Question on seeding new Grow-out

[Bass]

Hi,
I’ve almost convinced the wife into letting me get some Penang juvies in a couple of weeks.
I’ll have 8 x 2” Aquatic Eating Machines in a bare 15gal, with AC300 and 50% w/c each night. Will keep them in it for maybe 2-3 months until they need more space.

So…
Feeding routine will be crushed sera Discus granules breakfast, BS lunch (if Lesley remembers), Blood Worm evening entrée, Beef Heart for dinner, and “Discus Dinner” (a well known Spirulina, heart, egg recipe) for bedtime snack before w/c.

If I don’t want to seed the filter as usual from my other Discus... just don’t trust it 100% because one Discus was a little ill a couple of weeks ago. Do I need to do a fishless cycle first (never done one before), or would you expect the bio load with 50% daily w/c to be low enough that I could safely let it seed once they’re in there?

Thanks!

[BlueTurquoise]

Hi Bass!

Gee 15 galons (60 ltrs) sounds smallish for 8 babies, esp if the filter is not matured. I have trouble maintaining 4 babies in a 60 ltr quarantine tank, esp the amount that they eat! :o

I would advise against non-matured filtration, esp if you plan to feed them often. You can do it if you changed water heaps and often (maybe twice a day) and be diligeant but I really think you should go the artificially maturing the filter route. Honestly it's not worth the risk imo.

There is a great resource right here:

http://forum.simplydiscus.com//index.php?board=5;action=display;threadid=1151

This will no doubt answer all your questions about fishless cycling.

Good luck! more importantly post pics!!!

Cheers

[April]

i agree on the small tank and lots of feeds. i had someone who got some of my fry.and had them in a 10 gallon while getting his big tank ready and they all died. most likely ammonia spike or with our water ph crash. with all that food..and small amount of water and 8 fish...id say the water wont stay good for long.
id use sponges from your other tank. it wasnt a virus was it?
you hadnt just bought a new fish and then they got sick? if yes.then no i wouldnt use the sponge. but if he was just not feeling good...then might of just been the fish or whatever.
or.....use a bigger tank. i say 10 gallons is way too small. id go with a 33 at least.

[Smokey]

Bass., do not fool your self... the fry will suffer in such a small environment. You have an A/C 300 on a 15 G tank. WOW ... Placeing some exta foams in the tank will help with the bio-filteration .

ONE suggestion . take a fully developed foam, into a new tank, add some ammonia [ readings of 2- 5ppm}. The "seeded" foam with all it's bio-bacterial, will feed on the ammonia "food source" This could mature a new tank in quick time.

Like April/Chong have mentioned - look into getting a Larger tank ... the 33 will be adequate for a few months.

Remember the old rule of thumb ... 1O GALLONS / 45 LITERS PER DISCUS.

Save up a few pennies and sneak in a 85g / 380 liter unit. You will appreciate the tank; and so will your discus.

Since it is winter , down your way, you should have the time !!! Sure beats going outside and shovelling snow, lol.

Smokey

[Bass]

Thanks everyone!
No new fish, April. I keep emailing Rod to give me all his fry, but he just ignores me for some reason… Don’t think for a moment that I’m not on to your plan, “Queen of the Discies”! ;)

I'll try seeding new filter foam in a spare 150L.
Remember my post about the PB that started spawning then suddenly fell ill? She’s cast the doubt.
She’s better than ever now… just the paranoid corner of my mind still wondering if the media is still harbouring a cause.

My current juvies are gorwing as 8 in 50G. so as you recommend, I won’t try to cut corners with a 10g if I get the new ones.

8 in 50 just seemed like way too much space. So was wondering.


Cheong, I am in Sydney also. Do you know where to get the pure ammonia if you read this?

[April]

Bass...Rod does have some young fry...right now but wont be ready for a few more months or more. id say 3 months. hes waiting for you to come to queensland.....if you do..maybe he would have a harder time saying no.
not sure i even get any yet....
Ari has fry right now...also. maybe you should talk to her and scott. their pics are in photo gallery.

[nalah]

Bass
come over and I'll give you what you need.
bring Lesley.she'll love all the tanks...LOL

[BlueTurquoise]

Pascale's offer is way too good to refuse! ;) I want a full pictured journalist style report of her new tank setup thanks!

;D

I am almost ready to move my babies. It has been 3 weeks and I think another week or so will be enough time. I wish i had more space... so envious of you guys... :-\ :'( :)