Introducing myself, starting a planted tank

[WestHaven]

Hello. I did a water test tonight.

Ammoia - 0 ppm
Nitrite - 0 - 5 pp
Nitrate - 10-20 ppm
What are your thoughts? I would like to add a few fish this week.

[WestHaven]

I did another water test tonight. I think the cycle is almost complete.
Ammonia - 0 ppm
Nitrite - 0.5 ppm
Nitrate - 5 ppm

If this trend continues, could I add a few fish this weekend? Thanks

[if_fishes_were_wishes]

I would! I think you're good to go. Then again, I'm not the patient type, but I haven't lost any of the 1st fish I've ever added in my many years (25+) of fish-keeping (and still have the original 4 platies I started with 7 mos ago - added with no testing, just after 2 wks of cycling). Get something hardy that you won't mind having stick around a bit - platies, mollies, barbs, some tetras (black skirts, red minors, bleeding hearts - not neons or cardinals) etc and go slow - just 2-4 at a time. Acclimate slowly - float for 10 or so minutes, then add your tank water little by little to the bag. Feed sparingly too, it's very easy to kill with kindness!

Add more plants too if you can!

[WestHaven]

Originally Posted by if_fishes_were_wishes

I would! I think you're good to go. Then again, I'm not the patient type, but I haven't lost any of the 1st fish I've ever added in my many years (25+) of fish-keeping (and still have the original 4 platies I started with 7 mos ago - added with no testing, just after 2 wks of cycling). Get something hardy that you won't mind having stick around a bit - platies, mollies, barbs, some tetras (black skirts, red minors, bleeding hearts - not neons or cardinals) etc and go slow - just 2-4 at a time. Acclimate slowly - float for 10 or so minutes, then add your tank water little by little to the bag. Feed sparingly too, it's very easy to kill with kindness!

Add more plants too if you can!

Why do you say no cardinal tetras? They are great looking fish.
If I add any fish this weekend, I think they will be cory cats, and a few snails.

I think adding the ceramic bio-balls in my filter helped a lot because they have a ton of surface area for the bacteria.

[RavenSkyfire]

I don't think they were saying no in general to the Cardinals, just to not use them for the first inhabitants of the tank until your cycle is complete and the tank is stable.

Manda in Auburn, WA

[if_fishes_were_wishes]

Originally Posted by WestHaven

Why do you say no cardinal tetras? They are great looking fish.
If I add any fish this weekend, I think they will be cory cats, and a few snails.

I think adding the ceramic bio-balls in my filter helped a lot because they have a ton of surface area for the bacteria.

Oh, cardinals are awesome. I love them to pieces - they're just not the hardiest fish around.

I also wouldn't add cories yet...they're not the hardiest either.

[WestHaven]

Ok thank you both. I'll try to add a few hardy fishes this weekend.

[WestHaven]

Did another water test tonight. It looks like the cycle is complete or nearly complete.
pH - 7.6 (where it's always been)
Ammonia - 0
Nitrite - 0 or slightly above 0
Nitrate - 0

If the nitrate is 0 does that mean that the plants are eating it?

[WestHaven]

I did another water test today. The tank is ready for fish!
Ammonia - 0
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - 0-5 ppm

[WestHaven]

Fish are in the tank! I got 5 tetras and 3 cory cats, don't know what kind they are but they seem to be doing well. I floated the bag for 15 minutes, then drip acclimated them in a bucket for a half hour. Right now they are just slowly cruising around the tank together. They look great when you turn the lights on, but I will leave the lights off today so they won't be stressed.

I noticed that my fish store also had some cherry shrimp in today, I think I'll get some next time I'm there in a week or two. I also bought a back of the tank cover in dark blue.

[if_fishes_were_wishes]

congrats! can't wait to see pics of them

[WestHaven]

Originally Posted by if_fishes_were_wishes

congrats! can't wait to see pics of them

Thank you. I'll take some pics tomorrow. I added to my last post that I got 3 cory cats also, but forgot to say it. The fish are healthy and happy exploring their new home. I love how they school together. I gave them a pinch of flake food and they went nuts ripping it apart.

Update: The fish are still doing well a few hours later. The tetras are all schooling together. With the corys, they school most of the time, but two of them seem to be best friends while the third one is more of a loner. They are having fun digging in the gravel and eating algae. I also added a dark blue background to the tank.

[WestHaven]

The fish survived their first night in the tank! They all seem to be doing well. The cory cats are very active, swimming non-stop all around the tank. The tetras like to hang out in the mid level of the tank swimming slowly.

[if_fishes_were_wishes]

Did you get sinking pellets for the cories? They'll love that. I have noticed that they love to school and/or pair up. Probably my favorite fish after congo tetras. I just never have luck with them - they can be very sensitive

Glad to hear your fish are happy!

[WestHaven]

Originally Posted by if_fishes_were_wishes

Did you get sinking pellets for the cories? They'll love that. I have noticed that they love to school and/or pair up. Probably my favorite fish after congo tetras. I just never have luck with them - they can be very sensitive

Glad to hear your fish are happy!

Yes I do have some sinking algae wafers for the corys. I gave one to them yesterday but they were semi-interested. They are Wardley brand wafers. They took a few bites of it but then moved on to foraging on algae on the rocks. One of the mystery snails (I have 2 of them, hitchhikers, about the size of a dime) liked eating it.