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First time keeping aquariums - 2 tanks, few questions

819 views 12 replies 7 participants last post by  Bernard E. Robinson Jr. 
#1 ·
Greetings Fish Fans!

The name is Bernard but everyone calls me 'B'. I've never had an aquarium before but I've always wanted one. Well, by a lucky stroke, I was gifted 2 tanks in a single weekend. One 36 bowfront and a 56 bowfront. Baptism by fire. Let's do this!

I set the 36 up first. Before I found you wonderfully informative and spirited lot. Used 3 hunks of mopani from Petco so the tannins and bacterial bloom (feeding 2 happy snails) followed as I've seen is fairly typical. We (wife and I) wanted to keep it naturalistic; almost a biotope. Not sure if we succeeded but rookies do what rookies do. Finnex 24/7 that cuts off at 11PM until 7AM, random HOB stuffed with biomedia and sponges. I put a purigen in there having read about it on this forum to combat the tannins. I've got a powerhead, 02 pump, and fingers crossed. Photo attached if you're into that sort of thing. Pardon the prefilter, it's ugly but the tannins are worse, imo.

56 was last weekend. 2 weeks since setting up the first. Fluval 406, Finnex 24/7 with the same schedule, and my C02 tank is filled while amazon sends me the rest of the parts today. I'm pumped. Pun intended. We planted a bunch of this and that. I'll have to comprise a list from receipts if it's important. EcoComplete for substrate. Photo is also attached if you care to take a look. I like this tank and the wife and I took a long time arranging these rocks. Not quite an iwagumi not quite naturalistic but I like the flow of the tank.

So, I was hoping if you could see any 'noob' errors thus far you'd let me know. My facebook friends are great but the knowledge saturation here far exceeds my social media.

And a question if I may:

Coming from the bonsai world, I like to think that I'm a patient enough man if my expectations are reasonable. I'm doing a fishless
cycle. After about a week, both tanks are processing ammonia over night. I dose the tank with ammonia at night up to 3-4 ppm and the next day my nitrites are through the roof... and have been for some time now. I've not seen any nitrates thus far. Using stability to add beneficial bacteria and seeded my second with sponge from the first.

So then, are the bacteria that process nitrites more sluggish than the nitrifying bacteria? If I just need to wait it out, no problem. Just curious the time table. I've heard these things cycling in days!

One more, my tap water is coming out of my faucet at about 81! Not bad now but in the future I fear it'll shock my fish. I can't haul buckets with my bum neck so I'm kind of stuck using a python. Love it, btw.

So yeah. Howdy. I've been lurking so many posts so thank you for sharing what you already have.

Cheers,

B
 

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#2 ·
Both tanks are looking great! You're off to a very good start, much better than I did at the beginning for sure.

One of the things, like you said, that is critical in the early cycling is patience. IME, the nitrates do take a while longer to form than when the ammonia starts being converted to nitrites. I have consistently seen about 3.5-4 weeks before nitrates really form and take off while cycling without fish. That being said, it'll all vary a bit depending on the water you use, the amount of ammonia being added/absorbed by plants in the tank, and the independent aspects of your own tank(s).

I have seen some success accelerating the process by adding tetra safe start +, but I've seen mixed opinions of the product, so it's really up to you if you want to try adding it. Some others may chime in and give their $.02

Your water temperature dilemma is a whole other issue, but similar to what I had before I had central air conditioning... What I did was pretty easy, and you may be able to replicate. I modified a 5 gallon bucket and added a spigot (plastic) at the bottom. I could place the bucket on top of my tank, and I placed a frozen water bottle in it. I then ran the hose into the bucket to fill it, allowing the water to cool to around 76-77 degrees before opening the spigot. It is slightly trickier than simply filling with the python, but a lot less stress on the neck/back.
 
#3 ·
Hey there B_T_S, and thank you for the reply. That solution sounds like a decent one. Now I'm wondering if I can adapt that idea using some plumbing from Lowe's and rig a temperature chamber that I can toss some ice into. Hmmm, DIY is fun. Should not be an issue in the fall, it's only bad during summer. I guess if I did multiple smaller PWCs it wouldn't affect the overall temp.

