# 30Gallon Up & Cycling



## BubBleBee (May 7, 2010)

Started the cycling process this afternoon. Originally I was going to keep buddies media but I chose not to only cuz who knows what may or may not have happened in the tank prior to me buying his set up. Just didn't want to risk it. Patience is A Virtue...well I'm tryin to practice a lil patience anyways...lol. I had added the water last nite, but couldn't get the filter sealed took it in and bought a new O ring and now everything is a GO!! Once I got the filter connected I tested the water and found the ammonia at 0. WTF??? Well I hope all works out. Just waitin to see what happens. Here is a start to something new finally phewwwww. Took forever gettin this tank up, but it's done. 

http://i1130.photobucket.com/albums/m539/BumbbleBee77/013.jpg
http://i1130.photobucket.com/albums/m539/BumbbleBee77/002.jpg
http://i1130.photobucket.com/albums/m539/BumbbleBee77/007.jpg

Here's a few pics for now and once i have more plants and fish i will add more and ohhh when i get the new light tooo. Can hardly wait.


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## O.C.D Fishies (Apr 21, 2010)

It looks great already and I love love love the stand. It is awesome looking. 
I can't wait to see it getting filled.


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## Morainy (Apr 21, 2010)

Looks like you've put a lot of work into it, and it's looking good. I can't wait to see the fish!


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## BubBleBee (May 7, 2010)

Thanx OCD for helping add to it and all ur help and advice. Not to mention everyone else whom helped me out. Thank you Morainy, and yes long hours last nite till early this morn. Wait till the tank is cycled and then time to go a fish huntin.


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## 2wheelsx2 (Apr 21, 2010)

You're going to have trouble cycling with ammonia since you have plants. If you intend to do that remove the plants. Fishless cycling and plants don't go together as the plants will preferentially utilize the ammonia. All you're doing is fertilizing the plants. If you want to do it that way, you're going to have to increase the ammonia until the plants cannot utilize any more so that your bio has some ammonia to feed on.


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## BubBleBee (May 7, 2010)

I have no where to put the plants. What shall I do to increase the ammonia?? Just add straight ammonia?? How will I know the plants aren't utilizing it any longer?? Thank you for all your help getting me up and going,2wheelsx2


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## 2wheelsx2 (Apr 21, 2010)

If that's the case, just add fish.  Do you have an ammonia test kit?


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## O.C.D Fishies (Apr 21, 2010)

So if you do a planted you can add fish right away??? Do the plants also use ammonia???


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## 2wheelsx2 (Apr 21, 2010)

This really explains how planted tanks don't "cycle", much better than I can:

Cycling a Planted Tank | Rex's Guide to Planted Tanks


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## O.C.D Fishies (Apr 21, 2010)

Ok the tank will have to be heavily planted then to start with?? That's why they always say just pack it full and switch out later. That's great news for me as well lol. Can always count on you Gary.


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## O.C.D Fishies (Apr 21, 2010)

How long if there is any disease in the tank for it to die off from not having a host???


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## BubBleBee (May 7, 2010)

Yes I do have an ammonia test kit. I have the API FreshWater Kit. So if I threw in fish it won't kill em? I'll read the link above. Thank you


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## BubBleBee (May 7, 2010)

So after testing the water twice and getting nil for results, I took some water in to PetSmart and had a sales associate test it. No ammonia, nitrite but got a 10ish for nitrate. I planted some Hornwort which i bought at the auction. Also bought a generous amount of an assortment from another member last nite and planted my tank. I'm okay for background plants however I wouldn't mind getting my hands on some Eriocaulon Setaceum and some colored plants (Rosafolia+lilacina). 
I also added a few Neon tetra's, one zebra danio and five leopard danio long-fins. My new babies appear to be lovin their new tank. I also went and purchased a 10 gallon Aqueon basic kit for a hospital tank on the off chance any of my fish get sick. 
Would/does anyone know a good site on the net regarding which fish are best suited in a tank together without complications? How many fish max in a planted tank? I've looked and googled and really came up with nothing too interesting. So if anyone out there knows a good link to researching all this please let me know. I have added some new pics of the plants and tried to get a few of the babies.

http://i1130.photobucket.com/albums/m539/BumbbleBee77/30gallonnewplantsandfish006.jpg 
http://i1130.photobucket.com/albums/m539/BumbbleBee77/30gallonnewplantsandfish005.jpg
http://i1130.photobucket.com/albums/m539/BumbbleBee77/30gallonnewplantsandfish003.jpg

As I sit here making this entry I look up at the tank and really it puts a smile on my face. I was a lil concerned bout the Tetra's cuz there is just two of them and from what I have been told by a trusted source that these neon's are really sensitive fish and may not do too well in the tank. All of them have taken on quite well which puts a big smile on my face. Here's to good health to the first addition.


