# new tank help



## jeffVmahar (Mar 31, 2005)

Hey everyone. I am in the process of cycling a new tank for 3 RBP's. At Christmas time my girlfriend got me a tank and since then I have set it up and got it all running. Since it was a used tank I just used the spounge (filter media?) that was already in the filter to establish the tank. Yesterday I bought a master test kit and 3 small goldfish. And today I tested everything and here are the results; pH=8.0, Ammonia=0, Nitrite=0.3 (mabey a little less, the pink wasn't quite as dark as 0.3 on the chart) KH=110-120mg/L, GH=120. I think from what I read that everything is ok except my pH is too high, it should be around 7.2 shouldn't it? I am going to wait and see now that I have the goldfish in it if these levels change any over the next few weeks, or if I already cycled it well enough with the old spounge to keep the levels constant. I am new to all this so if you guys could give me any advice or input I would really appreciate it. Also if you could tell me how to lower my pH that would be great. I tested my tap water and it was a little lower than the water I had in my tank but not much, and I just added some black water extract and a live amazon sword, I also last week added a peice of driftwood from the LPS. I hope all of this helps. Thanks in advance.


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## taylorhedrich (Mar 2, 2005)

I hope that the tank is 60 gallons or larger if you plan on keeping the piranhas for life in the tank, because when they are full grown/mature, they require 20 gallons a piece, and you said you wanted to get 3 red bellies, so that comes out to 60 gallons needed. Good luck!!








~Taylor~


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## hiphopn (Feb 10, 2005)

i dont know why everyone always jumput and play the bigger tank card. all you have to do is read one thread any thread and find out that it is suggested to have 20 gallons per fish. also there are tons of people who have less than 20 gallons per fish.

sorry i must be in a cranky mood....... i just found out i have no life.........


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## jeffVmahar (Mar 31, 2005)

taylorhedrich said:


> I hope that the tank is 60 gallons or larger if you plan on keeping the piranhas for life in the tank, because when they are full grown/mature, they require 20 gallons a piece, and you said you wanted to get 3 red bellies, so that comes out to 60 gallons needed. Good luck!!
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I know that I come off as a newbie (well I am a newbie) but I a well informed newbie, not some kid who has a passing phase in the hobbie. I have been researching p's and how to care for them since my woman got me the tank for christmas. I was actually a member of this board for a few months (just after it changed from water wolves), but went to log in after not being on for a few weeks and couldn't sign in with my old account, looks like the whole site has been upgraded, so I just made a new one with the same username... anyway. I am taking my time and learning as much as I can before I get the p's so everything will go smoothly. As to the size of my tank it is a 25gal. breeder, and I know it is to small to keep 3 p's in for any length of time however I am purchasing the p's from my LFS and they are no longer than an inch or so when they get them in, so I figure I should be alright in my current tank for close to a year (correct me if I am wrong). When it comes time to upgrade to a bigger tank no problem. Hope that puts your worries to rest.


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## taylorhedrich (Mar 2, 2005)

jeffVmahar said:


> taylorhedrich said:
> 
> 
> > I hope that the tank is 60 gallons or larger if you plan on keeping the piranhas for life in the tank, because when they are full grown/mature, they require 20 gallons a piece, and you said you wanted to get 3 red bellies, so that comes out to 60 gallons needed. Good luck!!
> ...


I also am a newbie, but only to this site. I absolutely don't judge people by their number of posts or when they joined or anything like that, because I myself am new to this site, although I have quite a bit of experience. I realize that I am posting that crap all the time hiphopn, but I hate seeing Piranha stuffed in a tiny tank with a ton of others. After all, piranha are considered to be the 2nd most abused aquarium fish. I'll just stop that now, and hope that the posters find their way around the site, unless they ask directly. Good luck Jeff, hope to see ya around the forums!!!
~Taylor~


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## Guest (Mar 31, 2005)

It will take a while longer to accumulate a measurable amount of ammonia in the new aquarium. Just keep feeding your goldfish and you'll see the water parameters change and eventually the filter bacteria flora mature over the next month or so.

I'm not sure why your aquarium pH is higher than your tap water pH. You will notice your pH drop slightly as the aquarium matures due to the accumulation of organic acids from fish waste and the driftwood you added. Either way, your piranha will adapt to the higher pH.

Good luck with your new tank.


