10 gallon tank help?

[Jorge_]

Ok, i'm back from my trip and about ready to stock my tank  

I just need to make sure these parameters are fine for my tank, I was planning to have a shrimp colony.

Ph: 8.2 Ammonia: 0ppm Nitrite: 0ppm Nitrate: 20ppm      

So, my tap water comes out as that high of a Ph, same with the Nitrate :/

I was also planning to add some sort of fish to the tank that wont effect the colony too badly. I was thinking otos, and was planning to get 2 - 3? I heard mixed results if that they can be in a 10 gallon tank. I dont know if they can or not, so thats why i'm asking for peoples experience. If there is another fish you recommend, please let me know. 

Ok, now to my actual tanks setup. I have a basic gravel, nothing special. There is a bubble wand in the back, in front of the wand is some drift wood with java moss, java fern, and anubius planted on it. I have a power filter with a sponge filter cover. I think thats all, I guess ill just say what my plan was.

I was going to add my otos tomorrow, then the shrimp a week later. I would put a piece of zucchini, spinach, or lettuce for the otos every day and take it out about an hour later? Once I get the shrimp, I drip acclimate them with one drop per second. I dump out half, then redo it and then add the shrimp to the tank. I would feed them once a week until the colony got bigger, I would then do it three times a week. I would feed both the otos and shrimp algae wafers. I was also going to put banana leaves and guava leaves into the tank for the shrimp. So, I think thats about it please let me know if you would change or do something differently! I just started into this community and would like to absorb as much info as I can  Happy to join and excited to begin! Thanks 

Edit: I have my tank cycled, just wanted to say that

[OMG Aquatics]

What's your GH, KH and TDS?

[Jorge_]

I dont have testing kits for any of those, should I buy one? Should I wait to put anything in? I was going to order the shrimp tomorrow but I dont want to put them into water thats toxic

[OMG Aquatics]

You need those test kits

[Jorge_]

So should I get those, test my water, then order and put everything into the tank? What kits do you recommend I get? Also any other suggestions?

[OMG Aquatics]

API GH/KH test kit combo

TDS from amazon or eBay

[Soothing Shrimp]

I'm curious how you know your tank is cycled if you don't have any test kits? .

[Jorge_]

Well... lol 

I have the freshwater master test kit, so thats a test kit

I have had the tank for a while now, since... let me check... about two months. The tank had guppies but then they all died because petsmart was my only source and they said I could get the fish right there and then... I dont listen or go there anymore, I go to a local fish store. But I would say its been cycled.

[Nuthatch]

The only advice I feel qualified to give is about the fish.  If I had it to do over, I would only have otos with my shrimp.  Maybe not even them, because they do hide most of the time for me.  Right now I have Celestial Pearl Danios in with my shrimp and I feel that I made a mistake.  They are beautiful little fish & I love to watch them, but I've had darn few baby shrimp...   Their mouths are super tiny but they are predators, and baby shrimp are microscopic.  The CPDs cruise through the moss like its nothing.  I would separate the fish & shrimp if I was able to.

[35ppt]

What type of shrimp do you want?

You will probably need to do something about the pH.

Next, the cycle. Tell us why you think it is cycled? If you had fish, they died, and you've been away, then it sounds like you are not cycled.

You should probably also deal with your nitrates, as I think most of us try to keep them near zero. Floating plants are a good way to do this. Plus shrimp will love them.

Do you have any other tanks or fish? I ask, because that is a good source of nitrogen cycle bacteria, and you could run the new tank for a few months with fish to mature it, before removing them and adding shrimp. During that time you can also see if you can keep your parameters stable, namely pH and nitrates.

Another thing I will just mention - I had gravel at first. With the smallness that shrimps are, I found them hard to see as they climbed over&between the gravel (pea or smaller size). I changed to sand, and find them much easier to see, plus my plants love it It's not fun to switch substrates after the tank is running.

Patience.

[zodiac]

2 hours ago, Jorge_ said:

 

I have had the tank for a while now, since... let me check... about two months. The tank had guppies but then they all died because petsmart was my only source and they said I could get the fish right there and then... I dont listen or go there anymore, I go to a local fish store. But I would say its been cycled.

how long has the tank been empty?

bacteria dies if not feed,then you need cycle the tank again.

if it's been more then a week you need to test it.

throw in a bunch of fish food.

it breaks down to ammonia within 3 days.

if day 4 or 5 ammonia and nitrite are zero it's still cycled.

[Jorge_]

15 minutes ago, zodiac said:

how long has the tank been empty?

bacteria dies if not feed,then you need cycle the tank again.

if it's been more then a week you need to test it.

throw in a bunch of fish food.

it breaks down to ammonia within 3 days.

if day 4 or 5 ammonia and nitrite are zero it's still cycled.

I would say its been empty for about a month, maybe a month + a week? So I just get some food and put it in. Maybe a few pinches? Wait and test it in about four days, and if nitrites and ammonia are 0, its cycled? 

[zodiac]

start testing ammonia in 3 days.

you might get a spike in ammonia,then you clean out the food and do a water change if ammonia gets over 3 ppm.

[Jorge_]

16 hours ago, 35ppt said:

What type of shrimp do you want?

