New to this and screwed up already!

[Coco1019]

How long is it before the big guppies stop eating the fry?

One of them popped today and I only found three fry at first. Now I can only find one.

I'm thinking the guppies don't need to be fed tomorrow...

 

[phishfriend]

The fry are pretty quick but you need to have a bunch of hiding spots for them like feeding grass etc. I'm slowly switching the guppies factory over to all planted but I do keep this in the tank for now.

 

[phishfriend]

Edit that's "breeding" grass not feeding grass.....friggin iPhone

 

[phishfriend]

The fry are pretty quick but you need to have a bunch of hiding spots for them like feeding grass etc. I'm slowly switching the guppies factory over to all planted but I do keep this in the tank for now.

That's "breeding" grass not feeding grass friggin iPhone

 

[Coco1019]

I have lots of silk plants in there so the ones that are left (I can find 2 now) are hiding out there and in Sponge Bob's house (which my 7-yr old finds hilarious).

The ammonia is dropping in the 55. It is down to 2ppm after 6 days. Not bad. I had to take the driftwood out and am re-boiling and re-soaking since it is growing some hideous jelly mold stuff.

The 10 is almost cycled. 0 ammonia, 2-5 nitrites and 80-120 nitrates. I'm dosing to 4 every day.

I found this picture today which I think is great. http://www.myaquariumclub.com/the-nitrogen-cycle-for-beginners-358.html Perfect for newbies who may not get it yet.

 

[ktulu909]

I just read your entire thread and If you want to give your cycle a kick in the butt for the 29 ask your local pet store (not big box,but personal owned) for a bit of cycled material.Bring it home in a bag with some water and cram it into your filter.I did that on my 55 and it cycled in less than a week,actually closer to 4 days.

 

[Coco1019]

I just read your entire thread and If you want to give your cycle a kick in the butt for the 29 ask your local pet store (not big box,but personal owned) for a bit of cycled material.Bring it home in a bag with some water and cram it into your filter.I did that on my 55 and it cycled in less than a week,actually closer to 4 days.

Good idea. Do I have to worry about any yuckiness from their tanks? I thought that getting the sponge would help, but it doesn't seem to have. It certainly helped my 10 though.

 

[Coco1019]

Guy at the LFS told me today that I should be adding a small amount of salt to my tanks. True?

 

[ktulu909]

Salt is debatable.I add about a handful of aquarium salt to my 55.Some will tell you absolutely not and some swear by it.I feel it helps prevent ich and my fiddler crab probably enjoys it since hes supposed to be in brackish,not that what I'm adding is actually making it brackish.

As far as bringing home any nasties,it is a possibility,but as long as the fish in the donor tank are healthy,you should be ok.

 

[Coco1019]

My 10 is cycled!

I'm going to take out the sponge, add it to the 55 with an air pump and monitor the levels in the 10 for a couple of days. If that all goes fine I'm going to cut up the sponge and put it in the 55's filter housing.

I might get that cycled before the 29, which is fine because the occupants in there are going into the 55 anyways.

55's readings for today:

pH - 7.4
Ammonia - 1 (dosed back up to 4)
Nitrite - 5+
Nitrate - 5

I think adding that rock helped a great deal. It's only been cycling for a week.

 

[phishfriend]

That rocks!!!! How's the planting on the 55 going? Have just been following that thread. I'm such a planted newbie. It's not even funny!!

 

[Coco1019]

That rocks!!!! How's the planting on the 55 going? Have just been following that thread. I'm such a planted newbie. It's not even funny!!

It's going really well I think. I'm super nervous to see if they actually grow. I have such a black thumb. But there have been some great people over in Planted guiding me.

I had to take out my driftwood and re-boil it. It was getting that disgusting whitish jelly slime all over it.

I really want my new light and my canister already. I promised I wouldn't buy anything else for the tanks until Christmas was over. That's a long time from now!

I did find more fry, too. I opened the housing and found several. So I took them back out and put a nylon over the filter with a rubber band.

I really should start thinking about what to add after the guppies. I'm only moving the males over. I've seen it mentioned that tetras need a more mature tank than what I will have so I don't know what to do. I want 7 each of cardinals and lemons. I'm going to see if he will agree to getting the cories first. I really don't want to have to wait three months to get more fish.

 

[Coco1019]

If I wanted to get some lily pipes, how do I figure out which ones would be best for the canister I'm getting?

 

[phishfriend]

It's going really well I think. I'm super nervous to see if they actually grow. I have such a black thumb. But there have been some great people over in Planted guiding me.

I had to take out my driftwood and re-boil it. It was getting that disgusting whitish jelly slime all over it.

I really want my new light and my canister already. I promised I wouldn't buy anything else for the tanks until Christmas was over. That's a long time from now!

I did find more fry, too. I opened the housing and found several. So I took them back out and put a nylon over the filter with a rubber band.

I really should start thinking about what to add after the guppies. I'm only moving the males over. I've seen it mentioned that tetras need a more mature tank than what I will have so I don't know what to do. I want 7 each of cardinals and lemons. I'm going to see if he will agree to getting the cories first. I really don't want to have to wait three months to get more fish.

Well once the tank is cycle. I'd move the fry over as well. It will do nothing but help the tank. Plus help the fry grow out. Then add the tetra in grps of three or four at a time. A few weeks apart to give the system time to adjust. That way you get fish in sooner then later and the tanks bio will have time to grow and really stabilize.

 

[phishfriend]

If I wanted to get some lily pipes, how do I figure out which ones would be best for the canister I'm getting?

I'v never used them but I believe that each can be used on several different models of canister. Seems like the ADA' s are popular. But again I'v never owned any.