Advice on Tank Set up

[Eddie]

Do you guys have any thoughts on how best to start tank cycling?

I was thinking on starting off with some fish that would become dithering. Maybe cardinals,corys or bnp or something similar.

But I wasn't sure on the correct numbers to start with as any large tank I have started in the passed has access to aged filters and water.

Thanks

Stew

Cycling with fish can introduce parasite/bacteria making newly arrived, stressed discus, very easy targets. Best to do a fishless cycle.

Eddie

[akumastew]

Best to do a fishless cycle.

Thansk Eddie.

Could you provide a link for fishless cycle? Or just give me a description here.

[akumastew]

How hard is too hard and how high of a PH? Lots of people keep discus in the high 7 range with alot of success.

Eddie

pH: 7.8

GH: <1 dH I don't quite understand this one, but the tetra test kit I had changed color with the first drop. I repeated the test a number of times and got the same result. Although, my water does go through a chemical water softener before it gets to the faucets. Would this be the reason?

KH: 11 dH

CO2: 3 ppm

[Eddie]

Thansk Eddie.

Could you provide a link for fishless cycle? Or just give me a description here.

http://forum.simplydiscus.com/showth...fishless+cycle

[Eddie]

pH: 7.8

GH: <1 dH I don't quite understand this one, but the tetra test kit I had changed color with the first drop. I repeated the test a number of times and got the same result. Although, my water does go through a chemical water softener before it gets to the faucets. Would this be the reason?

KH: 11 dH

CO2: 3 ppm

Your PH is fine, your low GH, I wouldn't be able to tell you. Some water experts may be able to chime in on that one. Never dealt with low GH.

Eddie

[akumastew]

A guy at my LFS was telling me they have bacteria in a bottle to start the cycle.

Any thoughts on this?

- Stew

[Eddie]

A guy at my LFS was telling me they have bacteria in a bottle to start the cycle.

Any thoughts on this?

- Stew

It helps stew but I usually use it when the colony has been set back from meds or something.

Check out the threads in the water works section about Al's fishless cycle. Miracle grow my friend.

Eddie

[akumastew]

Your PH is fine, your low GH, I wouldn't be able to tell you. Some water experts may be able to chime in on that one. Never dealt with low GH.

Eddie

I think I worked out what causes my low GH.

My water goes through a water softener before it goes to the faucet I used. I am told this lowers the GH, but adds some Sodium to the water.

Does anyone know if there is any reason why I can not collect water after the water softener?

[frenchie100]

Hi Stew- You would want a higher GH to grow the discus.

As for the pH, you want to check the stability by aging it for 24 hrs in a bucket with air bubbles and heat. Then check the pH again. I don't remember exactly but I think it is that if you have more than a 0.6 difference then it is unstable, therefore very stressfull for the fish.

Congrats on the big tank!

Good luck,

Julie

[akumastew]

Finally I got everything installed.

What a pain in the butt, cleaning 150bs of gravel.

Got the RO hooked up, just waiting on the water.

RO results:

pH: 6.5

GH: <1

KH: <1

I have some R/O right on hand to add to the water to correct the hardness.

Hopefully I will have enough water by Monday to start up the filters.

- Stew