New 54 Litre Aquarium, Advice

coolhandspan

Hi Folks,
Total beginner just purchased a 54l 60x30 Aquarium kit with lights, filter and heater as a kit.
I added the dechlorinator and safe start bacteria 10 days ago. 24 hrs apart. let tank run for approx 8 days. Added 7 neon tetras yesterday.
All seem fine.
Just did 25 per cent water change this morning.

Looking for advice re: stocking levels, cycling and when to add a couple more fish.

btw when lights come on tetras get a bit fighty and territorial??
thanks in advance

Knine

You need to get a testing kit to test the water. I'm not really a fan of that bacteria in a bottle. Your tank might not be cycled so if that process begins you could lose those fish. It would be better if you could get some sponge from an established tank to help the bacteria along.

In terms of stocking levels you won't fit much more into that tank. You could try a couple of platy or guppies.

The best of luck. Fish are great. You will probably end up getting a bigger tank.

coolhandspan

Thanks for reply, very helpful. I am planning on getting water tested at fish store at week end. Do far all tetras doin well. They are still aggressive under full lights. .

Alkers

I would be doing daily partial water changes until you can get your water tested.

coolhandspan

Thanks Simona, did a 20 per cent change yeaterday and today using tap filtered water and aqua safe. Still all OK. I will post water test results on sat. Should be interestin to see if cycling finished by then.

Knine

Also meant to say to you that you would be better off using Prime for your Water. It is a bit more pricey but I find it the best and you actually use very little of it.

Sleepy

The first rule of fishkeeping: Nothing Good Happens Fast.

Take it slowly, don't add any more fish for a month or so. Let the tank adjust to what you have and keep up the daily water changes until you are 100% sure it's cycled (Consistent Test readings of 0ppm Nitrite, 0ppm Ammonia present, 1 - 10 ppm Nitrate).

If you need something to sate your appetite for doing something: adding some plants to the tank is almost always a good idea (they consume Nitrate and help filter your water).

CruelCoin

Bottle bacteria is never as good as a naturally formed colony in your filter. The bacteria needs a food source (ammonia & nitrite) which are not provided in the bottle. The bacteria have been going hungry for 8 days, so i wouldn't expect there to be a great colony in your filter...

Best way to do the cycling is to add some food, wait for it to break down, you'll see some ammonia appearing, then some nitrite, then some nitrate.
When you start seeing some nitrate add some more food, and build it up gradually untill you are at the point where adding a daily feeding amount of food does not show any ammonia or nitrite, only nitrate. At that point and only at that point is the tank cycled and safe for fish.

Doing a fish-in cycle as you are now, i'd be amazed if you don't lose a few over the next month or so.

Chlorine is a gas, and instead of using a dechlorinator and adding more chemicals to the tank, just leave the water it sit in a bucket overnight. The water will get to room temperature which reduces shock on the fish and the gas will just evaporate out of the water by itself. No need for the additive if you're patient.

Plants are great. The more hiding spots (plants, caves, etc) you can give your tetras, the calmer they will be.
They won't actually use the hiding spots, but even the availability of it really helps good temperament.
I have a thin layer of duckweed covering the top of my tank. Water beneath is nicely shaded and the duckweed grows like no mans business and devours nitrate.
Last year i actually had to add Nitrate as the duckweed was starving my other plants!

Oh, welcome to the hobby! Prepare to get sucked in hard...

CruelCoin

Knine wrote: »

In terms of stocking levels you won't fit much more into that tank. You could try a couple of platy or guppies.

7 neon tetras in a 50lt tank is an extremely over-safe limit.

The tank can easily handle much more than that, the only real limit should be adult size of the fish, and how often the OP can do regular water changes to maintain low Nitrate (for the record, i do a few jugs daily, less shocking to the system than 20% in bulk).

coolhandspan

Thanks cruelcoin. At moment have 7 neons and 2 ruby barbs in tank. A pair. All fish are doing well. Ordered a master test kit on line from UK. Only have a few decorations and large plastic plant as cover. Is there an easy natural plant ? I have yellow sand on bottom of tank. About 1 inch thick? Any advice on fish to add in a few weeks. Thinking maybe 3 small Cory's and a guppy???

CruelCoin

coolhandspan wrote: »

Thanks cruelcoin. At moment have 7 neons and 2 ruby barbs in tank. A pair. All fish are doing well. Ordered a master test kit on line from UK. Only have a few decorations and large plastic plant as cover. Is there an easy natural plant ? I have yellow sand on bottom of tank. About 1 inch thick? Any advice on fish to add in a few weeks. Thinking maybe 3 small Cory's and a guppy???

Cory's and tetra are all schooling fish and do better in larger groups (at least 5 for the Cory's)

I wouldn't bother with the Guppy. Totally different fish to the rest of them.

In a 50lt tank, i'd go with 10 cory (all of the same species), 10 tetra (again, all the same species), and leave it at that.

Also, Cory's are sometimes wild-caught, ask the shop which they are. Wild-caught fish are much more skittish than reared fish......go reared for now while you find your feet.

You need to think about activity in the tank. Tetra will occupy the middle of the tank, while the cory's will occupy the bottom. You always want there to be something interesting for you to look at in all areas on the tank.
For the top layer, try a Golden Wonder Killiefish (will eat guppies and anything else it can fit in its gob, so be careful) Lovely little things they are.

penev10

coolhandspan wrote: »

Is there an easy natural plant ? I have yellow sand on bottom of tank. About 1 inch thick? Any advice

Can be tough getting stuff to root in sand, needs root tabs for a start.

I'd stick with plants that don't need to be planted in substrate. Stuff like anubias, Java Fern and moss can be attached to wood or rocks and are fairly bulletproof. Won't need fertiliser or high light and will grow slowly.

