[Cassandra90]

This weekend I finally revamped my 55 gallon aquarium. My boyfriend and I cleaned the whole tank. We used just hot water and peroxide to clean the hood, lights and tank itself. Then re-rinsed everything in hot water.
I had no idea how much work it would be to completely strip down a tank.

I switched out the substrate to a black sand from petco, added a few fake plants, river rocks, a medium air disc (I need to find a way to keep it down), and a piece of wood that has not soaked and sunk yet.

I have not tested the water yet. I did use the Tetra Safe Start to help the cycle. I will be using this thread to post the results of my water testing. Just to keep track.

I am planning on adding probably 4 fancy goldfish to this tank after it cycles. (First try with goldfish, I have always kept tropical freshwater fish in this tank in the past).

Read more: http://www.tropicalfishkeeping.com/freshwater-tropical-fish/55-gallon-revamp-344874/#ixzz2sMprDRAi

 

[NeonFlux]

Awesome start, looking forward for your updates! And yeah, cleaning/changing out the substrate out of a 55 gallon is somewhat heavy work lol. Glad you guys pulled through and made a nice change!

 

[Cassandra90]

Thank you. I love the change.

So I tested the water tonight. I was doing a fishless cycle with a shrimp in the tank. But I found it kinda gross letting that decompose in the tank. So I took that out and did a water change about a 25%. I got some ammonia to add into the tank. Tested it later and it is at 1ppm. Where should it be at?
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[Cassandra90]

It jumped up to 8ppm last night. I did a water change today and got it to 4ppm. I also added more tss.
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[willow]

:-D i'm subscribing :-D
this link here should help.http://www.tropicalfishkeeping.com/beginner-freshwater-aquarium/aquarium-cycle-252/

 

[Cassandra90]

Thanks for the link. The ammonia went down to 1ppm last nightso I redosed it to get it back to 4ppm. To start building up the nitrates... well continue the cycle of breaking down ammonia.

 

[Cassandra90]

By next week if I have no luck on the cycle, do you think it would be fine if I do a major water change and get the ammonia to 0ppm, could I add fish? And just do a fish in cycle. I have been testing and no readings on the nitrites or nitrates but the ammonia went down to 4ppm to 1ppm. You'd think I would have some other readings with the ammonia breaking down. I am using a liquid test kit too.

 

[willow]

have you got any other aquariums ?
if you have you could use filter media from they filter to get you going,
or friends with aquariums that would be willing to donate ?
you can do the cycle with fish,water changes will be essential for them,
as the toxins are harmful,and will lessen the health of the fish.
just don't touch the filter,it needs to grow the bacteria,continue adding
the bottled bacteria.

 

[Chesh]

Off to a great new start! Resetting a tank is a lot of work, for sure. . . Well done!

This looks like it's going to be a fun tank for goldies! Do you have red lights in there?! It's cloudy from the new sand in that picture, but it looks so pretty that way, with the purpley red and the green

By next week if I have no luck on the cycle, do you think it would be fine if I do a major water change and get the ammonia to 0ppm, could I add fish? And just do a fish in cycle. I have been testing and no readings on the nitrites or nitrates but the ammonia went down to 4ppm to 1ppm. You'd think I would have some other readings with the ammonia breaking down. I am using a liquid test kit too.

Willow has given some fantastic input on cycling, already - and a good link (thanks Willow!).
I believe the target for fishless with ammonia is to keep the level at around 4ppm. 8 is too high, and will stall things. . . to have it go from 4-1 so quickly shows that the bottled bacteria is working!
It's still going to take a little bit for things to establish, but it isn't going to take very long at this rate before you start showing readings for nitrite, and nitrate - cycling is one area where a little bit of patience goes a long way!

Were it my tank, I'd keep on going with fishless. . . you've already started, and things are going GREAT! Keep up the good work! ^__^

 

[willow]

;-)

 

[Cassandra90]

Well I was gone all weekend, so tonight when I get home for work I will do another water test to see where the ammonia is in the tank. Hopefully the ammonia is being broken down still.

 

[RSVBiffer]

I am with Chesh and would stick with the fishless cycle,.

Actually if your ammonia is falling I would expect to see either a nitrite or nitrate reading. Are you sure you are getting a true reading on that front? Some of the nitrate kits are notoriously 'tricky' to use. It is also possible you have a defective test kit. Make sure you really shake up the reagents before using them them (and I mean really shake them and even bang them on a hard surface) and if you have a friend with test kits you know are working then it may be an idea to borrow them and test with those.

 

[Cassandra90]

Just got home. The wood has this white slime fuzz on it. Not sure what it is
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[RSVBiffer]

Sounds like Saprolegnia which is quite normal on wood just introduced into an aquarium and perfectly harmless, in fact some fish even seem to enjoy munching on it. You can clean it off although, usually, it disappears in time.
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[Cassandra90]

I attached a picture of it. But what you said is most likely it.

 

[willow]

i had that on some wood…i just scrubbed it off…i've heard someone say
that their shrimps chomped on it….(i think i did :hmm: )

 

[Cassandra90]

I scrubbed it off last night with hot water and my tank tooth brush lol. The ammonia is still at 4ppm. I have no idea why it wont cycle. I added the TSS, and I even threw in some fish food hoping that would start something up. I did a small water change last night, changed out maybe 15-20 gallons, added more tss about half a bottle after the water change. Tested this morning and it is still at 4ppm.

 

[willow]

it will happen..just taking it's time.

 

[Cassandra90]

It has been only 10 days, I am just impatient.

 

[willow]

aww i remember being impatient…..and i even made a folder at home
(i didn't have a laptop) and noted down everything i did with the tank,
and the water readings….many days of finger tapping and huffing and
puffing…waiting….always waiting….