Help Asap!!!!

[oneoffcustom]

okay here is the scoop. I bought a brand new 36 gallon bow front package. I had no idea the amount of time and stuff you really need to start a great sucessful aquarium. i am very interested in learning the right way as this is a hobby my dad passed on to me. i started out by letting the tank run for only 1 day before dropping in fish. i have about ten african cichleds lots of rock and lots of fake plants. i recently lost quite a few fish due to ammonia spikes and nitrate spikes. i have really cloudy water advised to me as bacteria cycle. when i saw my levels were way off i went and bout api ammonia stabalizer and nitate and nitrite stabalizer and and bio spira to treat my tank. I have treated with all three according to labels. did i just do a bad thing for the fish i have left? how long will the tank need to stabalize? please help.

[pitt420dude]

Well, you did a bad thing by buying a tank and putting fish in it the next day, but lots of people do so don't beat yourself up too bad about it.

Biospira is a good way to jumpstart your cycle, but it isn't an "instant cycle." You haev a few options here: (1) Return your remaining fish (that are alive) if your LFS will take them back, this will probably spare a few more lives. (2) Stick it out, and keep up with water testing and a ridiculous amount of PWC's while your tank finishes out its cycle. Good luck!

[neilanh]

Hopefully the bio-spira will work for you. You'll want to test your water for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate daily and monitor to see how things go. Ammonia and nitrite at levels greater than 1ppm is really getting toxic for fish. We prefer to maintain these levels below 0.5ppm during cycling and doing large (~50%) water changes any time either of these levels exceeds .5. This is to keep things safe for the fish.

If the bio-spira works, your tank should settle out in a day or three. Bio-spira has to be handled properly, or it will not work. This includes being handled properly by the shipping company, the LFS, and yourself when you purchased it. If at any time it went unrefridgerated, chances are it won't work.

If the bio-spira doesn't work, I second what pitt said. See if you can return the fish to the LFS and do a fishless cycle (see the article in our articles section), then reclaim the fish once you're all set and ready to go.

[Purrbox]

What are the API Ammonia Stabilizers and Nitrite and Nitrate Stabilizers? Are these products for detoxifying Ammonia, Nitrite, and Nitrate or something else? For detoxification I prefer to use Prime (excellant and economical dechlorinator) at the recommended extra dosage. Since I already use it for dechlorination, that's one less chemical to have on hand.

[tawolcott]

Oneoff, you've got 3 different threads started on 3 different days regarding the same topic. If there was just one thread it would offer some continuity to what steps you're taking and make the advice less repetitive and more comprehensive. Kind of one stop shopping. IMO

[Skyrmir]

Make sure you've got plenty of aeration in the tank. As others have mentioned, Bio-Spira is a hit or miss thing, extra air helps it take hold. Water changes are going to be your biggest friend for a bit until the tank is stable.

[oneoffcustom]

i am running three air stones with each its own pump. i have a 18 inch in back two 6 inch on the side. just trying to start one thread with all the points so i dont have to check two.

[oneoffcustom]

ok so my ammonia is down to a .25 and ph is good and my nitrite is horrible. what now just wait.

[rich311k]

Keep changing water to keep the nitrites down and wait.

[oneoffcustom]

if i keep changing my water will this prolong my cycle