You will probably need to do something about the pH.

Next, the cycle. Tell us why you think it is cycled? If you had fish, they died, and you've been away, then it sounds like you are not cycled.

You should probably also deal with your nitrates, as I think most of us try to keep them near zero. Floating plants are a good way to do this. Plus shrimp will love them.

Do you have any other tanks or fish? I ask, because that is a good source of nitrogen cycle bacteria, and you could run the new tank for a few months with fish to mature it, before removing them and adding shrimp. During that time you can also see if you can keep your parameters stable, namely pH and nitrates.

Another thing I will just mention - I had gravel at first. With the smallness that shrimps are, I found them hard to see as they climbed over&between the gravel (pea or smaller size). I changed to sand, and find them much easier to see, plus my plants love it It's not fun to switch substrates after the tank is running.

Patience.

1. I wanted to start with red cherries. 2. I guess the only thing I can do is add peat to the filter because my tap was is at 8.2, so I cant do too much about it. 3. I think it cycled because I originally had it with guppies and I dont know if its because they were overbred or not cycled, they started to die. I had those for about two weeks, then moved to the idea of five kuhli loaches and one dwarf gourami (Horrible ideas, I know) I had three loaches, because I know that its recommended to buy three fish at a time. They never really came out, so I returned them a week later because I could never deal with worrying if they were dead or alive and if they died, were they rotting in the tank? I just left it empty, and its been like that for about a month, one week. I would say the bacteria has already established on the gravel and tank. 4.What plants do you recommend? So far I have marimo, anubius, java moss, and java fern. Any other ways to lower them naturally? 5. My brother has a fish tank, but he is young and I dont really think he cycled the tank. All the fish are alive. 6. So you recommend I change, what sand do I get? (A side note: I heard that when the tank spikes in ammonia, and drops to zero and same with nitrite, thats a indication that its cycled with a bit of nitrates) I could be wrong, most likely. But thats what I read.

[Jorge_]

17 hours ago, Nuthatch said:

The only advice I feel qualified to give is about the fish.  If I had it to do over, I would only have otos with my shrimp.  Maybe not even them, because they do hide most of the time for me.  Right now I have Celestial Pearl Danios in with my shrimp and I feel that I made a mistake.  They are beautiful little fish & I love to watch them, but I've had darn few baby shrimp...   Their mouths are super tiny but they are predators, and baby shrimp are microscopic.  The CPDs cruise through the moss like its nothing.  I would separate the fish & shrimp if I was able to.

Ok, so you recommend to not add the otos? I like the idea of a shrimp colony and how it looks, but when I went to see the shrimp I didnt know they were that small! So I was thinking maybe just one other fish just to give the tank something else. If I wait for the colony to grow, could I maybe add the fish?

[Nuthatch]

Otos would be fine; they won't eat the baby shrimp.  Mine just hide a lot!    Otos like to have buddies, too, so don't get a single one.

[Jorge_]

1 hour ago, Nuthatch said:

Otos would be fine; they won't eat the baby shrimp.  Mine just hide a lot!    Otos like to have buddies, too, so don't get a single one.

Ok, so I am going to the fish store today. I have a few questions. 

1. Can I get three otos today, then add the shrimp later? I just ordered the shrimp right now, so the minimum wait is a week, maximum is a month. 

2. Is it alright to even put fish in? I am not exactly 100% sure if my tank is cycled. I have indicators that do say that my tank is cycled such as my water quality with no ammonia and nitrites, and a presence of nitrate and Ph. I am testing my tap right now, do I test everything? Also should I test my aquarium water. 

3. Do I feed them once a day with algae wafers, zucchini, spinach, and lettuce? I would rotate those throughout the week.

Ill be going to the store in a bit so any info about otos right now and what you suggest to me let me know!

[Jorge_]

My tap nitrate is 5ppm, and my aquarium is 20ppm 

Should I wait or what do I do. Im kinda lost now ;/

[Jadenlea]

I didnt have time to read everyones posts but if noone said it, it is probably to early to get Otos.  They need an established tank.  

[35ppt]

I would say you are not cycled, because the tank didn't have fish in it for a month, if I understand what you said.

So, you need to get the cycle established, and that takes a few weeks. If you can get used filter media or a handful of gravel from an established tank, that will speed things a bit.

Blasting sand (black) is what I use. Pool filter sand can also be used. 

The plants you listed are fine, and since they aren't planted in the substrate, they won't care what you use.

[Jorge_]

So should I add fish food and recycle all over?

[35ppt]

I think so, altho I am wondering how the nitrates are there.

 

[Dluxeshrimps]

or just get some Tetra Safe Start to jump start it and add fish or inverts the same day right after the tank clears up from the Tetra Safe Start.

 

[T's Shrimp]

the biggest thing that surprises me is that the drift wood isnt doing much. how big is it?

 

 

[ShrimpP]

What were you expecting the driftwood to do? Lower the pH?

 

With the pH of 8.2, most likely the KH would be really high as well (usually GH would too). That means his water has a lot of buffering capacity (KH), so it would neutralize acids (tannins from driftwood), keeping the pH from lowering (keeps pH stable).