Fish tank gurus

[Bunnykid68]

Your pH level is essentially never going to change. Your ammonia level shouldn't be a problem either. Make sure you're watching your nitrate levels. Under 40 is ideal.

I have been messing for fish tanks for 20 years now and do not even know how to check nitrate levels.

 

[bobbittle]

I have some South American mixed in with my Africans, but you are right for the most part.

Bristle-nosed plecos are also OK, but not regular plecos since cichlids are eye biters.

Regular plecos can be kept with cichlids easily.

And mixing South Americans and Africans is typically never a good idea. The Africans usually get the short end of the stick. Not to mention the vastly different water parameters they need.

 

[Benny]

I have been messing for fish tanks for 20 years now and do not even know how to check nitrate levels.

It's all in the taste. Just dip your finger in and lick it off. If the levels are too high, you'll know.

 

[bobbittle]

I have been messing for fish tanks for 20 years now and do not even know how to check nitrate levels.

1. Go to pet store.
2. Buy Nitrate test kit (typically a dip stick).
3. Test away!

Nitrates are the most important thing you should be testing for. They are the end result of the bacteria cycle in the aquarium and can only be removed via water changes.

 

[THard6]

with my 5 gallon water change every week, i don't have to worry about Nitrate/Nitrite/Ammonia levels

i think they should still be checked often.

 

[Caleb]

Didn't want to create a new thread, so I'll revive this one...This is my first fish tank, been up and running about a month or a little more, water is still cloudy from my understanding of the nitrogen cycle that needs to be completed. I do 10-25% water change a week(sometimes twice a week), couple days ago I switched from the junk top fin filter to an aquaclear 30 in my 10 gal tank, and check levels via pet store once a week.

They say water hardness is up but other levels are good. Here's my naked tank:

 

[bobbittle]

Didn't want to create a new thread, so I'll revive this one...This is my first fish tank, been up and running about a month or a little more, water is still cloudy from my understanding of the nitrogen cycle that needs to be completed. I do 10-25% water change a week(sometimes twice a week), couple days ago I switched from the junk top fin filter to an aquaclear 30 in my 10 gal tank, and check levels via pet store once a week.

They say water hardness is up but other levels are good. Here's my naked tank:

Don't worry about your hardness. Unless you're willing to switch to R/O or "drinking" water, you aren't going to be able to change it.

Make sure you keep the tank topped off, bettas don't typically like strong water flow (although some do).

 

[E'villeGunner]

It's all in the taste. Just dip your finger in and lick it off. If the levels are too high, you'll know.

 

[E'villeGunner]

Seriously, all this talk about fish is making me hungry.

 

[Caleb]

Don't worry about your hardness. Unless you're willing to switch to R/O or "drinking" water, you aren't going to be able to change it.

Make sure you keep the tank topped off, bettas don't typically like strong water flow (although some do).

How long should I expect the cloudiness to stick around?

 

[Cpl. Klinger]

How long should I expect the cloudiness to stick around?

Usually you should be through the nitrogen cycle within three weeks. Doing too many water changes may be your problem as you're cutting down on your bacteria. My wife changes maybe 5-10% of the water in our freshwater tank a week, sometimes not that often. She tests the heck out of the water though, so that may aid in things. Oh, and to brag on our two tanks -

Our 55 gallon freshwater:


This is a fairly well established tank with 2 Shibunkens and 4 other goldfish and a pleco. They are characters, to say the least.

Our 75 gallon saltwater:


Ths tank is about a month old, and we're still cycling it (note to anyone wanting to start a saltwater tank - nothing good happens fast - expect it to take several months to get the tank stable). We nearing the end of the diatom bloom, and we've got 2 green chromis, a blue devil damsel and our cleanup crew (three turbo snails and 5 blue hermit crabs). We have numerous hitchikers from the live rock that are making things interesting. This has been a fun tank to set up, but it's a drain on the wallet. So far we've put about $1400 in it.

 

[varadatt]

How long should I expect the cloudiness to stick around?

It could take a while with only one fish in the tank. The cloudiness will go away once your tank "establishes" itself. As food and fish pooh breakdown in the water the will create a bacterial balance.
One thing to remember is never change to many things at once ie the filters, water change etc.

