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[pantherspawn]

OK so I'm completely new to this fish keeping thing. Started out with my 5 ye old son wanting a frog. About 1000 dollars later I'm in knee deep. Here's my situations. I started a 40gal freshwater last week with a few small live plants such as corcskcrew, a cpl bamboo stalks and a few mondo grass.. I added six platys, a Bristlenose Pleco and of course the African Dwarf Frog. Yes I know the pleco was too soon, been feeding him pellets. In trying to get my tank to cycle I have been testing the water daily and to date have done 2 15% water changes. With the AP master kit my levels after 7 days have stayed pretty much the same with ammonia at 2.0 Ph at 8.2 nitrites at 0 and nitrates just today barely coming in at under 5. My main concern is the fish. 1 of the platys had a few fry pop up today which we got one and moved to a breeder tank, but her health is suddenly very poor. She was laying on the bottom of the tank so we moved her to a seperate side tank transfer container. Her side is red and chewed up looking and she went from perfect yesterday to looking like there might be a hole in her side today. Can't tell if its an actual hole but her side is red and her fin mangled looking. What gives? Any ideas? She does have a few "white spots" on her tail fin and back on one side maybe four? But she's the only one so I'm not sure about it being ich?

Part 2; today we noticed a bunch of white specs on the inside glass on the back and on one side of the tank. Fairly hard feeling and almost spiral looking but in varied sizes. Not worm looking or anything with tenticles. Don't seem to move either. Any ideas what it could be?

Part 3; bought another 20gal today to set up and use as either qt tank or just a seperate breeding tank. Going to try fishless cycling. As of right now I have a section of pantyhose with a few cubes of frozen brine shrimp to try to use for the ammonia. Water is at 86° and left it a little room for surface agitation. Any other suggestions to get this going? I've got some gravel and a peice of filter media from PETCO but I'm not sure how reliable it can be for a boost for the bacteria. Any and all suggestions would be helpful to get me moving in the right direction on these. Sorry about the long post.

 

[j2112j]

Try to get your ammonia levels down with more frequent, larger water changes. Something like 50% asap, and another 50% in 12 hours.
Test after the 1st change, and right before the 2nd change, then 1 hour after the 2nd change. This should give you an idea of your ammonia situation. Just try to keep in below 0.25 while it cycles with the fish.

I'm sure others will respond with more details, but for now, get the ammonia down.

 

[pantherspawn]

As of this morning the ammonia is 1.0 nitrites around 4 or 5 and nitrates at 10. Should I do a water change or let it take its course. Yesterday ammonia was at 2 nitrites at .5 and nitrates were only 5

 

[Bettababe1011]

As of this morning the ammonia is 1.0 nitrites around 4 or 5 and nitrates at 10. Should I do a water change or let it take its course. Yesterday ammonia was at 2 nitrites at .5 and nitrates were only 5

Okay, the ideal levels are zero, zero, and less than forty. I prefer to keep nitrate no higher than ten though.

Your ammonia and nitrite NEED to be .25 or lower. The levels right now if not corrected will kill your fish.

 

[pantherspawn]

Yeah i know where they should be.. but the tank is in the process of cycling. The fish show no ill affects as of yet, just don't want to hurt the cycling process since the nitrite bacteria just started to do heir thing. Should I do. 25% water change or more?

 

[Bettababe1011]

Yeah i know where they should be.. but the tank is in the process of cycling. The fish show no ill affects as of yet, just don't want to hurt the cycling process since the nitrite bacteria just started to do heir thing. Should I do. 25% water change or more?

Do as many water changes as it takes to get it into the safe zone. Have you looked up the articles on here about in fish cycling?

 

[Mog]

Please read Eco's guide on cycling, if you haven't as of yet.

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forum...guide-and-faq-to-fishless-cycling-148283.html

I can't help out much as I'm not sure what to do since you have fish in the tank.

Here's another article that may help, I haven't read it, but it seems to be the same as your situation.

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forum...-but-i-already-have-fish-what-now-116287.html

 

[pantherspawn]

I've read so many conflicting things over the last few weeks. Great thing about the net; loads of free information. Bad thing about the net; loads of free information that's mostly wrong. I know I made a few errors in starting this tank. First Fonza being that I listened to the PETCO fish department. Can't fix all of it but I'm working to change some. Started a second tank cycle but with no fish this time

 

[pantherspawn]

Yes eco I have read that one. Was a great read and the main source of info for the second fishless tank I started.

 

[pantherspawn]

I did a 40% or so water change. Took out10 gal of a 35-40 gal tank. Waited 4 hours and re-tested levels. Ammonia; .50 nitrite; .50 nitrate; 10 ph; 8.2