10 Gal. cycling?

[FroggyFox]

I have a 10 gallon tank that I've had set up since last Saturday.

I have 3 zebra danios and a ghost shrimp in it, and no live plants. Cheapo undergravel filter (until I can find something to replace it this summer) and a 15 W incandescent bulb. Temp between 75-78 degrees F.

Do you think that the 3 zebras are enough to cycle the tank?

Also I haven't done any water changes yet...someone told me to let the tank do its thing for a couple of weeks and then do about a 20% change. I figured I would run that past you all to see if that is a good plan or??

I don't have a measurement of the chemical levels in my tank yet, was going to wait to get a testing kit till I have the money...my lps offers to do the testing for free so I figure thats ok. (heading over there later today) I know my ph is naturally high.

Comments appreciated!

 

[Managuense]

sounds good so far! the only advice i would give is to either nix the UGF or add a small power filter. a small aquaclear or a little penguin bio-wheel would do nicely.

also, dont worry about your ph. many people think that you need to lower it for south american fish (angels, discus, etc.) and raise it for african cichlids and such, but most of the time these "alterations" are more stressful to the fish that just leaving it alone. a stable ph is more important to your fish than the "correct" one. HTH
M

 

[Somonas]

Froggy, excellent plan. Just remember to add your fish slowly, After your 20% water change, add one or 2 fish each week and you'll be all set.

Don't forget weekly waterchanges after she's cycled

 

[FroggyFox]

Thanks!

I got an ammonia test kit when I was at the petstore yesterday so I can watch till that part of the cycle is finished. Looks like the ammonia will finish its spike sometime next week.

Patience is a virtue...I keep telling myself that over and over.

Anyone know if harlequin rasboras and danios get along well?

 

[FroggyFox]

Alrighty...no response on the Danio/Rasbora question?? I'm sure someone knows something?

My 10 Gallon has been set up (cycling) for 12 days now. The ammonia is up to about 6ppm and the water is starting to look a little yicky. I'm thinking that I might be overfeeding the guys a little bit...how do you know how much food is enough?

I have been giving them a pinch of food about twice a day, more in the evenings because they seem hungrier then. My littlest Danio will eat whenever I put anything in there and goes berserk until he can't find anymore to eat...the thing looks like he's going to explode!

My last remaining ghost shrimp is still doing alright...but i'm expecting him to kick the bucket any day now from the high ammonia levels.

Which brings me back to my original thing...do you think I should do a 15-20% water change?

*thumbsdow LPS says not to until the ammonia part of the cycle is over...

*thumbsup2 Friends say to do a small one now because if the ammonia stays so high for too much longer my fish are going to start suffering...

I don't know...I don't know enough about bacteria and the cycle to say whether I should just BE PATIENT, stop feeding them as much, because if I do a water change the ammonia level will go back down and then right back up to where it was...and the cycle will just take longer to get over. I've been arguing with myself over it all day.

Help? (Sorry I don't have a digital camera or I'd show ya'll a picture to help.)

 

[shimpboat]

Froggy-
Danios are VERY hardy fish. I cycled my 29gal with 3 of them. I did not do a water change for about 4 weeks. I also used Cycle (which no one believes in) and my tank cycled fine. Yes, danios and rasboras get along fine. The only problem I had with rasboras is that 1 got caught in my intake to my filter. I would definately get rid of the ugf and get a mini penguin with a biowheel. I no longer have these fish, they now reside at my neighbors house and I have cichlids. Good luck, keep us up to date with the cycling. Oh, you can get a freshwater testing kit that has most of the tests you need as you will want to check all your water parameters. Finally, be patient....I know this is hard, but in the long run, you will have a healthier tank, and you will be happier.
Michelle

 

[FroggyFox]

Thanks Michelle. I'm definitely planning on replacing the UGF this summer...I'll see what I can find.

I decided to buy all of the testing kits seperately as I need them. Most of the ones that I've seen anyway are exactly the same kind as I'm buying seperately, just in one box I figure by the time my tank is finished cycling I'll have a whole set haha

I know I know...i'm not the most naturally patient person in the world...so far so good Except the little trip with the shrimp.

 

[GDH]

Only feed every other day until the cycle is over. The fish will be fine and it wont put as much waste into the water.

 

[FroggyFox]

The poor lil guys wont starve GDH??

I guess I just figured if I was in less than optimum conditions I'd want to eat as much yummy food as I could get my hands on...ya know the female "comfort food" syndrome haha

 

[GDH]

No, they wont starve. Alot of the time fish get fed to much instead of to little.

 

[Flex26]

Originally posted by froggyfox21


I decided to buy all of the testing kits seperately as I need them. Most of the ones that I've seen anyway are exactly the same kind as I'm buying seperately, just in one box

You know, FroggyFox, it will be cheaper if you just bought that whole box of testing kits rather than one at a time. I saw the whole box (pH, high range pH, Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate, kH, gH) at Petsmart for $20. Each testing kit is like $4 or $5. I did the same thing you did. I bought them one by one. If I had to do it over again, I would have bought the whole box.

Just a thought.

 

[FroggyFox]

Well...actually I priced them and there didn't seem to be much difference between buying them seperately or as the set...and I'm on a relatively tight budget so I figured I would just buy them as I needed them and spread the expense out over a few paychecks.

The thought that I should get them all at the same time did cross my mind...but hey...if I can't buy any fish for a few weeks so those will give me something to buy to suppress that "I WANT TO BUY SOMETHING AT THE PETSTORE" feeling Stupid? perhaps...but hey its worked so far...