Help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[BlazedSaint]

Help,
I am Brand New To The Fish Keeping Hobbie, but im already hooked : ),but regardless i have a 29 gallon oceanic biocube, a good filtration system, and good lights, and a decent heater(tank stays bout 77 degrees). i began my new tank friday 8/2/13, i used puritan spings "water cooler" bottled water to fill the tank, i used a layer of florite plant sub, a layer of living sand, and a layer of gravel in the bottem of my tank(all rinsed of course, i used prime to clean the water(de-chem it)and top-fin bacteria booster. i waited out the weekend and lots of research about cycling and bacteria, and from my reseach i learned to help the tank cycle i should use live plants and a few zebra danio, my live plants from the dr.foster and smith website(probably didnt get that right) will be here today, however i put 5 zebra danios in last night( allowed them 20 min in bag with LFS water, the slowly added my water to the bag, the took them out of bag into bucket and netted them into tank)and they were fine untill this morning when i woke 4 out of 5 were dead : (. help, 1. should i put my live plants in the tank tonight, if not what do i do with them since i only have the one tank? 2.when would u suggest adding more danios( i dont expect the last one to live) into the tank again to help it cycle?

 

[brennae]

What do you mean by a layer of living sand? Did you accidentally get live sand for a salt tank? That will kill your fish.

 

[BlazedSaint]

What do you mean by a layer of living sand? Did you accidentally get live sand for a salt tank? That will kill your fish.

K ya im dumb, its not living sand, its just aquarium sand............dude a petsmart sold it to me said it was a good sand for live plants

 

[brennae]

Well that's a plus that its not marine sand!

You don't really need a layer of gravel on top of the sand, it might cause pockets in the sand where no air gets in and then bacteria will thrive or cause big black marks. Sand has to be stirred occasionally.

Do you have a test kit? API Master freshwater test kit can be purchased on Amazon for cheap. You will need that especially for cycling.

I think we need to know your water parameters. I am guessing ammonia spike and would do at least a 50% water change, but without those tests its hard to say.

When in doubt always do a water change. If it were me I would add the plants now.

 

[vance1013]

K ya im dumb, its not living sand, its just aquarium sand............dude a petsmart sold it to me said it was a good sand for live plants

I would suggest doing a fishless cycle
http://www.aquariumadvice.com/the-almost-complete-guide-and-faq-to-fishless-cycling/
for you have a test kit and you only need go use tap water treated with prime hour danios more likely died from shock or ammonia build

 

[BlazedSaint]

I Have the test strips, my ammonia, nitrate and nitrite levels are all fairly low, my ph level is a little high but everything else low, ill order a liquid test kit soon(payday friday, woo hoo) i looked into the fishless cycling but most Veterans i talk with have recommended for my first set up to do fish in cycling and then use media and filter squeezes for future tanks. ill do a water change(tho the water hasnt been in there very long , when would you recommend putting in another small school of danios to try again?, also thanks for the responses, im truely clueless!

also ill put the plants in tonight unless i get a big response of no's

 

[brennae]

I would wait to put more fish in until you get that test kit.

Amazon.com: API Freshwater Master Test Kit: Pet Supplies

The plants with help filter the tank so I would put those in now.

Test strips are not accurate.

 

[BlazedSaint]

I would wait to put more fish in until you get that test kit.

Amazon.com: API Freshwater Master Test Kit: Pet Supplies

The plants with help filter the tank so I would put those in now.

Test strips are not accurate.

10-4 i've got it on its way, i seriously appreciate the help, im sure ill post 10000000 more dumb questions on here! but seriously ty for the help

 

[brennae]

If you use the bottled bacteria starter, get the one kept in the fridge. It works the best. My independent LFS sells two kinds. I think one is called SAFE START and I forget the name of the other. I usually do fish-in but with one fish.

 

[brennae]

No problem at all. I got started with fish long before we had internet at home and I didn't read any books or anything and I lost a lot of fish when I was young. Its better now that there are forums and online books and websites etc. Makes life easier! When in doubt always ask because everyone on here loves questions!

 

[vance1013]

In all honesty fishless cycle is the best way to go bacteria in a bottle is hit and miss unless you have trusted brand you know works doing fishless helps get the water safer for fish faster instead of scarring fish with possible ammonia burns and having to do water change after water change to keep levels down which in turn takes longer I prefer fishless due the fact its faster easier and safer for the fish in the long run

 

[BlazedSaint]

In all honesty fishless cycle is the best way to go bacteria in a bottle is hit and miss unless you have trusted brand you know works doing fishless helps get the water safer for fish faster instead of scarring fish with possible ammonia burns and having to do water change after water change to keep levels down which in turn takes longer I prefer fishless due the fact its faster easier and safer for the fish in the long run

Right on Man, Ill do a bit more research on your link and a few other sites and i might go that way, in the fishless cycle are live plants still cool?

 

[vance1013]

Right on Man, Ill do a bit more research on your link and a few other sites and i might go that way, in the fishless cycle are live plants still cool?

Yes they will even help the cycle go by faster depending on heavy you plant it you can put plants in at any time

 

[BlazedSaint]

Yes they will even help the cycle go by faster depending on heavy you plant it you can put plants in at any time

cool well ill drop the plants in tonight and see how it goes, Thanks man, between you and breanne i should have a solid tank

 

[brennae]

Is the last fish still alive? If so I suggest doing that water change sooner then later.

 

[vance1013]

cool well ill drop the plants in tonight and see how it goes, Thanks man, between you and breanne i should have a solid tank

No problem and I agree with Breanne if the last danio is alive do a large water change and look in to returning the danio also if you want good solid advice on a healthy planted tank look up river cats she's the plant guru around here

 

[BlazedSaint]

Is the last fish still alive? If so I suggest doing that water change sooner then later.

not sure im at work but as soon as i get home imma put in my plants and change the water : )

 

[BlazedSaint]

 

[brennae]

No problem and keep us posted on that last fish!

 

[jwh0818]

I have nothing more to say to what they added. Here are some more helpful links if you DO decide to do a fish in cycle or if you take their advice and do a fishless cycle

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forum...ou-get-started-with-your-aquarium-154837.html