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First Aquarium, Suggestions/thoughts

17K views 126 replies 13 participants last post by  neo83 
#1 · (Edited)
Hello Everyone

I have finally managed to get myself an aquarium. It's a Fluval Roma 125 which is a 125 litre tank. I have setup the tank with the decor and just started the fishless cycle. Aquarium decor Freshwater aquarium Aquarium Aquarium lighting Aquatic plant
.

Apart from the decor, I have two live plants, one is Java Fern and the other Java Moss. I also put in a Interpet Airvolution AV3 air pump connected to two air stones and is very quiet, thankfully. I have got the ammonia level currently upto 2ppm. I'm thinking of using Tetra SafeStart and use Homebase Household ammonia as its source rather than fish. Fingers crossed as to how it will go :).

Before I put in the ammonia, these are the water readings (tested with API liquid master kit):

NH3: 0
NO2: 0
NO3: 40-80 (troubling me, what should i do?)
pH: 7.6

After i added NH3, the readings are as follows:

NH3: 2ppm
NO2: 0
NO3: 40-80
ph: 7.6

Temperature: 27 Celsius

It's just been a day or two since i added NH3, but will add TSS today and leave it for 5-7 days before i test again. Hopefully, according to what i read 2ppm ammonia will not kill the TSS bacteria. Any suggestions always welcome.

Stocking:

I want to stock gouramis or angel fish, Guppies, Platys, Mollies, Neons (not if i have angel fish) and any algae eaters (red cherry shrimp any good?). I have read a lot about stocking size requirements, considering the adult size of the fish as a requirement and the like. I would appreciate your thoughts on the number of each species i mentioned i can have for my tank (125l - 33 US gallons). Please be considerate as i'm a newbie and i'm not planning to overstock my tank. Please also advice fish stocking on the basis of different areas of the tank

Thanks
 
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#2 ·
Nice set up!

Now if you are new for your stocking I would not suggest any gourami or angelfish. Neon tetras should not be with platys or guppies for they have different pH requirements. Judging on your pH platy, mollies and Guppies are your best bet. Now what I say is more plant's no ammonia...If you replace every one of your fake plants for a real plant and add nutrients then you do not need to wait for a cycle just add in the plants the fertalizer and wait a few days for them to get rooted. Then add a fish or two in. Plants will help with your parameters and under hte right light won't die and cause any spikes. I would suggest lowering the ammonia before adding more plants as they might die from it.

Good luck nice start by the way
 
#3 ·
A comment on the nitrate reading, since you asked. Using the API liquid test kit, the regent #2 bottle has to be shaken for at least 2 minutes before adding the drops to the test tube. The instructions say 30 seconds, but this will frequently result in a faulty reading and one that is higher than the actual level of nitrates. Shaking #2 for 2+ minutes should give a more accurate (and lower) reading.

Second, you should test your tap water on its own for nitrates. Also for ammonia and nitrite just so you know, although zero in the tank probably means the tap water is free of both. But nitrates in a tank with no fish at the beginning is most probably coming from the source water (tap water). Test that following my suggestion above and post the number. Then we can suggest any action if necessary; nothing to worry about, nitrate is tap water is somewhat common and can be dealt with.

Byron.
 
#4 ·
Thanks guys for the replies.

@Byron -- Thanks for the 2+ minute shaking tip. I have tested my tap water for NO3 following your directions and the reading still came back as between 40-80. I might take a sample to LFS and ask them to test it for me.

@pretzelsz -- I'm definitely going to get guppies, mollies and platys. But as far as i was reading, dwarf gourmai would be OK to stay with the above as dwarf's are very docile. As always correct me if i'm wrong please. The reason i wanted to get at least dwarf gourami or an agelfish (which i'm not getting) is i wanted a big enough fish in there. Also could you suggest on any algae eaters? I have read that red cherry shrimp are algae eaters, and my wife loves their colour.

I might not be able to get more plants as i did not add any substrate to the gravel. i only wanted to go with easy plants which i can attach to driftwood, as i'm still a beginner and dont want to worry too much about plant care and also to limit the expense. I read Anubias also grow on driftwood and if thats the case and if they dont need any substrate, then i would probably get them as well, but overall i'll not be having many plants in there.

