SumpNFishy

Red/Green color blindness affects about 10% of the male population (including myself). Like Jay, I too let my wife double check my readings. I have also found it easier to do my readings on a bright sunny day by a window.

As Jay also mentioned, I mainly use my readings more for checking the tank's stability and not the actual readings. I have found it's really handy to do regular readings and record them somehow to see trends.

My 2 cents...

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20 Gal - QT
20 Gal - Waiting for Angel Fry
29 Gal - Planted - Mollies, Cories, Pleco
95 Gal - Planted - Angels, Tetras, Cories, Pleco
35 Gal - Goldfishy Tank (my wife's)
63000 Gal - pond full of stuff

italianguy626

Well, here we are and the tank is finally cycled! Two days ago, my tests came out at 1.5 mg/l NH3/NH4, <0.3 NO2 and huge NO3. I did a 70% water change last night (20 gallon tank, so changed out 14 gallons). Ran tests today (almost 24 hours later) and had 7.5 ph, 4 KH, 9 GH, 0 mg/l NH3/NH4, <0.3 mg/l NO2, and 10 mg/l NO3.

I bought three angel fish and three sword tails and introduced them to the tank tonight. I'm planning to add as many as 10 tetras in the next week or so - how soon should I introduce more fish after I've introduced the initial fish?

Just want to thank everyone for your help. I'll continue to monitor, lurke, and pop in from time to time.

orb4me

deleted by me

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italianguy626

I added some tetras (Buenos Aires Albinos and Bloodfins) just over a week ago.

Unfortunately, I lost the three angelfish that I had gotten. Didn't realize it, but my tap water has a PH of 8. A friend of mine that works with fish and has kept numerous tanks told me that angelfish are really sensitive, and that the PH was probably too high for them.

So, I currently have two swordtails - I had three, but found one half eaten about a week after I got them - three Buenos Aires Albino tetras and three Bloodfin tetras.

I put in an airstone today. I was getting a bit worried about oxygen levels in the tank - fish were acting lethargic until I did a 20% water change, and I was doing one every week.

Now that the angelfish are gone, I'm waiting to see how the tank balances with the remaining fish before deciding to add anymore.

Biggest challenge so far has been learning how much food to feed the fish at feeding time. Instructions say as much as they can eat in two to three minutes. Um, come again? How 'bout some pointers for the rookie? So far, I think I've gotten it down.