. Firstly, I'm keeping a small tank mainly because it was a gift. If I had bought one it'd likely be larger. Still, I'm not complaining. My girlfriend done good, and measured up a good place for it and bought the tank accordingly (fantastic surprise, best gift ever!). I'm sure a bigger tank is on the cards in the future... Hollywood FF reckons I can keep up to 30(!) fish in this size tank, so long as I'm good about water changes, etc. This sounded like a heck of a lot to me (anyone would think that they SELL fish or something ), and my reading had indicated a far smaller number, along the lines of what you suggest. As I've mentioned in other posts, my eyes are notoriously bigger than my tank, and I'd love to have schools of yellowfin tuna if I thought my tank could accomodate, but instead I'm settling (in concept) for around 10-15, modifying numbers to suit as I see how full the tank is looking. I was thinking... -2-3 dwarf gourami -5-6 tetras -3-4 corys -1 bristlenose This is well open to change, as I've only got 3 corys and 1 dwarf gourami at this stage. I welcome other suggestions and ideas. I'm just feeling my way through at this stage, with everyone's help! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brianemone Posted January 24, 2005 Report Share Posted January 24, 2005 thats probaly full now. that might be my marine mindset speaking though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted January 24, 2005 Report Share Posted January 24, 2005 I think if you are very good at weekly water changes you could put another dwarf gourami in there once the nitrites etc have dropped again. I wouldn't add schooling fish like tetras as I feel they need more length to swim in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scalare Posted January 24, 2005 Report Share Posted January 24, 2005 Hi scalare here The best way of calculating how many fish you can have is 0.5 cm of fish per tlr. max 1cm of fish per ltr. example 1 neon tetra grows up to 5cm this is 5 ltr. Befour you put ani (buy) fish in your tank ask what the full size they grow to. And dont believe the farrytale that fish grow to the size of the thank this is only have (1/2) treu they my not grow up to ful size but they can stil grow to big fore your tank. When you have to many or to large fish after a while some fish wil pas away. I work in a pet store with the name animates if I think that a person has to many fish I dont sell them more fish but give theme advise. If you have a new hobby and your fish keep pasing away you loos interest. I hope the person in your pet store thinks the same. sorry fore my spelling scalar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Posted January 24, 2005 Report Share Posted January 24, 2005 IMO a bristlenose will probably grow too big for that size tank and they produce a lot of waste for their size. I would go with two Otocinclus (info here: http://www.otocinclus.com/ ) instead. I am rather conservative with my stocking levels as I would rather have fewer but healthier fish. Cheers, Matt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brianemone Posted January 24, 2005 Report Share Posted January 24, 2005 anyone have some 5cm neons?? that would be impressive Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chimera Posted January 24, 2005 Report Share Posted January 24, 2005 funny i was thinking the same thing... 4cm max, but whose counting Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spooky Posted January 25, 2005 Report Share Posted January 25, 2005 I have seen references saying neons grow to 5cm. I don't believe them. It probably started as 1.5 inches, got rounded up to 2 inches and then converted to metric to get 5 cm. I forsee that soon 5cm will get confused with 5 inches, that will get converted back to cm, and then rounded up to 30 cm. Thirty centimeters will become 50 cm on the assumption it was an average size. Someone will correct the mistake, but mistype the c and before you know it we will have 5 m long neon tetras savaging small children who get too close to the rivers edge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
livebearer_breeder Posted January 25, 2005 Report Share Posted January 25, 2005 i dont think anyone will ever belive that there are 10cm long neons let alone 30cm or 5m. Shae Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chimera Posted January 25, 2005 Report Share Posted January 25, 2005 before you know it we will have 5 m long neon tetras savaging small children who get too close to the rivers edge. :lol: :lol: :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Funkytown Posted January 25, 2005 Author Report Share Posted January 25, 2005 ...before you know it we will have 5 m long neon tetras savaging small children who get too close to the rivers edge. Funny you should say that, because I heard this story from a guy that knew a guy that read something about this boy that... :lol: (good one spooky) :lol: Brian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jude Posted January 25, 2005 Report Share Posted January 25, 2005 I saw it happen once, was a terrible sight. This neon almost killed the kid. Mind you, it fell from an 8 story building!!!!!!!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scalare Posted January 26, 2005 Report Share Posted January 26, 2005 hi scalare here Sorry to put your world up side down whit a 5 cm neon. I am so just to my cardinals that I put there size in insted of the neon one. Cane you guy's forgive me. scalare Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spooky Posted January 26, 2005 Report Share Posted January 26, 2005 I'm sure we can forgive you. It's not as if none of us have ever make that sort of mistake :-?. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HummingBird Posted January 26, 2005 Report Share Posted January 26, 2005 I for one cannot be so forgiving. Burning at the stake is the only option. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scalare Posted January 26, 2005 Report Share Posted January 26, 2005 Its me I hope you have big oven eric fore I am 120 kg and 191 cm tall (nearly 6.4) scalare Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HummingBird Posted January 26, 2005 Report Share Posted January 26, 2005 I'm we could dice you up in to tiny pieces, perhaps even use you as fish food Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carriej Posted January 27, 2005 Report Share Posted January 27, 2005 If it dont fit in the oven, dig a hangi! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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