Aquarium help!?

Question

Ok, I got my self a new aqurarium three weeks ago, and I am really frustrated to see that information regarding aquariums is different depending on the source. In the pet shop I was told that I should wait for 4 weeks without adding any fish, and they would insist, until the nitrite levels drop. In other place I was told to add some hardy fish so ammonia will be produced and the cycle will begin. In other places they recommend a 10% water change every now and then to help the nitrite levels go down and others say that a water change would only slow it down...what the hell? what am I supposed to do here??

Answer 1

First off are you starting a salt water tank or a fresh water tank. Usually you can get away with a week to two weeks for a fresh water tank but you have to wait a month for a salt water tank. You don't want to add fish in a new tank without it going through the nitrogen cycle first because you could end up with "new tank syndrome" which isn't good. Now since this is a new tank only add a few fish at a time (depends on the size of the tank). Again it depends on the size of the tank (I'm suppose to clean 10%-20% of my water every week to two weeks; but I do it every month but I also check my water quality to) you only need to change 10%-20% of the water and no more unless you tank is really bad but don't go below 50%. You want to keep a living bacteria in your tank (good bacteria). You basically use a siphon to clean the gravel and that will take the 10%-20% water out. But having a tank set up without fish for more than a week is also okay you just know by now that bacteria has finally grown in your tank. By the way fish need this type of bacteria it helps with the nitrogen cycle basically. Going back to cleaning tanks... don't go beyond a month for cleaning tanks you want to get that fish waste out. And remember only add a few fish at a time you don't want to add too many at once (again "new tank syndrome"). Like for a 10-gallon I'll only add 2 fish, 20-gallon I'll only add 3-4 fish, 50-gallon I'll only add 6 fish, and so forth. After putting those few fish in the tank you want to wait a week before adding any other fish in the tank. Remember 1 inch per gallon (fresh water community tank), 1 inch per 3 gallons (goldfish), 1 inch per 5 gallons (juveniles fish-saltwater), 1 inch per 3 gallons (adult fish-saltwater). So if you have a fresh water community tank you you purchased a fish that is only an inch big but it will grow to 6 inches that's 6 gallons gone. You need to go by how big the fish will get so you know for sure you won't overcrowd you tank.

Answer 2

Cycling your tank for four weeks or so with no fish is ultimately the least stressful on both you and your fish.

If you add fish before the tank is cycled, there is not enough "good" bacteria available to convert ammonia into nitrite and then into nitrate. Fish do not need to be added to start producing ammonia, and in fact, if you do add fish right away, they will become stressed and possibly get sick (even the hardy ones). You CAN kick-start the process by adding a little bit of fish food to the water so that ammonia producing bacteria have something to feed on (I wouldn't add a lot though). Water changes before cycling is finished WILL slow down the process, but you need to do changes of between 10-20 percent every week or so on a healthy, cycled tank.

At three weeks, you are nearing the time that the cycling will be completed. Get some tests for ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate, and you will have a more complete idea of where you stand. You'll want ammonia and nitrite levels to be at zero, and nitrate levels to be at 20 ppm at the HIGHEST (if you have between 5 and 15 ppm, that's preferable)

http://www.wetwebmedia.com/index.html is a GREAT site for any questions you could POSSIBLY have. EVER. I've never found a more inclusive site (on any topic). They have an extensive article base and lot's of FAQ's-and are willing to accept new FAQ's (and the three that I've sent in were answered within five hours).

Good luck and congratulations on your (future) pets!

Answer 3

Your cycle has already started as the bacteria turns the ammonia into nitrites. The only part of the cycle that is left is the bacteria that turns the nitrites into nitrates.
I have always found it more helpful to 'seed' my new tanks with a bit of gravel from a well established tank so that the cycling takes only a week. No matter what you do, the bio-load will increase with every fish that you put in your tank and the number of bacteria will have to increase to cope. If your tank has been running for three weeks and you still have a spike in our nitrites you only have two choices. You can do a partial water change to lower the nitrites and add a fish, or wait until it subsides.
Salt for freshwater aquariums can be used to prevent nitrite poisoning, if the chloride ions are 30 times the concentration of nitrite ions (add one level teaspoon for every 5 gallons).

Answer 4

i have had fish tanks for about 6 years now and every time i get a new one what i do is i set it up with water and all in it, wait about a week or a week and a half and add some cheap fish like feeder guppies or something so they can set the levels up i guess you can say and after a couple days i slowly add the actual fish that i want

Answer 5

It's best to take the fish and put then in an alternate container about every 2 to 3 months so you can change out about 90 percent of the water. After the fish are out and before you change the water, you should vacuum the bottom of the tane to reduce the amount of waste. That is probably the best way to keep a healthy tank.

Answer 6

I have a 120 gallon tank started off with fresh water and moved to salt water (which I reccomend) - I put the water in my 120, got the filters running and threw the fish in and had NO PROBLEMS and I had 4 good size arrowana's in it that cost $40 a piece

Answer 7

test the water they now have chemical to regulate the water... i just add good water to my tank (30 gal and not changed in a year.but clean gravel weekly have a variety of different fish and good rooted live plants ,dont overfeed it works for me

Answer 8

Here is a website I have used in the past....Good Luck

http://www.thefunplace.com/house/pets/aquarium.html