My 10gal Fish Tank

Sparky

shame on that pet store for allowing you to buy so many fish for a ten gallon tank !!!! you are new and they should be more responsible. I do agree with the others barbs and angels in my world are a no go. those sharks you have will get BIG a lot bigger than i think you realise. Good idea taking some back to the store a tank up for only 4 weeks with that many fish in it is not good and just switching them to the bigger uncycled tank Im afraid will just add to the stress and result in more fish loss.. good luck

LouzZ

im buying that 55 gal and like for how much time should i leave it with out putting in the fishes? 1,2,3,4,5 weeks?

Byron

A new tank must be cycled, which is establishing the bacteria cycle that is necessary to convert ammonia (produced by all fish) into nitrite and nitrite into nitrate. Ammonia and nitrite are very toxic to fish. It takes anywhere from 2 to 8 weeks to cycle a new tank.

You can cycle with a couple of hardy fish, or do a fishless cycle. One of us can explain either method.

LouzZ

hardy fish like which one? maybe a pleco? or you mean hardy/older fish? please i dont want to lose any more fush besides these ones =(

Byron

Of the fish you have, tiger barbs would cycle the new tank. Set the tank up, makes sure everything works (filter, heater, no leaks) and leave it for a day/night. Then add two of the tiger barbs and at the same time dose the tank with a biological product like "Stability" (Seachem) or "Cycle" (Hagen). This is a biological supplement that assists establishment of the bacteria and reduces stress on the fish. If you can add some bacteria from the established tank it does the same; the media from the existing filter or some gravel (not washed in either case) work, but only when the fish go in. The bacteria needs food (ammonia and nitrite) and the fish are the source of the ammonia to start the nitrogen cycle.

You need a test kit to measure ammonia and nitrite. API makes a good one, there is a combo for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and pH which is all you'll basically need. After a few days you will get readings of "0" for ammonia and nitrite, then you can add one or two more tiger barbs, wait a few days for the bacteria to catch up, and then add a couple more, etc.

This is a very short synopsis; somewhere on here there is a sticky on cycling you should read.

LouzZ

ok. thx byron