I'm not risking it again.

Hullo everyone!

So after my entire tank mishap (more like a tank genocide...), I've decided that I'm letting my tank cycle for at least 2 weeks before putting anybody in it. It's a 36G FW corner tank that has 4 live pieces of driftwood, one large [chunk of] driftwood, petrified wood (Oh! The liveliness!), plenty of live plants, and a few live rocks...
No treatment in there yet, just a bit of aquarium salt.


Now, this is what I need to know:

Even though I cured my drift wood, my water is still sort of dark...How can I fix this?

How long exactly should I let my tank cycle out?

When should I add treatment?

Talk about 21 questions!

Well, thank you all for reading, and for your answers!

_Chi_

 

Hi,

Sorry to hear about your original loss. lets hope everything goes well this time around eh?

Well, a complete cycle can take anywhere from 4-6 weeks. sometimes a big less, sometmies a bit more on a fw aquarium.

what kind of treatment are you referring to?

For the wood. It can take months and months for it to completely leech out. Your best bet is to use high amounts of carbon or polyfilters to remove the color.

 

Thanks btw, for the sympathy. It was tragic, indeed.

Anyways...
Treatment: Tap water treatment, things like that basically. It's been cycling for say...ehh, 3 weeks? I set it up at the end of January, I think.

Carbon...got it.

Now that I know what I want in it...I'm getting impatient! Fancy goldfish and small breed plecos for me!

_chi_

 

you dont want goldfish, they are dirty and gross. as for the pleco, dont add till you have some type of algea unless you want to be constantly add food. but the less you add the better. try some danios they are hardy little guys

 

Also, do not run the carbon until the cycle has finished

 

A)

B)

A) Not regular goldfish. Fantails, veiltails, moors...Those those types^^ I have a oriental themed room, and they'll look great in there. But that's not the reason I'm getting them. They live for a very long time, and I think they are really pretty and have awesome personalities^^
But thank you for the cautionary statement!

B) I have tons of driftwood in there (the kind that they feast on) and plenty of things for them to munch!

_Chi_

 

goldfish do poop alot, don't they? lol.