29gal *update* 'Big Problem' still but some Good news also!

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RoK

Aquarium Advice Addict
Joined
Feb 6, 2005
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Connecticut
I'm getting a 29 gal! I'm so happy. I just bought it off eBay but I've been e-mailing the owner a lot and it sounds like it's definitely worth it. I'm going to get it tomorrow, it should take a little less than an hour to get there.
Here's the link: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=4373082847&rd=1&sspagename=STRK:MEWA:IT&rd=1
It has fish that go with it, one being a red bellied pacu. 8O That guy is going to the pet store right away! There's a severum and silver dollar which I will bring to the store also.

I'm going to keep the filter and gravel with some of the tank water. Will add a drop of dechlor into the bag with the fish for the trip. Anything else I can do?
 
I used quite a few hours today on the tank and it is all set up. The fish that came with it are a pacu, 4 gold gouramis, a gold severum, a silver dollar, and a kissing gourami.
I have the 4 gold gouramis in the tank only because I was afraid there might be a mini-cycle and I don't want too many in there for a little while. I temporarily have the other fish that came with it at a friend's house because the pet store said they don't have room until next week. I may let him keep one or two though. :) I think I'm going to keep the silver dollar though (and maybe get him or her a friend).
I'm going to test the water parameters tomorrow. Really hoping for no mini-cycle!
 
Not totally sure yet. I am taking down my 10 gal though. Some of the fish from the 10 going into the '30' (it's really a 29 that's why I put 29 in my sig), and some into the 20.
pH: 6.9
Ammonia: looks like something between .25-.30 :(
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: a little over 20

I really don't know why there is ammonia though, is it a mini-cycle or worse or what?
 
I'm really concerned on this. I don't want to add any more fish until I figure out what's going on.
 
You are having a mini-cycle. Don't add any fish, do any cleaning or filter maintenance until the tank stabilizes. One thing you could do is put some filter media from an established tank into your new tank filter (really skunky, filthy filter media preferred). Do water changes to keep that ammonia where it is and it should resolve in a short time.
 
Thanks, I just put one of the bio-wheels from my 75 gal's filter into it's filter, will that help?
Kudos sent to you BTW.

I took out the female gold gourami from the 29 because she was getting picked on, all the others are males. I decided to see if she would be okay in the 75 gal but my male opaline started turned to a darker color and showing off to her. I guess he wanted to breed with her but the female showed no interest so he started biting her sides. I decided then to put her in the 20 gal, it would have been awesome to have gourami babies. I don't have small enough food or the time for the babies though anyway.
 
Thanks, I just put one of the bio-wheels from my 75 gal's filter into it's filter, will that help?

Definitley. All that good bacteria you want are on the surface of things in your tank, and especially the filter.

I agree with TG though, sounds like a mini-cycle to me.

Good luck, and congrats on the new tank! :wink:
 
I updated the thread name.
I checked the 75 gals ammonia level just in case and it has some! Ah! I did a water change on thursday. I did use the python and let the tap water go right into the tank. I did put most of the dechlorinator needed before starting to put the water in. Put some as it was going in and then a little bit after it was filled, JIC. I did change one of the filter cartridges, there are 4 though and I also have a corner filter in there which I changed a little bit of it's filter floss. I guess I did too much, huh? :( Could taking off one of the bio-wheels have had some part of it also? The color in the test tube was very very light yellow (AP ammonia test kit) so my guess is it was in the .10-.30 ppm range.
^This is all about the 75 gal, I didn't want to start another thread.

I'll have an update tomorrow, on both tanks (the 29 & 75).
 
sorry, i don't think i can offer you any advice, but just to clear up something, the pacu, gourami and silver dollar didn't origianlly live in that tank before you bought it?
 
Did you not see the link in the first post? It shows pics and yes there was a pacu, silver dollar, 4 gold gouramis, gold severum, and a kissing gourami all in the same tank.
I'm taking the pacu to the store tomorrow, keeping the silver dollar, and letting my friend keep the severum and kissing gourami. Still not sure what to do with the gold gouramis though. I think they'll be too aggressive for my little dwarf. The female and one of the male gold's seem to be quite peaceful though so I may be keeping them. The other 2 males have become sort of aggressive, I think they weren't before because there wasn't as much room to establish their own territories and there were bigger fish than them.
 
Well, just tested my parameters today..

29 gal
Ammonia: very very low, my guess would be between .1-.2
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 30-35
pH: BELOW 6.0!
GH: about 60-70 ppm
KH: very low, about 20-30 ppm looked like

The pH has gone way down and I have no idea why! :cry: All fish look fine though. I did about a 17-19% water change, didn't touch gravel or filter. pH still the same after it. What do I do???? I am a bit sad right now. Should I try putting some CC in the filter?
Now I'm thinking it wasn't such a good idea getting another tank..

75 gal
Ammonia: just a tiny bit yellow but looked nearly clear so my guess is .01-.1 ppm
pH: 7.1-7.2
Didn't check anything else on this tank.
 
I can't imagine having a ph drop that significant Rok. You don't/didn't change or alter the buffering of the water.

I would suggest testing the ph again. See if any change is present. If it is still the same, you may have to take the gouramis out.

Can't think of anything else. :(
 
im sorry, i thought that if the fish had been in there for a while the tank would have cycled...
 
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