Newbie tank

[bmlbytes]

To be honest, I don't advocate fish-present cycling. I usually seed my aquariums or use Seachem Stability.

If you are going to use fish-present cycling I would do good water changes more often than a usual water change. This will reduce the amount of ammonia your fish are subject to. It will probably stress them out, but that stress shouldn't cause any long term effects like the ammonia can.

[Essian]

Originally Posted by bmlbytes To be honest, I don't advocate fish-present cycling. I usually seed my aquariums or use Seachem Stability. If you are going to use fish-present cycling I would do good water changes more often than a usual water change. This will reduce the amount of ammonia your fish are subject to. It will probably stress them out, but that stress shouldn't cause any long term effects like the ammonia can.

Seachem Stability replaces the need for water changes?! Also what do you mean by seeding? If you could define the difference between a "good water change" and a "usual water change" that would also be helpful... I'm very new at this, so I'm not familiar with most of the terminology

[bmlbytes]

Stability will cycle your tank so that instead of ever seeing ammonia or nitrite you will only see nitrate. You still need to do water changes.

The thing I was trying to point out is you need to do the water change more frequently than normal. There was no specific distinction between good or usual water changes.

[Essian]

Originally Posted by bmlbytes Stability will cycle your tank so that instead of ever seeing ammonia or nitrite you will only see nitrate. You still need to do water changes. The thing I was trying to point out is you need to do the water change more frequently than normal. There was no specific distinction between good or usual water changes.

gotcha, I'll try and find some Seachem Stability at the local petco...

also, my tank is getting a little cloudy. I can still see all the way through it (which probably isn't saying much considering it's size) but wondering if this is, once again, cause for alarm. I have heard varying accounts of what it means, from it's an indication of high ammonia levels to it's the bacteria reacting to the ammonia, so it's actually a good thing. Any idea?

[bmlbytes]

What color is the cloudiness?

[Essian]

Originally Posted by bmlbytes What color is the cloudiness?

uh... like a murky greenish I guess? It's not overly thick, I can still see all the way through, and can make out everything, but again, I have a small tank. The ammonia levels are low, and I know that murkiness can be indicative of high ammonia levels, but I'm hoping it's the bacteria colonies taking effect and establishing