ph - gh - kh ?

[alpine]

Hello, I am starting to set up 3 tanks. Just finished building my 10 feet long plataform, figured two 29 gallon and a 55 gallon tanks. I just used my Aquarium pharmaceutical Test kit and read PH 7.0 , KH 120 - GH 150 out of the faucet .Are those Good values to start with ?
I planned on cycling the tank (one first) (29) and after introducing five 2 to 2 1/2 discus ????.
I plan to FishLess cycle.
Another question ? Do I have to paint or cover the sides of the tanks ?
Thank you,
Roberto Munoz

[Northwestcoastdisc]

Hi alpine,

Yes you can paint your tank. When tank is empty. you can use paint for wall that paint can wash by water , Its safe for aquarium. do not spray paint or oil paint, are very toxic.

Your water level is fine.

Yes you have to do w/c a lot for 2 to 3 weeks when the sponge filter will full cycled


hth

Duncan

[RyanH]

Hey Roberto,

I would let your water sit overnight while you aerate it and then test your pH again. You want to be sure your pH is stable. If it comes out of the tap at 7 and then drops to 6 your fish will not be happy. :)

-Ryan

[alpine]

Duncan, thanks for the reply. What I meant is , Do I have to paint or cover the sides ? The bottom and the back are painted already.

Thanks,
Roberto.

[alpine]

Ryan, I am going to get a small container and let the water sit overnight and I will retest tomorrow again.

Thanks,
Roberto.

[RyanH]

No problem Roberto.

If you can, drop an airstone in your container of tap water to agitate it. This allows the CO2 to "offgas" which will stabilize your pH to its real aged value.

Also, if your tank is already painted and you are happy with what it looks like then don't bother.

HTH! :)

-Ryan

[Northwestcoastdisc]

hi alpine,

you are welcome, Yes you can paint 3 sides of your tank and bottom too. you can pick your own personal color paint on your tanks. when the breed pairs like to be private to spawn best interested for them make comfortable to care fry.

hth

Duncan

[Carol_Roberts]

GH and KH are fine for juveniles. I bet your pH goes from 7.0 to 7.8 after aeration. That is fine too, but it means you will have to aerate (circulate, agitate) your water to stabilize the pH before water changes. I don't paint my tanks - it's strictly your preference. Use latex paint as Duncan advised if you do paint. Five 2 1/2 inch discus will outgrow the 29 gallon in a month or two, better get a 55 ready to fishless cycle soon :)

[alpine]

Well, I left a bowl of water out overnight and this afternoon it read 7.4 ph.I could not areate, my pump etc was ordered last week from Aquacave. I guess that will still be good .
I have been dragging on doing all this, building the stand and deciding what tanks I want, I just realized the 55 gallon is 2 inches taller than the 29's, so I might have to redo my 10 foot long stand :o , the room is above the garage and has slanted walls so I made it so I have just enough room to get the Aquaclear filters off in the back of the 29's .

Well, off to reread that method for fishless cycling ( I still don not understand how I would not need any fish waste , food or bacteria to get the process done properly.

thanks to all,
Roberto.

[RyanH]

The beneficial bacteria that you want to cultivate while doing a fishless cycle feed on Ammonia and Nitrites. Ammonia is a by-product of fishwaste. By adding ammonia to your tank during the cycling process in the absence of fish, you are giving the bacteria something to consume while it multiplies and colonizes the filter substrate.

I hope this answers your question. :)

-Ryan

[alpine]

Ryan, thanks again. What I meant is I do not understand where the Bacteria that I am feeding and multiplying with the ammonia has come from ? I though that my best bet would be to add a bacteria product available in pet shops to enrich the bacteria presence in the tank as i am doing the FishLess cycling. I think seachem makes one called Stability ?
Sorry I did not phrase my concern properly .

Roberto.

[Northwestcoastdisc]

hi alpine,

I agree with Carol and RyanH are great explain,

Let me try explain him can understand.

