Hi all

Hi Guys,

I am currently 30 days into cycling my first aquarium. Unfortunately I have made a couple of mistakes which have added time to the process but I know I want to get it right before I put anything in my 54l tank.

As for the shops I have been getting advice, I have been well looked after by Dessy and the lads in Maxi Zoo.

I hope to set the tank up as a endlers tank as I think they are fascinating creatures. My initial idea was to have a pair of German Blue rams but I will wait until I become more than a beginner.

Just got to wait until the ammonia in the tank falls and I'm good to go!

Well if you seed your filter in the tank there is a quicker process than waiting. In fact it could be instant. Ask around for someone in your area to see if you can get some filter sqeezings and you'd be away for road then. Oh and as for the endlers ,firstly dont mix them with guppys and secondly stick to males only, otherwise you will be over ran very quickly in that tank with too many fry and not enough places to store or offload them!
The best of luck with the project, its good to see the shops are helping you along your journey.

Gavin

Hi John,

Thanks for you reply.

Unfortunately, the I put in a large piece of driftwood to close to the filter stopping the flow of water. I also was leaving the light on for too long but this is something that has been rectified. And yes you are right, Dessy has warned me that the ammonia is high again because i could be going through a second cycle (I basically started again after my mistake).

I have seen the Organic Aqua in the shop but wasn't sure if it was a quality product. I am very willing to be patient but would you also recommend this?

I have read online that using the filter squeezing of a well set up healthy tank will help. What would you think of that?

Hey Gavin, Thanks for your reply
I must have replied to John while you were answering to the thread haha. You must be physic because you answered one of my questions!

That's an excellent point about being over-run with them breeding. I think the males are very very pretty fish, so that would be no concern only keeping them.

I was thinking of 4-6 endlers. 3 Pgymy cories. Maybe one or two other fish.

Would you think that this is over stocking a 54l tank?

No not at all, you easily get away with 4-6 endlers, and in fact Id add more than 3 pgymy corys, they prefer to be in larger numbers, so Id say go with maybe 7 or 10 in fact. On top of that you could add some cherry shrimp to the tank also to add abit of life around the substrate also, as the pgymy corys will be in the mid water quite a bit as well as the substrate.

As for the light, you can leave it off, it doesnt need to be on during the cylcing stage, leaving them on will only add to the algae, which will kick off in a newly set up tank very quickly with so many nurtients and ammonia in there in the cylcing stage.. It might just add some algae to it if you left the lights on, but otherwise no, you can leave it off.

Gavin

GoldfishGambler wrote:

I have seen the Organic Aqua in the shop but wasn't sure if it was a quality product. I am very willing to be patient but would you also recommend this?

Plenty on here will tell you Organic Aqua is a quality product and it is, though it's probably good that your working through naturally cycling your first tank. It's good to understand the process

LemonJelly wrote:

GoldfishGambler wrote:

I have seen the Organic Aqua in the shop but wasn't sure if it was a quality product. I am very willing to be patient but would you also recommend this?

Plenty on here will tell you Organic Aqua is a quality product and it is, though it's probably good that your working through naturally cycling your first tank. It's good to understand the process

Solid product that works but good to understand the cycle - I used the word 'cycle' but enough on that as this in itself has been hotly debated in here....

Hi Welcome to the forum you have good fish eyes looking to get german blue rams as your first fish they are amazing fish but the recommendation of getting more experience is spot on and endlers are perfect to start with and they are also a very cool fish if you get males and female you will be seeing the breeding side of things very quickly which is brilliant to see as a newbie best of luck pal this is only the start each year the tank will get bigger or the tanks will multiply lol

Hi guys,

Thanks for the warm welcome

Just a quick update, I purchased 7 pygmy corys today from seahorse aquariums. They are stunning - especially the way they shoal

As they are the first fish I have put in the tank I left the light of but have been watching them for the past two hours. I'm worried the filter is too strong! Other that. That they seem to be looking for food and look well! Touch wood they settle!

GoldfishGambler wrote:

Hi guys,

Thanks for the warm welcome

Just a quick update, I purchased 7 pygmy corys today from seahorse aquariums. They are stunning - especially the way they shoal

As they are the first fish I have put in the tank I left the light of but have been watching them for the past two hours. I'm worried the filter is too strong! Other that. That they seem to be looking for food and look well! Touch wood they settle!

what makes you think it's too strong?

When they swim towards the filter they seem to be slightly struggling? Should i try and deflect it some way?

not necessarily. some fish just enjoy swimming into the flow. is there anywhere in the tank that doesn't have high flow?

LemonJelly wrote:

GoldfishGambler wrote:

I have seen the Organic Aqua in the shop but wasn't sure if it was a quality product. I am very willing to be patient but would you also recommend this?

Plenty on here will tell you Organic Aqua is a quality product and it is, though it's probably good that your working through naturally cycling your first tank. It's good to understand the process

could'nt agree more, im a big user of organic aqua but think its much better that you learn the basics of tank chemistry and how its all inter linked.

LemonJelly wrote:

not necessarily. some fish just enjoy swimming into the flow. is there anywhere in the tank that doesn't have high flow?

Yep I made a groove in the substrate so they can shelter if needs be, although they seems to be settling in great now

As for the cycle, I thouroughly enjoyed the cycle. The empty tank was almost a focal point for tranquility in the room, and although it took longer than expected the water was ready this morning

Must say a big thank you to everyone who replied, you all have been very welcoming and its been great!