stewiefishing Posted March 27, 2015 Share Posted March 27, 2015 Hi all, I'm a newbie here, and am having some cycling issues.Back story.I purchased a 6x2x2 ft tank 3 weeks ago with no filter and was planning on setting it up with a new canister filter and letting it cycle without fish. To my surprise when i went to pick up the tank it still had fish in it. (the person who had agreed to take the fish failed to pick them up. (a win for me)Fist list:Sail fin Pleco approx 150mm2 fire mouth 3 Convicts4 Blue acara1 Blue eye approx 180mmI since purchased two male peacocks from LFS as they were very cheap and i couldnt help myself.So where im at now. I purchase a canister filter 1100 LPH set it all up put in the fish and added some good bacteria from the LFS. Its now been three weeks i have been conducting 25% water changes and testing the water for ammonia and Nitrites. So here is my first questionwhen should things start to settle and start to look after them selves?The latest test results are:No2 0.3ppmBetween 0 and .25 ppmPH 7.9TDS 405ppmI will figure out how to use photobucket and put some photos up as well.Thanks all Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stewiefishing Posted March 27, 2015 Author Share Posted March 27, 2015 ">http:// ">http://http://s1167.photobucket.com/user/stewiefishing/media/IMG_3574_zpsa5lunbxo.jpg.html'> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stewiefishing Posted March 27, 2015 Author Share Posted March 27, 2015 ">http://http://s1167.photobucket.com/user/stewiefishing/media/IMG_3569%20-%20Copy_zpsytgkfoch.jpg.html'> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simy696 Posted March 27, 2015 Share Posted March 27, 2015 looks good bit of a American and Africa mix of fish similar readings I always get.convicts and acaras will probably fight did for me when I had them a few years back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stewiefishing Posted March 27, 2015 Author Share Posted March 27, 2015 From everything i have read an African and American cichlid mix is ok. The only two fish that are showing any aggression are the two peacocks. (Towards each other) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simy696 Posted March 27, 2015 Share Posted March 27, 2015 convicts can hold there own just about anywhere from my experience both convict and acara are American. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simy696 Posted March 27, 2015 Share Posted March 27, 2015 I keep a jack Dempsey pair and there offspring with my Africans male Dempsey does his thing and every one leaves him to it female gets a bit nasty when she has young about but just patrols her young. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stewiefishing Posted March 27, 2015 Author Share Posted March 27, 2015 Well things are looking great this morning two of the convicts seem to be pairing up. Spending all there time together it looks like the may even be making them selves a home under a rock. So ill take that as a good sign of that they are happy in there new tank! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Link2Hell Posted March 27, 2015 Share Posted March 27, 2015 Nice looking tank Stewie what you keep together is personal preference some may agree some may notif the fish are happy and you are happy that's all that mattersjust keep checking your levels and don't overfeedhold back on impulse buying for a few more weeks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maxib Posted March 28, 2015 Share Posted March 28, 2015 I find the color of the api ammonia test hard to distinguish. Every time I test my tank it always seems closer to .25 light green than zero yellow. I test my tap water which is zero ammonia and compare to my tank test and the color is the same.Take the cap off and look down the tube...strong yellow.Hold the tube near the white background of card...off yellow, slightly green. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stewiefishing Posted March 29, 2015 Author Share Posted March 29, 2015 Thanks for all your reply's.I have retested the water and both the ammonia and No2. levels are dropping ammonia almost 0 and NO2 under .25ppm. HAPPY DAYS The Firemouths are now pairing up and their colours are really starting to show.(I have been motoring the power consumption of my different appliances (filter,Heater,ect) i will find the correct place and post the results) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stewiefishing Posted March 29, 2015 Author Share Posted March 29, 2015 Correction the NO2 is under 0.1mg/l not .25ppm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stewiefishing Posted April 5, 2015 Author Share Posted April 5, 2015 Just a quick update. All is well, the tank has cycled its self the fish are all happy.It just required some patience on my belhalf. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ged Posted April 5, 2015 Share Posted April 5, 2015 Great to hear Stewie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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