# Help with new setup



## Guest (Jun 9, 2005)

Hello,

I just setup a 20 gallon tank this past sunday.I have two pink gouramis and two rosy barbs in there now.I've noticed some strange behavior.It seems like they are "chasing" their refections around the tank.They only do it when the tank light is on or when I have the room light on.At night when the lights are off,I can see them just swimming about the tank calmly.

What I'm wondering is if this is what it is or if it is a sign of something else.I let the tank run for 24 hours before adding any fish,as I seem to keep finding conflicting information about how long before adding fish to help cycle the tank.I've been doing the tests and here is my current readings :

Ammonia-.25 (this was at almost nothing,then jumped to .5 in about 12 hours,has come down recently)
Nitrite All I can tell with this test is that it is in the safe zone for now,appears to be going up.
Nitrate : Same goes with this one.It has gone up in the 12 hours as well

I also have a question about these as well.How high is too high?I know my tank is cycling,so is it safe for the fish?How much can they withstand?Any help would be appreciated.Thanks!


----------



## Fishfirst (Jan 24, 2005)

Well unfortunately no fish should be subject to the cycle. Major problems arise and if a person likes to keep the fish that are subject to the cycle, then the cycle takes longer because of so many water changes needed to keep the fish alive. A fishless cycle would have been best but now... you gotta do a cycle with fish. Any ammonia can kill, but most fish can tolerate it up to .5 (anything past that and its almost a 90% chance your fish will die). Nitrite is even more toxic in freshwater systems. I would say you don't want anything over .5 again. Add a little aquarium salt to lower the toxicisity of the nitrite. Nitrate is way less toxic, and can be read at 40 to 80 without detremental effects on hardy species of fish. Cycling fishless takes about 3-4 weeks... cycling with fish can take 4-? weeks... 

On another note... some of the fish you have selected for a 20 gallon get way to big (the gouramis get 8"). And the barbs are schooling fish, if you can get 5 or 7 rosy barbs they would much appriciate it.


----------



## Fishfirst (Jan 24, 2005)

oh and welcome to fishforums, hope you find a lot of useful information here!


----------



## fish_doc (Jan 31, 2005)

Be sure to check your water straight from the tap also.You might be suprised at the readings. 
A proper cycle usually takes about a month. The ammonia will jump than settle to near zero while the ammonia is zeroing out the nitrite will start climbing. Once this peaks this will start the downward trend and nitrate will then climb. The only way to lower nitrate is through water changes.
Readings as close to zero is the best readings you can strive for.


----------



## MyraVan (Jan 19, 2005)

It's normal for rosy barbs to chase their reflections in the tank. Mine do it all the time.

If you were going to do a cycle with fish, just starting off with the 2 rosy barbs would have been better; they are quite tough. It would be a good idea to take back the gouramis while your tank is cycling, so you have less fish generating wastes while the tank is cycling. BTW, Fishfirst wrote that you should have more rosy barbs. While this would be a good idea, don't get any more fish until after your tank is fully cycled! 

You wrote "I let the tank run for 24 hours before adding any fish,as I seem to keep finding conflicting information about how long before adding fish to help cycle the tank." 

You've got the terminology a bit confused here. "Cycling the tank" refers to the gradual buildup of the bacteria that process the fish wastes. If you don't have fish, or some other source of ammonia in the tank, you are *not* cycling the tank. At all. So when should you add fish? If you are doing a cycle with fish, then as long as you have added water conditioner to the water to eliminate chlorine etc, and your heater has raised the temp to the desired level, then you can add fish at any time. If you are doing a fishless cycle, then you don't add fish for several weeks, until after the cycle has completed.


----------



## osteoporoosi (Jan 27, 2005)

Usually this behaviour appears when having bad water rates or when the fish are begging for food.


----------



## Guest (Jun 10, 2005)

MyraVan said:


> It's normal for rosy barbs to chase their reflections in the tank. Mine do it all the time.
> 
> 
> You wrote "I let the tank run for 24 hours before adding any fish,as I seem to keep finding conflicting information about how long before adding fish to help cycle the tank."
> ...


----------



## fish_doc (Jan 31, 2005)

It is fine to change some of the water just dont do a gravel vac or filter change during this time. Partial water changes will help keep the ammonia levels lower during this time.


----------



## Fishfirst (Jan 24, 2005)

it is okay to do it... it just usually prolongs the nitrogen cycle. It won't harm the bacteria but it does cut down on their food source (the ammonia and nitrites in your water). MyraVan thank you for making that clear about adding rosey barbs later... I kinda spaced that at that moment that he was cycling his tank.


----------