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## 2wheelsx2 (Apr 21, 2010)

This is one such site. Not hard and fast, but some good generalizations. AqAdvisor - Intelligent Freshwater Tropical Fish Aquarium Stocking Calculator and Aquarium Tank/Filter Advisor


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## neven (May 15, 2010)

neons aren't that sensitive, but the cardinal tetra's can be sensitive depending on the source. Tetra's in general are rather hardy, i've never had them die on me except by too much co2. As for which fish to go for, i'd say expand your neons by 3 or 4, so you have the danios in the upper reaches shoaling and the tetra's in the mid range shoaling. This leaves algae grazers and bottom feeders to fill out the rest of your stock. Examples of what they could be: Amano Shrimp (or cherries), snails, Corydoras, ancistrus (BN Pleco), otocinclus (sensative).

Use the calculator as mentioned, and really do try to not go above 100%, but if its 101/102, its fine. give a few weeks between stocking the tank, lets the bacteria catch up, and never more than 30% of the max stock at once.

also what is your lighting? looks like a soft colour temp (3200K). If you have standard light sockets, switch them to CFLs and go 6500K colour temp. if its tubes, make sure you are using 6700K bulbs (or 6500K).


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## BubBleBee (May 7, 2010)

The canopy which is up has 4 T4's from what i was told I believe they are 14w, but i am looking into purchasing another fixture. Was thinkin of the coralife 30" T5Ho from J&L's. For now how do i tell if I'm using 6700k?? Or there's one at fishneedit.com 30" with 24" bulbs T5HO 2 bulb fixture. I am undecided bout which one??? Thanx 2wheelsx2 and nevens for ur insight.


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## neven (May 15, 2010)

The tubes normally say what they are right on them. ie 6500K, 2300K or cool white, soft white etc.


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## BubBleBee (May 7, 2010)

These are the plants in my tank as of right now
Marsilea hirsute - Dwarf 4-leaf Clover
Singapore Moss (Vesicularia dubyana)
Cryptocoryne becketii 'Petchii'
Fissidens fontanus – Phoenix Moss
Echinodorus tenellus 'Microsword'
Echinodorus vesuvius
Proserpinaca palustris - Mermaid Weed
Ludwigia ovalis
Microsorum pteropus ‘ Needle leaf’
Hygroryza aristata – Asian Watergrass
Hygrophila polysperma ‘Ceylon’
Hygrophila pantanal 'Wavy'
Bolbitis heudelotii
Limnophila aromatica
Ammania sp. 'Bonsai'
Wisteria
Hornwort
I had my metricide delivered on Friday and have been using Liquid Fertilizer's made by Seachem till I can see Tim at AquaFlora.


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## BubBleBee (May 7, 2010)

I am now a proud mama of 5 new GBR's which i bought off of Richard. the ram's are not in my 30 yet i have them in my 10 for now. They look really unhappy in the ten as it is plain no plants no nothing. So now I'm lookin to put my 10 gallon up rather than using it as a hospital tank. I need to get some substrate and plants which I already have. 
Two things pop to mind.
1) Should i just put the rams in with my tetra's and danio's? These fish were bought from PetSmart and they have not shown any signs of sickness yet. Fingers crossed that I lucked out with a healthy batch.
2) There's a piece of drift wood in my 30 and has a film of some sort growing on it. I will try to get a good pic so someone can help identify what it is and suggest what is goin on to have this growth just on this one piece of driftwood. It's white in color and is only on just a small portion of the wood not all of it. To me it looks like mold but hair like....I'm no expert so that is why I'm asking for assistance. If anyone has an idea to what it maybe and what's causing it to grow please enlighten me.

http://i1130.photobucket.com/albums/m539/BumbbleBee77/Santaparade080.jpg
This is the only pic that is decent of the five I took. If you look on the left under the hook towards the bottom behind the plant there's some sorta white stuff which looks like a cloud in the pic. What is this? Can't be safe or is it???? Please help.


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## tang daddy (Apr 21, 2010)

just a suggestion if you want to post straight pics on here click on the link that says


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## BubBleBee (May 7, 2010)

So I have put the GBR's into the 30 and they are loving it I have also put two assassins in as well.....also in the 15 i bought a few assassins to get rid of the pesty snails...
Here are the Ram's seconds later:
















You can see the zebra and leopard danio's goin lil crazy








This is the 15 with the assasins and one shark


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