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## jeffVmahar (Mar 31, 2005)

Bullsnake said:


> It will take a while longer to accumulate a measurable amount of ammonia in the new aquarium. Just keep feeding your goldfish and you'll see the water parameters change and eventually the filter bacteria flora mature over the next month or so.
> 
> I'm not sure why your aquarium pH is higher than your tap water pH. You will notice your pH drop slightly as the aquarium matures due to the accumulation of organic acids from fish waste and the driftwood you added. Either way, your piranha will adapt to the higher pH.
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looking at the paramaters I posted for my water hardness (KH=110-120) is this a really high level? and don't really high levels of KH make it very difficult to balance your pH? I am just trying to get my water right for p's and for the plants I have in the tank. Also what is the best way to keep my pH stable during water changes, say if I get my pH down to 7.2 and my tap water is close to 8.0 won't it screw with my pH settings?


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## Guest (Apr 2, 2005)

jeffVmahar said:


> ? I am just trying to get my water right for p's and for the plants I have in the tank. Also what is the best way to keep my pH stable during water changes, say if I get my pH down to 7.2 and my tap water is close to 8.0 won't it screw with my pH settings?
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Probably the best way to deal with thiat is to acclimate your fish to your current tap water pH. Several members on this this site have tap water with a high pH. When it's done this way, you can make large water changes without worrying about stressing your fish with a fluctuating pH.

In the end, water quality is more important than specific water chemistry.


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## doctorvtec (May 15, 2004)

jeffVmahar said:


> Hey everyone. I am in the process of cycling a new tank for 3 RBP's. At Christmas time my girlfriend got me a tank and since then I have set it up and got it all running. Since it was a used tank I just used the spounge (filter media?) that was already in the filter to establish the tank. Yesterday I bought a master test kit and 3 small goldfish. And today I tested everything and here are the results; pH=8.0, Ammonia=0, Nitrite=0.3 (mabey a little less, the pink wasn't quite as dark as 0.3 on the chart) KH=110-120mg/L, GH=120. I think from what I read that everything is ok except my pH is too high, it should be around 7.2 shouldn't it? I am going to wait and see now that I have the goldfish in it if these levels change any over the next few weeks, or if I already cycled it well enough with the old spounge to keep the levels constant. I am new to all this so if you guys could give me any advice or input I would really appreciate it. Also if you could tell me how to lower my pH that would be great. I tested my tap water and it was a little lower than the water I had in my tank but not much, and I just added some black water extract and a live amazon sword, I also last week added a peice of driftwood from the LPS. I hope all of this helps. Thanks in advance.
> [snapback]955669[/snapback]​


How long have you been cycling?

Have you done a Nitrate reading yet?


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## jeffVmahar (Mar 31, 2005)

Well when I got the tank back at christmas time I set it all up and got it running using the used filter that came with the tank. I let it run up until a week ago I added 3 small goldfish, a plant, some blackwater extract, and fertilizer. So I guess I have to wait a few more weeks for the fish to make enough ammonia for the established bacteria to turn it into nitrite, and finally to nitrate. Do I have this all right? I am trying to wrap my head around the whole process of cycling and water chemistry, and I think I am starting to get a decent idea of how it works. Please let me know if I am on the right track. As far as testing for nitrates, the master test kit I just bought tests everything form, pH,KH/GH,nitrites,ammonia, but there is nothing for nitrates which is kinda f*$%ed up. I don't know what to do about that? I imagine that everything is cycling now though. The fish have been in there a week now so when I get home form work tonight I will see if my ammonia is rising, and my nitrites should be rising with it right? Well thanks for all the help guys, I look forward to more of your input.


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## doctorvtec (May 15, 2004)

jeffVmahar said:


> Well when I got the tank back at christmas time I set it all up and got it running using the used filter that came with the tank. I let it run up until a week ago I added 3 small goldfish, a plant, some blackwater extract, and fertilizer. So I guess I have to wait a few more weeks for the fish to make enough ammonia for the established bacteria to turn it into nitrite, and finally to nitrate. Do I have this all right? I am trying to wrap my head around the whole process of cycling and water chemistry, and I think I am starting to get a decent idea of how it works. Please let me know if I am on the right track. As far as testing for nitrates, the master test kit I just bought tests everything form, pH,KH/GH,nitrites,ammonia, but there is nothing for nitrates which is kinda f*$%ed up. I don't know what to do about that? I imagine that everything is cycling now though. The fish have been in there a week now so when I get home form work tonight I will see if my ammonia is rising, and my nitrites should be rising with it right? Well thanks for all the help guys, I look forward to more of your input.
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Ummm.. go get a nitrate testing kit.

A rise in nitrates will show you how far along you are in the cycle..


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