[SeahawkDDS]

Hi guys.

I believe my tank is cycled.

I am dosing with ammonia and my tank is getting it to <.5ppm ammonia/nitrites within 48 hours. My plants seem to be growing well. I have a slight hair algae problem but I think it will be fixed now that I have fixed my noob mistake of running my light 15 hours a day. I also have nuked it with Excel.

I'm no longer worried about the pH swings of my water due to CO2 (per advice on here and reddit) so my tank swings between probably 7.4 and 6.4. KH of my water is 2. Running my DIY CO2 at 2-3 BPS, starting ~30 min before/after lights turned on. Running my lights ~5 hours a day.

I am dosing with liquid macros (seachem) NPK per bottle recommendations. And have flourish root tabs for micros.

I still have to do my research about what fish I want and how to take care of them, etc... But what else do I need to check with my water/aquarium before I put fish/inverts in it? Anything jump out as wrong?

 

[theatermusic87]

Your not quite cycled yet. Should be able to take 1-2ppm ammonia to 0 in 24 hours. Also what about nitrite to nitrate? If you're not testing those you should be since they usually lag behind the ammonia bacteria

 

[Nordic]

Range of medicine to deal with diseases and quarantine. Salt, methylene blue, anti parasite food, de-wormer for quarantine like levamisol (just combine with fish in google search), kordon itch attack, you don't need methylene if you get this as it is about half of the constituents...

 

[Diana]

When you buy fish they will not be acclimated to CO2 (except for a very few stores).
If you will be using a quarantine tank, that is good, you can set up a DIY CO2 to start getting them used to it.

 

[Maryland Guppy]

IMO regarding the big 3 tests.

NH3 should be .25 or less in 24 hours. 0ppm if WC with Prime or other has not happened for several days. Prime tends to read a little false positive on NH3.

NO2 should not register anything, 0ppm

NO3 WC based on your desired total for plants.
Many target 20 or so ppm for planted aquaria.

 

[SeahawkDDS]

Your not quite cycled yet. Should be able to take 1-2ppm ammonia to 0 in 24 hours. Also what about nitrite to nitrate? If you're not testing those you should be since they usually lag behind the ammonia bacteria

I have been testing those. I wont be getting fish for a while so it will have more time to cycle.

Range of medicine to deal with diseases and quarantine. Salt, methylene blue, anti parasite food, de-wormer for quarantine like levamisol (just combine with fish in google search), kordon itch attack, you don't need methylene if you get this as it is about half of the constituents...

Whoa, that's a lot of stuff. I was not planning on doing any quarantining or medicating. I will have to look into this stuff.

When you buy fish they will not be acclimated to CO2 (except for a very few stores).
If you will be using a quarantine tank, that is good, you can set up a DIY CO2 to start getting them used to it.

I don't have a quarantine tank but I will look into it

IMO regarding the big 3 tests.

NH3 should be .25 or less in 24 hours. 0ppm if WC with Prime or other has not happened for several days. Prime tends to read a little false positive on NH3.

NO2 should not register anything, 0ppm

NO3 WC based on your desired total for plants.
Many target 20 or so ppm for planted aquaria.

Ok I will keep this in mind.

 

[Nordic]

They are relatively cheap items.

 

[sohankpatel]

When you buy fish they will not be acclimated to CO2 (except for a very few stores).
If you will be using a quarantine tank, that is good, you can set up a DIY CO2 to start getting them used to it.

I generally just drip acclimate them to the co2-rich water. My fish breath a bit heavily when I first add them, but after a few days they breathe normally, I personally don't think that diy co2 in a QT tank is necessary.