New 60 Gallon Tank
- Thread starter mcsully
- Start date
Just an update of what is occuring in my world 
I just did some testing for my 60 gallon and the ammonia levels are 0, Nitrite is .25 and Nitrate is 20. Should I being a water change in tank? The fish in the tank appear to be doing well for the past few days (since their move).
The LFS tested my 20 gallon and suggested with the high ammonia and nitrate I should remove the water and refill it.. Basically starting over.. Does this sound right?
I just did some testing for my 60 gallon and the ammonia levels are 0, Nitrite is .25 and Nitrate is 20. Should I being a water change in tank? The fish in the tank appear to be doing well for the past few days (since their move).
The LFS tested my 20 gallon and suggested with the high ammonia and nitrate I should remove the water and refill it.. Basically starting over.. Does this sound right?
Why is the ammonia high in your 20? What is currently in it?
With a .25 nitrite, I'd sit tight and not do a water change yet. You're probably just seeing a minicycle. Keep testing tho and feed lightly until everything is steady. You may see a brief ammonia spike as well, followed by more nitrites as the biofilter stabilises. Change the water within a week of moving the fish over unless something starts to seriously spike. Then get into a weekly schedule.
With a .25 nitrite, I'd sit tight and not do a water change yet. You're probably just seeing a minicycle. Keep testing tho and feed lightly until everything is steady. You may see a brief ammonia spike as well, followed by more nitrites as the biofilter stabilises. Change the water within a week of moving the fish over unless something starts to seriously spike. Then get into a weekly schedule.
Frankly, I never listen to the lfs's. I love my fish too much! : ) I think the question is, what put ammonia in your tank if you have no fish in there? Are you doing a fishless cycle (adding ammonia)? The only way to keep the tank cycled is to have a source of ammonia (fish or ammonia added by you) so that the bacteria will have something to eat. But.... since you have ammonia and nitrite readings and you have no critters in there...... we are not quite sure what's up with that. More info, please? What have you been doing with the tank ever since you transferred your fishies out?
Yeah, daily testing is what you need to do if you are trying to get more fish in there. I split my 29gal into two 29gal's and had a mini- cycle with the one but the other was just fine.
Yeah, daily testing is what you need to do if you are trying to get more fish in there. I split my 29gal into two 29gal's and had a mini- cycle with the one but the other was just fine.
The fish that I have in the 60 gallon, up into last week, were in the 20 gallon. When I say they were high I'm talking about .5. Right now the 20 gallon is empty, I just refilled it with water. I did readings in the tank last night and here are my results:
60 Gallon
0 ammonia, .5 nitrite 20 nitrate
20 Gallon
0 ammonia .25 nitrite
60 Gallon
0 ammonia, .5 nitrite 20 nitrate
20 Gallon
0 ammonia .25 nitrite
\i have used "Cycle" since day one and think it to be very good. Try to cycle the tank without live fish as it will harm them during the process however careful you are. If you start with a piece of fish (raw from your dinner maybe) it will generate the same chemicals as live ones.
after leaving it there for a day or two, Clean out your filter from the small tank with existing tank water just as you normally would, BUT put the water and the infusoria (Mucky green / brown stuff) in the NEW tank. Test water quality every day or two, When the readings are down and stable (depends on temp, climate , etc etc but could take a couple of weeks) you have a fully cycled SAFE tank for your fish.
after leaving it there for a day or two, Clean out your filter from the small tank with existing tank water just as you normally would, BUT put the water and the infusoria (Mucky green / brown stuff) in the NEW tank. Test water quality every day or two, When the readings are down and stable (depends on temp, climate , etc etc but could take a couple of weeks) you have a fully cycled SAFE tank for your fish.
There are many good products on the market. Stick to a name you know (Hagen/ nutra fin, Tetra, Sera etc). Frozen fish food will do if you can't get raw fish. What you want is something to decompose in the tank adding Amonia, nitrites etc to the water so that the "BUGS" can start to breed. If you have a friend with a tank ask to have their filter cleaning water as it already has the "BUGS" in it, and should drastically reduce the time required. Gravel from a working tank is good too as there are quite a lot in that . If not you can still do it but it will take a day or two longer. Just feed the "BUGS" and test regularly.
I retested this morning on my 20 gallon and the results were the same as yesterday. So I went out to the LFS and stocked up and purchased 2 COrey Cats, 3 barbs and 3 of something else (so excited to be restocking I'm forgeting)..
The 60 Gallon appears to be cycling so I'll keep testing every day and hope by next week I'm good...
Question here.. Now that the 20 gallon is set, I've seen different posts about water changes. What rule of thumb should be used in making a decision to change water?
Hey guys I just wanted to give a big THANK YOU for everyones suggestions and help. Right now both takes have cycled. I just did my readings and Ammonia and Nitrite are 0 in both tanks
Now I have to determine what I'm going to throw in the 60 gallon tank
Thanks again and look fwd to a continued relationship at this board!
Now I have to determine what I'm going to throw in the 60 gallon tank
Thanks again and look fwd to a continued relationship at this board!
LOL, first find out what the heck the unknowns are.....
You're going to increase your tiger barb school, correct? Also, the cories and likely whatever the other barbs are and the unknowns also.
Don't forget to stock slowly -- your biofilter hasn't had time to stabilise, so especially just a couple fish at a time and feed lightly as it steadies out each time.
You can at least get a good plan together. Have fun!
You're going to increase your tiger barb school, correct? Also, the cories and likely whatever the other barbs are and the unknowns also.
Don't forget to stock slowly -- your biofilter hasn't had time to stabilise, so especially just a couple fish at a time and feed lightly as it steadies out each time.
You can at least get a good plan together. Have fun!
Thanks.. Yea the 3 unknowns I totally forgot.. Heading to the store when I do the 60 gallon and will write down exactly what they are
I will be adding to the tiger barbs.. The Bala Shark has me a little worried. I read where they can get up to 16 inches long. That is a concern since I don't want a fish that big
I will be adding to the tiger barbs.. The Bala Shark has me a little worried. I read where they can get up to 16 inches long. That is a concern since I don't want a fish that big
mcsully,
Sorry I can't find the link to it off the top of my head, but I recently read a thread on here where members were talking about housing bala sharks. Some experienced hobbyists came to the conclusion that the 2 or so that they had probably would've been happier in something larger than their 55 gallon tank...but they survived in there okay.
They suggested that a 75 gallon would be better.
At 60 gallons you're probably fine, although you're right...they will get big, so if you're not prepared for that, then now is the time to trade them in for something a bit smaller.
Big Vine
Sorry I can't find the link to it off the top of my head, but I recently read a thread on here where members were talking about housing bala sharks. Some experienced hobbyists came to the conclusion that the 2 or so that they had probably would've been happier in something larger than their 55 gallon tank...but they survived in there okay.
They suggested that a 75 gallon would be better.
At 60 gallons you're probably fine, although you're right...they will get big, so if you're not prepared for that, then now is the time to trade them in for something a bit smaller.
Big Vine
mcsully said:
The Bala Shark has me a little worried. I read where they can get up to 16 inches long. That is a concern since I don't want a fish that big