What fish would you add? If any? And also more cycling Qs.

[Whitecloud09]

So for those who have been reading this topic, know that I am trying to cycle my aquarium

So i have some questions. But first, what are we even talking about? 

My tank is a Marineland 20g long tank. I have been doing the cycle for 1 and half months i think now, and i am starting to wonder about these two products.

1. Dr tim's one and only bb.

2. His ammonium chloride. 

Both are ok products, but whenever I had my ammonia spike, in my 10g tank, link below, I wondered after using those 2 main products for my fishless cycle. Is there a slight chance that the ammonia that is not artifical, but kinda not the number one option, is what caused the spike? My memory fails me of what somebody said about the cycle a while back to me but i am not here to go on and on on my thoughts. What i am here to ask is this. 

What fish would you add?

Why?

Because i was thinking of adding a small small bioload. Of fish, and i am mainly thinking a schooling fish. But i do not want to overdue it with my bb, since it can only handle 1.5 ppm ammonia in 24hrs. Since after adding ammonia in 24hrs my ammonia is always .50 ppm, and nitrite is always .50 ppm. So that means it can handle 1.5 ppm ammonia correct? So what fish would you put in there for the start, if you put fish. I am not making a final decsion about the fish and if i want to add them but idk, i am just gathering opinons, and thinking about different ways about going about this.

I have live plants btw.

Amazon sword. 

Vallisnaria. 

Micro sword. 

Dwarf sag.

Anubias hastifolia.

But i have a order coming in on Tuesday of more plants from AC.

What is your thoughts abut my cycle? My ammonia nitrite always go to 0 within a few days to. So thinking as if i got fish, i would need to do lots wcs. TIA.

If this makes sense lol.

Oh ya and paremters now. Ammonia .50 ppm. Ph is 7.5. Nitrite is .50 too.

Weirdest and longest ammonia spike lol.

Edited July 20 by Whitecloud09

[face]

I can’t really say what fish you should get lots of options in a 20 but if I wanted to see if my tank was ready for fish I’d wait till you have no ammonia and then feed the tank like you had fish for a few days if there’s no ammonia then it can handle the bio load 

[lefty o]

if you lightly stock to start with, there is zero reason you would have to be doing lots of water changes.

[johnnyxxl]

On 7/20/2024 at 10:23 AM, face said:

I can’t really say what fish you should get lots of options in a 20 but if I wanted to see if my tank was ready for fish I’d wait till you have no ammonia and then feed the tank like you had fish for a few days if there’s no ammonia then it can handle the bio load 

Cherry Barb, they are cute I love mine 

[Whitecloud09]

On 7/20/2024 at 10:23 AM, face said:

I can’t really say what fish you should get lots of options in a 20 but if I wanted to see if my tank was ready for fish I’d wait till you have no ammonia and then feed the tank like you had fish for a few days if there’s no ammonia then it can handle the bio load 

I add ammonia, it (ammonia and nitrite) go to 0 within 2-3bdays.could add fish? Thoughts? @face. Is that good enough?

On 7/20/2024 at 11:12 AM, lefty o said:

if you lightly stock to start with, there is zero reason you would have to be doing lots of water changes.

I meant just in case they do add ammonia. I don’t have fish yet.

On 7/20/2024 at 11:47 AM, johnnyxxl said:

Cherry Barb, they are cute I love mine 

Thanks for the fish recommendation!!

[EricksonAquatics]

Something I like to do is go to a website that sells a lot of fish (such as Dans Fish or AquaHuna or AquaticArts) and look at their list of schooling fish. Gives you lots of ideas!

[Whitecloud09]

@face, so if the ammonia and nitrite can go to 0 within a few days I should be fine to go with fish??

On 7/20/2024 at 1:40 PM, EricksonAquatics said:

Something I like to do is go to a website that sells a lot of fish (such as Dans Fish or AquaHuna or AquaticArts) and look at their list of schooling fish. Gives you lots of ideas!

Thank you so much! I will look into that! @EricksonAquatics

Edited July 20 by Whitecloud09

[Tony s]

You’ve been wanting pandas forever. Get as many as you can. They actually travel to most areas of the tank. Constantly chasing each other up and down. Then maybe 3 honey gourami 

[Whitecloud09]

On 7/20/2024 at 1:56 PM, Tony s said:

You’ve been wanting pandas forever. Get as many as you can. They actually travel to most areas of the tank. Constantly chasing each other up and down. Then maybe 3 honey gourami 

Thank you! How many to start off with do u think @Tony s?

[Tony s]

Start slow. Maybe 6. Then build to 12 or so 

[Whitecloud09]

On 7/20/2024 at 2:08 PM, Tony s said:

Start slow. Maybe 6. Then build to 12 or so 

Thank you! I’ll see where I can get them! What is your thoughts about this? @Tony s.  The post @face made. And the one where I replied. Do you really think it is ok for me to get fish? Thanks 

Edited July 20 by Whitecloud09

[EricksonAquatics]

I personally think it is. 6 panda Cory’s shouldn’t add too much bio load so just test for ammonia and nitrite daily, doing water changes as needed. I would do a big water change before you actually put the pandas in. Just to make sure you’re at 0 ammonia and 0 nitrite. 🙂

And your new plants will help! Plant jungles for the win!

[Tony s]

If you’re reading 0 ammonia and zero nitrite, you should be fine. If not a couple more days isn’t going to hurt anything. And 6 pandas in a 20 is a good number to start with. Then build from there. The more pandas you keep, the more natural their behavior gets. Don’t rush it. Save some space. Or you’ll end up like the rest of us with multiple tanks 😂

[Tony s]

On 7/20/2024 at 7:37 AM, Whitecloud09 said:

Ammonia .50 ppm. Ph is 7.5. Nitrite is .50

Ya, if this is what you have. Going to need a bit more time. Not much 

[Whitecloud09]

On 7/20/2024 at 3:13 PM, EricksonAquatics said:

I personally think it is. 6 panda Cory’s shouldn’t add too much bio load so just test for ammonia and nitrite daily, doing water changes as needed. I would do a big water change before you actually put the pandas in. Just to make sure you’re at 0 ammonia and 0 nitrite. 🙂

And your new plants will help! Plant jungles for the win!

Thank you @EricksonAquatics, I am thinking of buying those corys. So here is my plan. Wait until the ammonia nitrite are 0. The day after both hit zero, wait a extra day and then do a big boy change add prime. Thanks!!!! I am going to order them prob too.

 

On 7/20/2024 at 4:17 PM, Tony s said:

If you’re reading 0 ammonia and zero nitrite, you should be fine. If not a couple more days isn’t going to hurt anything. And 6 pandas in a 20 is a good number to start with. Then build from there. The more pandas you keep, the more natural their behavior gets. Don’t rush it. Save some space. Or you’ll end up like the rest of us with multiple tanks 😂

Lol. And I am going to set up my 5g soon lol! Thank you, I appreciate it @Tony s. 

 

On 7/20/2024 at 4:44 PM, Tony s said:

Ya, if this is what you have. Going to need a bit more time. Not much 

Yes maybe a few more days. Thanks!