Btw, i have also added the Tetra SafeStart yesterday and will take a reading in 5 days time.

Suggestions/advice please?

Thanks
 
#5 ·
i wanted a big enough fish in there.
I have platies and they are BIG. They have grown a lot from the size they were when I bought them. If you get them and they grow as mine have, I don't think you'd be disappointed.

Also could you suggest on any algae eaters?
I like apple snails and have them in several tanks. Also, cories are great little fish. They are not exactly algae eaters (as I understand it) but they fossick around in the gravel.

I read Anubias also grow on driftwood
From what I've just been reading, yes, that's right.
 
#7 · (Edited)
I agree with Byron. The plants will grow in the regular gravel. The swords are very easy plants to care for, as well as the wendit plants those are two of my favorites the wendit comes in red, bronze, and green which is nice to add colors to the tank. Also if you want a floating plant which the honey gourami will appreciate Pennywort is very nice and also an easy plant.
 
#8 ·
Sorry about the late reply! I'm kind of having a bad day as my car broke down and left with a £270 bill :(. Anyways back to fish,

@byron - Thank you. I'll have a look at prime and get it. gravel wise thanks for the explanation. As far as i have read, i always thought i needed additional substrate other than gravel to have any substrate plants. But now i'll look into more plants when i can afford them.

@calmwaters - thanks for suggesting additional plant types. I will certainly look into them and add them to the tank.

Some one suggested me to look at rams as well instead of gouramis. I have actually fell in love with GBR now, but my current pH level is 7.6, any chance i can have it or any other varieties?

Thanks
 
#9 ·
If you add a good size piece of driftwood it will help lower your Ph. You would need to do smaller water changes so as not to shock the fish with a big ph change. I would say 20% water changes weekly. I am sorry but what do you mean by GBR I just can't figure it out right now as my mind is a little fuzzy from some pain meds I am on.
 
#10 ·
I already have three pieces of wood (drift or bogwood, dont know, how to identify?) but i'll find some more :). By GBR i meant german blue ram :) and the suggestion i got was, if they were locally bred, they should be able to adjust to the pH level i have
 
#11 ·
Have you looked at the Bolivian Ram? I have had them and they are very similar to the German they are nice fish that have a personality. You can check out there profile in our fish profile section by clicking on there name. I am not sure if the germans would adjust that much or not.
Driftwood and bogwood are the same.
 
#17 ·
I would wait on the GBRs until the tank has been established with fish for at least a few months. Add some more plants (they'll do fine in gravel, though fertilizers will be needed) so they'll have a chance to grow a bit... rams love plants. Finding someone that has bred them locally is a great idea since they won't know anything other than your local water conditions. It's also important to find strong specimens; I've had four die on me from my LFS, which has weak and overbred stock that are nearly impossible to keep alive.

You could easily have a dwarf gourami as well, provided that you only have one (males will bicker with each other). I've keep them in similar or smaller communities containing neons, platies, rams, etc. without problems. I like having one dwarf gourami and several honey gourami, since the larger dwarfs seem to leave the little guys alone. Those are just my experiences though. Good luck with your tank! :)
 
#18 ·
Thanks a lot guys for your suggestions. I would definitely look at adding more plants and i fell in love with the rams, i'm more inclined towards the bolivian rams now since they are hardier than GBRs. Now, the hardest thing is to wait for the cycle to complete :(. Finally I have decided on the following fish.

Bolivian Rams - 3
Guppies - 6
Platies - 6
pygmy cories - 6

and a couple of Mollies may be.

What do you think?

Thanks
 
#19 ·
Thanks a lot guys for your suggestions. I would definitely look at adding more plants and i fell in love with the rams, i'm more inclined towards the bolivian rams now since they are hardier than GBRs. Now, the hardest thing is to wait for the cycle to complete :(. Finally I have decided on the following fish.

Bolivian Rams - 3
Guppies - 6
Platies - 6
pygmy cories - 6

and a couple of Mollies may be.

What do you think?