As to the timing, thank you. I'll just wait and enjoy plants for now. Well plants and these random hitch-hiking snails!

Cheers,

B
 
#4 ·
B,

Welcome. I've only just joined myself, but have kept fish for ages. I love your enthusiasm, and obvious desire to do things right.

Your tanks look better than lot of tanks of people who've been keeping fish for ages.

One thing to think about with your hot water issues is to possibly try other sinks. If you have any other within python distance, give them a try. Water can come out at very different temps based on where the pipes were plumbed (in finished, air-conditioned spaces, or behind walls in non-conditioned spaces, etc). There is also a 50 foot python (guessing you got the 25), worth considering. I like the ice bottle idea that B_T_S had, but man, that sounds like a PITA. I imagine that if you needed to dump 25 gallons in your bigger tank for 1 water change, you might need half a dozen frozen whatevers, to help cool it down. Freezer ice packs might be good here, if you can't find another method.


Lastly, embrace the snails! Lots of people hate em, and do everything they can to eliminate the "snail threat". I've always loved and collected them. My last tank had over 10 species of snails in it, all living harmoniously with my fish and plants and inverts.


Again, Welcome, B.
 
#9 ·
Welcome "B"
Looks like you are off to a great start so far.
Patience is key!

Warm tap water, frozen water bottles is a great suggestion.
1 gallon freezer bag with ice cubes works too.

NO2 was one of your questions.
Nitrite consuming bacteria is slower to start than NH3 consuming bacteria.
Personally I have had no luck with bacteria in a bottle.
I am patient and let it roll.
2-3 weeks NO3 will start to show.

We feed our fish and shrimp, don't forget to feed your plants!
Eventually the water column becomes depleted of usable nutrients.
 
#10 ·
Hey there M. Guppy!

Thank you for the reminder that the cycle will take some more time. I'm cautiously optimistic that a couple more weeks will reward our patience. On fertilizing the water column, I've been dosing with Flourish once a week but recently read up on the EI dosing system. I don't know if that's right for the smaller of the two but hey, time is on my side and fertilizers aren't expensive.

I'll be seeing you around!

Cheers.
 
#11 ·
I have trouble with the temp of the water coming out of my sink also. It turns out thought that the issue isn't the temp of the water at the house. It's a single handle faucet that lets a little hot water through no matter how it's adjusted. I usually get my water from an outside tap now. I could also just turn the hot water off under the sink when I'm filling.
 
#12 ·
I dunno if it's an option, but my tank is within 20 feet of my hose. The aquarium room butts up to the garage, which has a hose directly beside it. The water coming out of there is much, much cooler than inside the house. Don't know if that's an option for you, but I'm using it exclusively to fill the tank. It is a dream come true, to be honest.

I don't use the python, personally. Too much wasted water for mine and my wife's tastes. But I have a bum back, so we'll see how long I can keep it up. I've also got plans on running plumbing directly into the wall behind the tank. I haven't dreamed up a way to drain the tank easily via this method, but the refilling will be simple. One potential idea is to link it into my basement sump pump. Run a line from the aquarium straight into the drain for that pump, and out of the house it goes.

We'll see.

Keep us posted, B. More pics!
 
#13 · (Edited)
It happened!

Got home today after work and did my daily testing.

I did a PWC yesterday; still fighting the tannin issues from Mopani wood.

Lo and behold the nitrite was at 0 for the first time.

PH - 7.4
NH3 - 0
N02 - 0
N03 - 35 ppm

I thought the NO3 would be higher. Perhaps plants and the PWC helped lower the levels.

My studies told me not to get too excited, rather I dosed the tank with NH3 up to 3ppm. Hoping tomorrow is a good day.

The larger tank is already showing nitrates but the nitrites are still dangerously high. Perhaps the media from Tank 1 helped speed it along, maybe it's the Stability.


Cheers!:grin2:
 
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