 

[IndyBeerman]

Didn't want to create a new thread, so I'll revive this one...This is my first fish tank, been up and running about a month or a little more, water is still cloudy from my understanding of the nitrogen cycle that needs to be completed. I do 10-25% water change a week(sometimes twice a week), couple days ago I switched from the junk top fin filter to an aquaclear 30 in my 10 gal tank, and check levels via pet store once a week.

They say water hardness is up but other levels are good. Here's my naked tank:

I used to have a 75 gallon tank, had a under ground filter system and did a 60% change once a month while monitoring ph levels.

It would be cleared up in about 2-3 days

Of course I used a model similar to this:
Marineland Magnum 350 Deluxe Filter System at Petco

I also used one of the water powered hose kits to drain and refill, on the drain I would hook it up to the underground tubes and suck all the crap out that the tube plunge would not get.

We had about 65 inches of fish in the tank including a 8 inch plecostomus and 2 Bala Sharks, one 7 inches and the other 8, the 8 incher was about 7 years old, and when we sold the house, let the new owners keep the tank.

One of their relatives worked @ Specks Pet store and was amazed because they had never seen them that big before.

If you ever decide to get one of those beautiful Bala Sharks, watch it when you clean the tank because they are leapers. That's the reason for the smaller one, the larger ones brother decided to launch himself out of the tank 5 feet, unfortunately for him, it was into a glass hurricane candle holder, shattering it.

Loved watching the fish, but after all those years of just me cleaning it and no help from the wife, I don't miss the tank after cleaning it 12 years.

 

[bobbittle]

. This has been a fun tank to set up, but it's a drain on the wallet. So far we've put about $1400 in it.

My last salt tank (a 20g "high") cost me over $1000 just to get running.

 

[Caleb]

should I limit my cycle change down to once a month? How do you guys clean the gravel without doing a water change? I really wish I was able to get a 50+ gallon fish tank, I'm enjoying taking care of fish...

 

[Cpl. Klinger]

My last salt tank (a 20g "high") cost me over $1000 just to get running.

Every time I make a trip to Uncle Bills, I cringe. Cost of the hobby I guess. I might feel differently soon when I do my own tank (I want a 29 gallon to sit on my desk, and I may go brackish).

 

[varadatt]

should I limit my cycle change down to once a month? How do you guys clean the gravel without doing a water change? I really wish I was able to get a 50+ gallon fish tank, I'm enjoying taking care of fish...

Look on Craigslist. Someone always has a good tank they are trying to get rid of. And the bigger the tank the easier they are to take care of once setup. I used to have a 75gl with Lake Malawi cichlids that was just awesome once going.

As for the water change in a 10gl I won't be much use to you. I always had a hose that would hook up to the faucet and would clean the gravel.

 

[Caleb]

Look on Craigslist. Someone always has a good tank they are trying to get rid of. And the bigger the tank the easier they are to take care of once setup. I used to have a 75gl with Lake Malawi cichlids that was just awesome once going.

As for the water change in a 10gl I won't be much use to you. I always had a hose that would hook up to the faucet and would clean the gravel.

My mother in law has a 55 gal she would give me, gotta find a space to put it.

 

[IndyBeerman]

Look on Craigslist. Someone always has a good tank they are trying to get rid of. And the bigger the tank the easier they are to take care of once setup. I used to have a 75gl with Lake Malawi cichlids that was just awesome once going.

As for the water change in a 10gl I won't be much use to you. I always had a hose that would hook up to the faucet and would clean the gravel.

^^^^
This

Mine now that I have been thinking about it was called the Python, valve on the faucet hook up would either use the water to suck the water out, out turn it and it could fill it back up with it.

I'd use the gravel attachment and plunge, the unscrew the gravel plunger and hold it to the under gravel filter tubes, you would be amazed on how much debris it would get out.

1/2 hour clean and refill using it.

We had the 50 foot one, comes in 25-50-75-100 foot lengths.

It was worth every penny I paid for it, plus when you filled the tank back up you did not stir up any debris that you did not get out.

 

[bobbittle]

should I limit my cycle change down to once a month? How do you guys clean the gravel without doing a water change? I really wish I was able to get a 50+ gallon fish tank, I'm enjoying taking care of fish...

You shouldn't be changing any water or touching the gravel for the first 6-8 weeks the tank is running.

After that, once a week, 10% water change w/gravel cleaning if you can manage it. If you can't, just as often as possible, increasing the % accordingly with the time between cleanings.