Thanks
In a 125 litre (33 gallon) which presumably would not be longer than 3 feet, I would not go with 3 Bolivian Ram unless you can be certain of one male/two females. Three males would be in continual "battle" within the confines of a 3-foot tank. And sexing these fish is very difficult until they are somewhat mature, and stores usually have juvenile fish. Observing their behaviour in the store tank can sometimes guide you, as any fish that is constantly "pushing" the others away is likely a male, though my female also does this to her mate out of spawning. As noted in our profile, this species does very well as a solitary fish, and one in a 3-foot tank would be lovely. They grow to almost 4 inches.
 
#21 ·
The problem I have is that my fish don't read the books like they're supposed to. My livebearers are all over the tank.


I wouldn't get a gourami-
1. They are calm fish, easily stressed by too much activity.
2. Gourami are upper-middle fish just the same.

Just try the guppies if you want and see if you need something in the middle.
 
#24 ·
guppies are easy fish and ar easy to beed be careful with them because they will hybridize... Rams go nicely with guppies but ar terrartorial. I have a 38 gal tank and currently have six fish [died of old age] ... need to go to the local fish store.
 
#25 · (Edited)
breeding guppies tips?

how much for the fish
 
#27 ·
Yes. Plants need "food" which is nutrients, and in a new tank with no fish they will not have any. While it is true they may "lasty" for some time, I believe in getting them off to a good start with nutrients. Has never failed me yet.

On the cycle, I never do. Waste of time. If there are live plants, they need ammonium as thier source of nitrogen and carbon (CO2), and fish produce sufficient of both (and bacteria produce CO2) so the plants grab it. Just don't overdo the fish compared to number of plants. Also, in a planted tank, or a tank with live plants, I would not recommend introducing an artificial source of ammonia.
 
#28 ·
On the cycle, I never do. Waste of time. If there are live plants, they need ammonium as thier source of nitrogen and carbon (CO2), and fish produce sufficient of both (and bacteria produce CO2) so the plants grab it. Just don't overdo the fish compared to number of plants. Also, in a planted tank, or a tank with live plants, I would not recommend introducing an artificial source of ammonia.
Ah nice, at least you dont have to wait to see fish in the tank then. I don't have a choice i guess except for doing fishless cycle as I have only two live plants :(. Hopefully my plants will survive the artificial ammonia during the cycle :-(

Thanks
 
#29 ·
Have you already added ammonia? If not you could maybe just put one or 2 small fish in there just keep an eye on you water perimeters and keep up with the water changes as needed.
 
#30 ·
Yes, i have been cycling since 26/09/2010 and as of today 3-4ppm of NH3 is being processed by the filter in 24 hours, and NO2 is off the charts. pH is keeping stable at 7.6 for the time being. Hopefully not long to go. I looked at the Java Fern today carefully and looks like one of the leaf has some brown spots on it. Is this related to the plant not getting enough nutrients or not getting enough light? Hopefully my NO2 processing will soon start. *fingers crossed*
 
#33 ·
I really can't tell if that is spore development or degeneration of the leaf. No harm in leaving it, but if the entire leaf turns brown, black or yellow, cut if off. I can't see the rhizome--it is not buried in the substrate is it? The rhizome should be attached to rock or wood, but at the least not buried or it may rot.
 
#34 ·
Thanks Byron. Will keep an eye on the leaf. No, it's not buried in the substrate. It is attached to driftwood, as a matter of fact i bought the plant attached to driftwood. Btw, just wanted to know, how do you do plant maintenance. I mean cutting off the leaves and stuff, won't it make a mess in the tank? Wondering what's your method of cleaning your planted tank really.
 
#35 ·
Byron, you have been kindly advising me of having plants in the tank in this thread. I have a couple of questions. Is there any rough ratio on plants/fish stocking to get a good balance for an uncycled tank, wherein the NH3, NO2 produced by fish, fish food will be taken care of by plants itself? Also as per your advice, is Seachem Flourish the only product needed in my case, even when i have more plants, or do i need Seachem Flourish Excel as well?