1) Discus like lot of water changes will not hurt.

2) new tank, new sponge filter, etc are have no cycled. you have to do w/c a lot for 3 to 4 weeks as you do w/c everyday. you would not worry about fish. If everything are new set, you don't do water change very often then the water will kill your fish by Ammonia and Nitrites. the ammonia and nitirites are very toxic because sponge filter have no complect cycled.

Carol and I told you about your water is fine and perfect for your little discus.

3) You can feed them small amount 3 or 5 time a day, Please do not over feed them during the new tank are not ready cycle for 3 to 4 weeks.

If you want to buy seachem makes one called Stability, I would not need them. They want pull your money.

4) you love discus then you should care of them better, you will enjoy seeing little discus grow to adults it would be fun!

HTH

Duncan

[Carol_Roberts]

The bacteria are in the air all around you. :)

[alpine]

Carol, so the bacteria is present in the water already. I though I might want to enrichen the amount of bacteria present so I could build a more powerfull biological filter.
You think is good enough just working with whatever might be present in the water and air ??

Another question. The Ammonia I found at the supermarket reads in the ingridient definition= Soft Water, Ammonium Hydroxide, Quality Control Agent(s). What do you think? the part with Qaulity Control Agents worry me.

Should I use "Seachem Prime" for the water in the cycling process ??

Now the last question I have been trying to ask and have been misunderstood. For keeping 5 or 6 small discus ..Should I cover the sides of the tanks or can I leave the clear ?? I do not want to paint or cover if I do not have to.

Duncan , thanks for you time replying...pretty Cool choice of words :)

Sorry for having so many questions...is a whole New World..and you guys seem so Knowledgable ..

Roberto Munoz

[Carol_Roberts]

Keep the tank sides clear.
Use Prime to get rid of chlorine or chloramine.
It the ammonia does not suds or smell perfumy it should be OK
You can stick something like a decoration or rock from an existing healthy cycled freshwater fish tank in the new tank to speed process, but run the risk of introducing snails or other bad things.

[Northwestcoastdisc]

hi alpine,

No problems and enjoy seeing little discus growing bigger.

Good luck

Duncan

[alpine]

well, Today I added my Ammonia. it took 8 tsp for the 55 and 6 tsp for the 29 gallon tank to bring it close to 8 ppm. I decided not to add any additive bacteria product. The temperature is 84 degrees. PH stabilized at 7.4, KH is 80 and GH is 150 . I added the Prime. Everything looks real Good. Now I wait .. and wait to add the :fish: .

Roberto.

[RyanH]

Hey Roberto,

You should have a fully cycled tank in 3-4 weeks. After the second week you can start to monitor your bio-filter by checking ammonia and nitrite levels. As your ammonia starts to drop, your nitrite will rise. When you see a drop in nitrite, you should see a rise in nitrates. You will then have a fully cycled filter and will be ready to add fish.

hth!
-Ryan

[babyjess210]

Hey Roberto
At first I had a hard time understanding too and after a long 6 weeks the filter finally cycled with just ammonia. Now all my filter are fully cycled and with the 50% WC daily my discus are growing thanks to everyone @ simplydiscus. Nothing but the best advice here.
Good Luck
Kenny

[alpine]

hey, today I came home and found the 29 gallon tank is kind of cloudy ??

Roberto.

[funkyfish]

hey robert it's normal. not sure why it does it but all the tanks i have ever set up have done the same thing it will be cloudy for a few days then clear up . it's just part or the cycle good luck

steve

[alpine]

Nitrites are starting to show up. I have a reading of .50 ppm on two of the tanks. :D My question , how high the nitrite reading gets before ammonia is eliminated and nitrates start showing up. How far in the cycle I am in when nitrites show to .50 ppm ?

Thanks,
roberto
" Fishless in kentucky "

[Carol_Roberts]

You have a more than a week, but maybe less than two . . .