-
It's been a while, so consider everything "if I remember correctly", plus best practice may have changed.
The reason that you're seeing conflicting advice, is that the Nitrogen Cycle wasn't understood until relatively recently: a lot of outdated advice persists.
To establish my tank I added a small pinch of fish food, before adding a pair of Zebra Danio: perhaps over 7 days.
But you need to test your water much more often, to begin with: if your tank is going bad, you need to be on top of it.
You're right about changing the water a little and often, but I think I changed more, more often: maybe one third/25% on a weekly schedule? Quite shaky on that point.
Follow the same approach to adding fish (no more than half a dozen small fish at a time).
Plecos get big, perhaps look at Glass Catfish? 130 litres is good for bottom feeders, a couple of shoals of mid/top-level fish and your highlight(s).
I may still have some books you're welcome to: remind me at the weekend, if you like.
Scilly.Suffolk-
very kind, thanks....drop me a pm if poss/convenient.
so, there's been an escalation - ti the tune of an additional 120 litres! Still following the same method and yours and others advice on here....add slow and i'll change a little more water a little more regularly. 3 Corys and a few snails will be in the previous tank over the weekend and then 6-8 neons before a couple weeks and transfer to the larger tank, cycle started today and onward!
Pasty_Spumante
Tropical fish/aquaria beginner help needed.
Got a tank with substrate (was recently used but needed a bloody good clean) so emptied, rinsed subtrate and filled with tap water adding tap-safe.
Heater on and got the new filter going.
How long before starting to add fish and what ratings on my test strips should I have....Loads of info online between 'don't add fish for 48 hours-don't add fish for 6 weeks' also "don't add fish to a tank until it's cycled" "you need fish to cycle a tank"
My inclination is give it 10 days, test to check no levels are dangerously high then add a couple of hardy fish, (from this point a 15% water change every 10 days) a week later a couple more etc etc and so on.
130ltr tank, plan is for a plea, a couple of corydoras/loaches/barbs maybe, 12-15 tetras and 2 pairs of other fish such as gourami.
Any advice or suggestions greatly appreciated