Thanks
 
#38 ·
Byron, you have been kindly advising me of having plants in the tank in this thread. I have a couple of questions. Is there any rough ratio on plants/fish stocking to get a good balance for an uncycled tank, wherein the NH3, NO2 produced by fish, fish food will be taken care of by plants itself? Also as per your advice, is Seachem Flourish the only product needed in my case, even when i have more plants, or do i need Seachem Flourish Excel as well?

Thanks
The "ratio" is not easy to predict, as it depends upon the fish (what they are, size, how many) in relation to plants and water volume; I hope to explain this a bit better in my response below to your other questions.

I consider no difference between "cycled" or "un-cycled" with planted tanks because from the start it is the same: fish and bacteria produce CO2, ammonia, and waste, and plants assimilate the ammonia (as ammonium, their preferred source of nitrogen) and the CO2, and bacteria convert the waste into organics for nutrients assimilated by the plants. We add fertilizer to ensure all nutrients are available, since some likely will not be without. In the presence of adequate light, plants will photosynthesize provided there is a continuous supply of nutrients. Nutrients being carbon (the CO2 primarily), nitrogen (ammonia/ammonium but also some nitrates), and the other essential 15 nutrients (most are added/supplemented via fertilizers). Once the point is reached at which any one of these is no longer available, plants can no longer photosynthesize. The aim is to create a balance; I never worry about too few fish, but it is possible to have too many. Regular partial water changes ensure the health of the fish whether or not this may be necessary in a given planted tank.

Algae is a reliable indicator if the balance is working; if the plants are using the available light and nutrients, algae will be present but minimal. As soon as the plants can no longer photosynthesize due to the lack of something, and if light is still present past this point, algae makes good use of it and increases.

Flourish Comprehensive is the only liquid fertilizer I know of that contains all essential nutrients--except of course for carbon and oxygen. Carbon comes mainly from CO2, although most plants (except for mosses) can also assimilate carbon from the bicarbonates in the water and they do so in varying degrees depending upon the plant and the CO2 available; once the CO2 is basically exhausted, many plants will also turn to bicarbonates if present. There is a lot of carbon present in most aquaria, more than many aquarists might realize. More is produced by the bacteria than the fish. I have had healthy plants growing in fishless tanks for months, with no source of carbon other than from bacteria and water changes; growth was much slower than in my fish aquaria, but the plants remained green and alive.

Excel is a liquid carbon supplement. I do not recommend using it because once you start increasing carbon, the other nutrients need to be increased to balance, along with the light. My method is to use minimal light, then add nutrients to balance. Plants will thrive, and algae will be present but not to excess.

The rate of plant growth can vary, since it is dependent upon the available light and nutrients. The more light and nutrients--provided they balance--the faster most plants will grow. But I see nothing wrong with slower growth; why burn out the plants? There is no advantage to faster growth aside from the appearance. Plants in their natural habitat rarely if ever look as lush as they do in our aquaria.

Byron.
 
#36 ·
One more question :). I'm looking at buying plants online, but there are three different ways in which plants are sold - individual, potted and leaded. Is there a desired or a recommended way out of those three and what are the advantages over the other?

Thanks
 
#39 ·
One more question :). I'm looking at buying plants online, but there are three different ways in which plants are sold - individual, potted and leaded. Is there a desired or a recommended way out of those three and what are the advantages over the other?

Thanks
Potted plants are generally more expensive because they are (sometimes) larger. They should, theoretically, settle in faster when un-potted and planted. Normally only substrate-rooted plants are sold potted; stem plants usually come in a bundle of stems tied together.

I will buy potted plants when it is a plant I want and that is the only way of getting it. Otherwise I tend to buy non-potted because in stores they are less expensive--sometimes half, sometimes 1/3 the cost of potted. And it is the same plant.

If you look at the photos of my Amazonian tanks, almost all of those plants were bought as individual plants tied in a bunch of 2 or 3; only a couple were potted. Remove the tie, whatever it is (lead, elastics, etc) or the pot and as much of the rock wool as possible.
 
#40 ·
I would also tank the plant species into account- Java fern (slow grower) and java moss (slow grower until adjusted) can probably handle the waste from 1 or 2 small fish, but I would introduce either a hardy stem plant (Hygrophila species and Ludwigea Repens come to mind) to act as a fast grower... That's just me though.
 
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