New member and with questions ;)

[Arodrocks]

Hi guys just got the app for this site and loving it! Well i recently got into this hobby and got me a 29 gal tank from Petsmart
because im a total noob with this i didnt cycle my tank properly
i only waited 1 week fishless and got my water check in petsmart and told me that was ok so i bought 2 balas shark, and 5 glo fish green electra after a week i got some more this time got me 5 glo fish zebras then a week after got me 5 rasboras with 2 serpae tetra i didnt stop here a week later i got me 5 bleeding heart and 2 guppys so im finally done here. All my fish are doing fine since i started my aquarium a month ago and i have been doing 25-30% water changes continusly my problem begin when i went to check my water with PM again and told me that my nitrates and nitrites were too high that i have to do a 90 percent water change and add prime to it so thats when i started to do some research online and find out that i added too many fish in my cycle process.
My fish are doing prety good and i have been doing 20% water changes daily and i bougt test kit this time my water is ok so far my nitres and nitrites are fine as per the test kit strips my problem is the water gets cloudy pretty fast. What do you guys recomend me at this point?
Should I continue with the daily water changes? and if so for how long before i only change water once a week.
Also i would like to mention that i have live plants in my aquarium.
Thanks guys and sorry for my english writing.

 

[Arodrocks]

This is a picture of my fish tank

 

[Andrew McFadden]

to AA!

You'll need to do daily or every other day water changes till the aquarium cycles. You'll know by checking your water parameters.

 

[Arodrocks]

Thanks Andrew unfourtunately i woke up this morning with one bala shark only not sure why he died both ate pretty good yesterday afternoon I did a 25% water change as normall in my daily water changes yestarday maybe he got overstress, all of the rest seem ok according to the api strips my nitrate and nitrite was a little high one square above the 0 one and my amonia was at 0. I feel bad for him i have him an entire month.
I know now not to buy too many fish in a new tank until the tank is fully cycle. :/
Im not sure if i should do another water change today maybe i will do them every other day as you said.

 

[Andrew McFadden]

Water changes won't hurt anything doing them every other day, actually it is probably best. The test strips that your using are often wrong and everyone here steer people away from them. I would keep doing the daily water changes till you can get an api master test kit its liquid. It's test are more accurate and will save you money in the long run. Sorry I forgot to mention that earlier. Sorry about the loss of the fish it happens often during fish in cycles till you learn what your doing. I also have to recommend the use of prime water conditioner over most others. It will help you more than other kinds during each water conditioner. not sure if you seen this but here is an article about fish in cycles that will help you threw this. Hope it helps

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/fishin-cycling-step-dark-side/

 

[Arodrocks]

Water changes won't hurt anything doing them every other day, actually it is probably best. The test strips that your using are often wrong and everyone here steer people away from them. I would keep doing the daily water changes till you can get an api master test kit its liquid. It's test are more accurate and will save you money in the long run. Sorry I forgot to mention that earlier. Sorry about the loss of the fish it happens often during fish in cycles till you learn what your doing. I also have to recommend the use of prime water conditioner over most others. It will help you more than other kinds during each water conditioner. not sure if you seen this but here is an article about fish in cycles that will help you threw this. Hope it helps

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/fishin-cycling-step-dark-side/

I have read the ariticle pretty good information thanks so if i do every other day WC is ok to keep doing 25-30% WC or 50% in my cycle process?
Also i find out about this site that sells filters sponge with good bacteria to speed up the cycling will this be a good thing to do or no?
http://www.angelsplus.com/FiltersSponge.htm

 

[Andrew McFadden]

I think you miss understood me a little. What I was saying is start with everyday water changes like you've been doing. Buy the api master test kit and keep a close eye on the water perimeters. If the tests are reading fine than just do a 25% change. Then again after a couple days. Equaling 50% in a week

If readings are off then you need to keep doing water changes to keep them under control till it reads 0 ammonia 0 nitrite and under 30 nitrate.

I've never bought bacteria so I'm not going to try and make a comment on that. Sorry maybe someone else will see and help you

 

[Arodrocks]

Ok i understand now thank you very much for your help

 

[Andrew McFadden]

Ok i understand now thank you very much for your help

No problem