You can even get them pre-attached to wood in some shops or from fellow hobbyists.

Boooourns

I have a 54ltr as well, I have 4 zebra fish and a gold fish in there. My son was originally bought 2 goldfish in a bowl so I upgraded to a 20ltr where one died so I upgraded again to a 54ltr. I hope to go bigger in the future but that's where I'm at now. I'm not sure the tank is big enough for the goldfish now going by some opinions but I'm stuck with it for now, any advice on what other fish I can add to the tank?
Cheers.

CruelCoin

Boooourns wrote: »

I have a 54ltr as well, I have 4 zebra fish and a gold fish in there. My son was originally bought 2 goldfish in a bowl so I upgraded to a 20ltr where one died so I upgraded again to a 54ltr. I hope to go bigger in the future but that's where I'm at now. I'm not sure the tank is big enough for the goldfish now going by some opinions but I'm stuck with it for now, any advice on what other fish I can add to the tank?
Cheers.

The goldfish probably died because you didn't cycle the tank. The tank is large enough for now, but eventually that goldfish will turn into this:
http://dlgdxii3fgupk.cloudfront.net/myaquariumclub.com/images/fbfiles/images/image-623e05343011ea5e4538f8668b92e485_v_1407155404.jpg

You will eventually need a much larger tank than 54lt. Eventually.

Some tankmates for goldfish are discussed here:
https://pethelpful.com/fish-aquariums/Goldfish-Tankmates-Aquarium-Companions

Boooourns

CruelCoin wrote: »

The goldfish probably died because you didn't cycle the tank. The tank is large enough for now, but eventually that goldfish will turn into this:
http://dlgdxii3fgupk.cloudfront.net/myaquariumclub.com/images/fbfiles/images/image-623e05343011ea5e4538f8668b92e485_v_1407155404.jpg

You will eventually need a much larger tank than 54lt. Eventually.

Some tankmates for goldfish are discussed here:
https://pethelpful.com/fish-aquariums/Goldfish-Tankmates-Aquarium-Companions

Jasus the size of him! I have mine nearly 2 years now, hasn't really grown much tbh.

CruelCoin

Boooourns wrote: »

Jasus the size of him! I have mine nearly 2 years now, hasn't really grown much tbh.

Don't quote me on this, but adult goldfish make it to 15 years!

kylith

CruelCoin wrote: »

Don't quote me on this, but adult goldfish make it to 15 years!

They're a type of carp, some species of which can live up to 40 years! I rehomed my last one to a pond when he got so big he couldn't comfortably turn round in a tank.

coolhandspan

OK folks just a quick update all fish still alive , total stock is now, 1 panda cory, 1 serbai cory, 2 endlers, one guppy, and 7 neon tetras. also have the biggest ugliest amano ahrimp... thats my lot.... thanks for advice.. doing reg water changes and sand cleaning.. all good so far,

kylith

If you have the room you'd do well to up the numbers of your corys, they're a schooling fish and would do best with at least 6

TechnoFreek

Just a small update to say tank is cycling. Added some ammonia and nitrites have spiked.
Just managing those to come down now.

CruelCoin

TechnoFreek wrote: »

Just a small update to say tank is cycling. Added some ammonia and nitrites have spiked.
Just managing those to come down now.

Cool,
Soon that'll go to nitrates.

Once you start seeing nitrates, add a small amount of ammonia daily. Once you can add ammonia and its all gone inside of 2 hours or so, you're laughing and ready for fish.

Post some pics once you're done!

TechnoFreek

Thanks dude. Ammonia was stuck at 4ppm for the last week or more bit finally started heading south last night.

Nitrites still sky high so need those guys coming down next

TechnoFreek

Small update, tank has finished cycling. Yeah!
Hope to go fish shopping on Saturday.

Seahorse was the place I had planned to go as I'm down in Wicklow and passing there.

My plan is to get Panda Cory's, Harlequin rasboras and honey gourami.

Seahorse have the gourami and hope to have stock of rasboras by Friday but the Panda Cory's are currently 15 quid each!
Does that not sound really expensive. I was expecting two for that price!

penev10

Panda corys should never be that price, they're usually about €5 I thought.

Don't add all of those fish at once as you won't have built up enough bacteria to handle the bio load.

Id leave the gourami until last as that would be the most sensitive of those fish

TechnoFreek

penev10 wrote: »

Panda corys should never be that price, they're usually about €5 I thought.

Don't add all of those fish at once as you won't have built up enough bacteria to handle the bio load.

Id leave the gourami until last as that would be the most sensitive of those fish

Thanks penev. I've been topping up and clearing 2ppm ammonia and resulting nitrites within 24 hours for last few days. I read that should result in enough bacteria to allow adding all fish at once

penev10

TechnoFreek wrote: »

Thanks penev. I've been topping up and clearing 2ppm ammonia and resulting nitrites within 24 hours for last few days. I read that should result in enough bacteria to allow adding all fish at once

Hard to know really, you'd need to gauge how many mg of food to feed which will produce an ammonia level of less than 2ppm.

Gauging how much to feed is one of the most difficult things to get right, requires the experience to know what to be monitoring. There's no guide anywhere for it.

I'm still clueless myself at times and always err on the side of caution. Which is what I'd recommend when stocking also.

There's no right way to do things though and everyone has different experiences.

TechnoFreek

Cool, thanks for the detailed reply.

The way things look, the fish additions will end up staggered if Seahorse don't have what I need at the right price.

There is a petstop near me in Gorey with an ok selection of tropical fish for that type of store. They can order in anything you want however it will be to order so won't really be able to select the best of the lot.

TechnoFreek

Picked up fish yesterday.

2 honey gourami (male and female)
12 rasbora espei
6 cory sterbai

Everyone still a bit skittish but settling in