Dwarf Puffer setup (now with fish!)

[jmiller]

I'm on Day 13 and my Nitrite is <1 on the 12 hr test so I'm getting real close to the cycle being finished. I've got the plants scheduled to arrive the middle of next week and if everything goes right the fish should be here next Friday. I ended up removing the piece of driftwood on the right after I made my plant selection. So the plan is to plant on Wednesday, make any adjustments Thursday and stock on Friday. I've been thinking about adding a shrimp or two to help with clean up but I'm not sure when I should add them. Would it be better to already have them in the tank when the DP is introduced or add them later?

[Flutter]

I doubt it matters. They'll either be eaten or they won't be.

[Pufferpunk]

Coming along wonderfully!

[jmiller]

PH/Ammonia/Nitrite/Nitrate

Day 1.....7.8/4.0/1.0/5.0
Day 2.....7.8/2.0/5.0/20.0
Day 3.....7.8/ 0 /5+ /20.0.....dosed to 4ppm
Day 4.....7.4/ 0 /5+ /5.0 .....dosed to 4ppm
Day 5.....7.4/ 0 /5+ /5.0 .....dosed to 4ppm
Day 6.....7.4/ 0 /5+ /40.0.....dosed to 4ppm
Day 7.....7.4/ 0 /0.5/40-80....dosed to 4ppm
Day 8.....7.4/ 0 / 0 /80.......dosed to 4ppm/checking every 12 hrs now
Day 9am... - / 0 / 1 / - ......
Day 9pm...7.4/ 0 / 0 /40.......dosed to 4ppm
Day 10am.. - / 0 / 1 / - ......
Day 10pm..7.4/ 0 / 0 /40.......dosed to 4 ppm
Day 11am.. - / 0 /<1 / - ......
Day 11pm..7.4/ 0 / 0 / 40......dosed to 4ppm/ pm testing done by "Neon Girl"
Day 12am.. - / - /<1 / - ......
Day 12pm.. - / - / 0 / - ......dosed to 4ppm/ removed one piece of driftwood to make way for plants
Day 13am.. - / - /<1 / - ......
Day 13pm.. - / - / 0 / - ......dosed to 4ppm

Day 14am.. - / - / 0 / - .....My first zero Nitrite reading at 12 hr

Okay since this thing seems just about finished it's time to plan my planting and stocking without destroying everything I've done so far. I will release my plant order that has been on hold and it should deliver next Wednesday or Thursday and I'll go by and order my fish and schedule delivery for next Friday.

I've read a lot about staring a cycle but not so much on how to end one. I will continue to dose the ammonia every 24 hrs but let's assume my plants will deliver on Wednesday, when do I stop adding it?, and when would the big water change need to happen?

[jmiller]

Cycle is going perfect. I've hit zeros at 12 hrs everytime since day 14. So I released the plant order and ordered the fish. It will be here Friday afternoon and I'll pick it up still bagged from the distributor. I'm hoping for a female.

Tonight was big water change night. Stats before the change:
PH..........7.4
Ammonia.....0
Nitrite.....0
Nitrate.....80+/<160

Now to the plants. Here was how I had it pictured in my mind when I bought the plants:



There were a few things I didn't like or they didn't work out size wise once I started the planting so I moved a few things around and came up with this:



I like this much better.

Stats after the WC:
PH..........7.8 (back to normal)
Ammonia.....0
Nitrite.....0
Nitrate.....20+

Nitrate is a little higher than the usual 10 that I maintain in my other tanks so I'll do another water change tomorrow (50%) to bring it down. I'll also stare at the new planting and make any changes tomorrow.

Just a few more days. It seems like this is taking forever.

[Brent]

That's coming along really nicely! You've set the bar high my friend, you've set the bar high.

[jmiller]

Thanks. It should look even better tomorrow with fish in it.

[Flutter]

Perhaps you should put up new pictures and let us be the judge of that

[jmiller]

You don't have to worry, pics will be up by tomorrow night. I might even get the wife to break out her Nikon SLR over the weekend.

[jmiller]

I HAVE FISH!

It is awesome, pics later.

[L!$A]

Nice progress, looking forward to see ur pics with your new DP's!!

[jmiller]

Here are the first pics:







I picked it up still in the bag from the distributor. I tested the bag water and it was identical to mine. Floated in a container for about 30 minutes and then released. The first place it went to was the filter intake tube. Before the night is over I'll have to wrap it in foam or a sponge.

It's still real jumpy so I didn't get very many pics. I currently have a few frozen bloodworms in the worm feeder and I put in one snail. I sure hope it eats soon because it's real thin looking.

So what do you think male or female?

[J-P]

wow love the colours! I have never seen a DP with neon in it!

[Brandon8521]

WOW I love the green in there pattern. Nice tank too. I want to start a planted tank but I think that is gonna have to wait till I get my new 30 gallon in a month.

[Flutter]

Definitely looks better

That little fish needs groceries and probably deworming. It's gorgeous, I love the colour.