i think maybe i have a bad mentor/new tank question

[Crowsmuse]

i have a great friend, who has had planted tanks for years.
he started helping me with my 72g bowfront when i wanted to add live plants instead of plastic.

first he had me add TONS of fish to my tank,
he had me take out all bubblers, and add flourite to gravel.

speed up time

plants come and go at this point, and sadly tank crashed.

so i had to triage everyone into what i could afford and or borrow.

now i have an overstocked 29g that has in it
my 2 koi angels, about 3" now
11 rummy nose tetras (used to be 12 )
12 phantom tetras
6 emperor tetras
1 flying fox
1 bristlenose plecco
1 skunk loach
3 assasin snails

my ammonia is off the charts every day, im doing one 50% pwc a day just hoping not to lose any more fish aside from the one rummy, which i think is pretty good since its so overstocked

i just bought at petco a 56 gallon column, sweet setup on sale 7/3 for only $149!
i bought a cascade 700 cannister filter and i have a fluval e heater
added 4 bags of flourite for gravel
5 of my large swords
2 rocks and a gnarly piece of driftwood
pic attached

its been up 2 days, ive added stability both days.
i really want to reduce the stress on my 29g and put some of the fish in there.
my friend says to add all the phantoms.
that will alleviate significant stress in the 29g
and put 12 fish in the 56g to cycle.

my head is spinning from all the articles im reading today and yesterday on fish in cylcing and what to do.

i dont want to lose my fish, its been such a hard fight, and im really proud that one rummy nose is all this has cost.

please tell me if adding the phantoms today via drip is a yes or no plan

im feeling WAY WAY overwhelmed and more than a little confused.

 

[Unicorn1]

If you add the tetras you will start a cycle, and alleviate stress from the 29. It isn't your best option, but it's looking like 2 fish in cycles in two normally stocked tanks is going to be less stressful and result in less loss than trying to do a fishless and a fish in. It'll mean doing as many 50% water changes a day as you can for both tanks to keep ammonia down, but it should help at least a bit.

 

[Dallascowboys16]

Okay, adding the phantoms will most likely be fine but to play it safe i think I would only add 6 and closely Moniter the amonia levels of your 56 gallon. As amonia levels drop to zero ove rahe course of several days to a week I believe you could add the rest of the phantoms, and continue to watch your water levels and add fish slowly as you deem it safe for them to be added. This is the same principal as not adding a ton of fish to an existing tank. Do you plan on keeping any fish in the29 or just putting them all in here? I hope this helps and keep us posted on your progress.

 

[Crowsmuse]

Do you plan on keeping any fish in the29 or just putting them all in here? I hope this helps and keep us posted on your progress.

only want one tank, but will be stuck with a couple as apparently i cant get my blue rams in the big one, they are laying eggs in their temp home and being aggressive.
not to mention my dwarf puffer.
2 tanks was already too much
i really have been trying to find a home for the phantoms, at least, because this is SO stressful for me, i only want one tank, and now i have four.

noone wants them

i don't really want multiple tanks, and i have put so much of my savings into this over 3 months, between all the things i need to have and do etc.

sometimes i feel like im paying for someone elses hobby lol.

 

[Dallascowboys16]

Ok we'll you can put every thing in the new tank accept the dwarf puffer. If you are looking to rehome some of your fish you could make a post in the classifieds section here on aa. Hope everything works out with this tank!

 

[Crowsmuse]

thanks!

i just posted my tetras on the site, heres hoping.

 

[Rivercats]

In order to take some stress off you and the fish you can move the fish into the larger tank BUT move the filter that is seeded (or if it's cycling at least has some good bacteria on it) over to the bigger tank along with running the new filter on it. In the bigger tank you have almost twice the water which is much better. You will have to slowly acclimate the fish to the new tank tho. Doing this will make it so you only have one larger tank to worry about cycling cutting your work down from not having to mess with the 29. It's not perfect but it will help. Then if at all possible try to find some water sprite or wisteria and either plant it or float it or both as these will really help mop up ammonia and nitrates (when you get them). The more you add to the tank the better for now. Then just monitor your levels and do WC's as needed which is what your doing now. But with more water your bio-load is less so ammonia won't build up as quickly.

 

[Kimlafeiet]

Agree with Rivercats. I would move all of the fish out of the 29 and into the 56, WITH the filter and all media, as well as run the new filter you got for the 56 too. The extra water will help keep those ammonia levels from rising so fast, and then you only have to deal with cycling that 1 tank, instead of both of them.
Acclimate them when you move them......and I think both you and the fish will feel a little better about all of this.
Good luck!

 

[Crowsmuse]

Omg Rivercats... I want to do that!
I can definitely move the aqua clear 50 I have and the 29 and hang it on the back of the 56 should I drain 50 percent of their tank water and then drip method in some of the new tank water... Or move the old filter in and add their tank water?
how should I acclimate them?

 

[Rivercats]

You can add some of their water but the thing is your adding ammonia to start. Personally I'd fill the tank and let it run overnight. Then the next day acclimate them however you would normally acclimate new fish to the 56. I use a drip line myself in which you would put all the fish from the 29g in a bucket, and use a drip line to drip tank water in over the next 45 minutes to an hour. Then I just net fish out of the bucket and gently put them in the tank.

 

[eAts]

I agree to move the fish to the larger tank and run both filters. You could also look for duckweed since it grows like mad in most setups to help with the extra ammonia, Trites, and trates.

 

[Unicorn1]

I agree to move the fish to the larger tank and run both filters. You could also look for duckweed since it grows like mad in most setups to help with the extra ammonia, Trites, and trates.

Yes but getting rid of it lol

 

[eAts]

Yes but getting rid of it lol

So true!

 

[Crowsmuse]

Ok, every one is moved, now I'm just watching their behavior... And I have Quick new question...
Is this nipped gin.. Or fin rot?

 

[Rivercats]

Is there a white fuzzy patch on it?

 

[Crowsmuse]

Kinda, it has a whitish fray to the end of top fin

 

[Rivercats]

As long as it's not cottony looking then it's probably fin rot. Often if you keep tank water really clean it will stop and heal on it's own. Just keep an eye on it for now.

 

[Crowsmuse]

And if cottony then fungus?

 

[Rivercats]

If it looks like cotton tuft then it's a true body fungus.

 

[Crowsmuse]

Sigh.. That would suck.