Saltwater & Reef

frshwaterfish · 02-20-2012, 09:59 PM

got my 20month old son a 10 gallon with filter and a small heater that keeps the water around 78 degrees. we have a few gold fish a albino illuminated shark, a small shark with neon red fins, an aposamis, and a small cat fish. its a cool little comunity with a castle a skull and a two opening cave for them and a few plants that are fake for now. any advice about frequency on water changes and what good ph ect would be my son and i would appreciate it, we are getting test kit tomorow. we also have what im almost possitive is a twin tail beta that is a cool metallic blue color named scuba steve. i want to put him in the 10 gallon but ever site i go to says either yes i can or no i cant so he is in about a 2 gallon tank for now. any advice on scuba steve and what kind of numbers i want to see when i test my water tomorrow would help.

boadams87 · 02-21-2012, 06:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by frshwaterfish

got my 20month old son a 10 gallon with filter and a small heater that keeps the water around 78 degrees. we have a few gold fish a albino illuminated shark, a small shark with neon red fins, an aposamis, and a small cat fish. its a cool little comunity with a castle a skull and a two opening cave for them and a few plants that are fake for now. any advice about frequency on water changes and what good ph ect would be my son and i would appreciate it, we are getting test kit tomorow. we also have what im almost possitive is a twin tail beta that is a cool metallic blue color named scuba steve. i want to put him in the 10 gallon but ever site i go to says either yes i can or no i cant so he is in about a 2 gallon tank for now. any advice on scuba steve and what kind of numbers i want to see when i test my water tomorrow would help.

Congratulations on starting him off young. You really have to many fish in that 10 gal. Goldfish are very nasty fish. If your tank is cycled you should see numbers like these.
Ammonia 0 ppm
Nitrites 0ppm
Nitrates < 20ppm.
But I doubt that it's cycled properly.

**jlk** · 02-21-2012, 08:56 AM

Hi and welcome!!! Unfortunately, there are far too many fish in this 10gal. Goldfish are very messy fish with a huge bioload. 10g is too small for even a single goldfish of any breed. Fancies need 20g for the first fish, 10gal for each fish after. Commons, comets, & shubunkins grow vey large (up to 18in) and require huge amounts of water because they realistically are pond fish.

The second issue is the environment- goldfish are coldwater fish while the rest of your fish are tropicals. They have different requirements for temp, housing, & diet. I have enclosed 2 links for starting a fw aquarium & fish-in cycling. Please dont hesitate to ask questions!!

I just learned about cycling but I already have fish. What now?!

Guide to Starting a Freshwater Aquarium

frshwaterfish · 02-21-2012, 01:26 PM

tested my water today and the nitrites chlorine are 0, but my nitrates are low @ almost 0 and my amonia is high @ 4 ppm. ive done a 30% water change today and added conditioner and aquarium salt ( didnt have the salt beore today)..... i also have realized through some reading that i have too many fish and am considering re homing the gold fish, i have also read some in fish cycling acticles linked through this web site and am slowly starting to learn some things but an advice on steps i should take from here woul help alot. also would getting some media filter clippings from my friends established tank help or is it better in the long run to let all those bacteria build on their own?

**jlk** · 02-21-2012, 01:59 PM

Nitrates are not a concern right now & generally should be 20ppm or less. However, your ammonia is a major concern. 4ppm ammonia is very toxic for your fish. I would consider doing multiple, back-to-back 50% water changes with properly conditioned, temperature-matched water until you can get your ammonia levels under control (less than .25ppm). Getting some filter/media clippings from your friend will def help but you will need to address your stocking situation as soon as possible. Stay on top of your water changes & testing to keep your fish healthy in the meantime.

**Mumma.of.two** · 02-21-2012, 03:31 PM

Hello and welcome!
Follow the advise above.
I'm sorry to be the bearer of bad news but none of your fish are suitable for a 10g tank. The shark needs a 55g. The goldfish a 20g. And the catfish I can't say because you didn't say what kind it was.

frshwaterfish · 02-22-2012, 02:19 PM

so ive done a 50% wc and put in some amonnia clear and my level has dropped from 4 ppm to under 1 ppm. im going to do another wc today and rehome my fish to a bigger tank asap. my ph is not out of control high but is about a 7.8. nirtires, nitrates, water hardness, and alkanlinity are all within the listed norms for a fw tank. i know my biggest issues are tank size and amount of fish i have other then trying to address those im reading up on cycling and am wondering what peoples opintions are on cycling with plants when i can find a bigger tank and what plants are the best for doing a cycle with plants and no fish?

**jlk** · 02-22-2012, 04:05 PM

Good job on testing & your water changes! A ph of 7.8 is not bad at all so do not worry about it! Cycling with plants is a great option. Plant whatever your heart desires (as long as you have suitable lighting) making sure you have some fast-growing plants as well. If you do some looking on this site, theres information regarding a 'silent cycle'- basically, if you stock heavily with plants, the plants will prevent amm or nitrite from spiking for they absorb everything. Plants are great addition to help maintain a healthy tank.

frshwaterfish · 02-22-2012, 05:30 PM

did another ammonia clear treatment and about a 50% wc and added good wter back and after the tank settled a little ( 30 min ) the inital results show ammonia @ .25 ppm down from 1 ppm, ( will test again in 24hrs ). all my fish are still alive and thats my goal till i can get a new tank for my son they seem happy but i know they need a new tank. how much water should i change from here and how often? i know my tank is not even close to being cycled yet....... thanks everyone for the advice, it definitely has helped keep my sons fish alive

boadams87 · 02-22-2012, 05:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by frshwaterfish

did another ammonia clear treatment and about a 50% wc and added good wter back and after the tank settled a little ( 30 min ) the inital results show ammonia @ .25 ppm down from 1 ppm, ( will test again in 24hrs ). all my fish are still alive and thats my goal till i can get a new tank for my son they seem happy but i know they need a new tank. how much water should i change from here and how often? i know my tank is not even close to being cycled yet....... thanks everyone for the advice, it definitely has helped keep my sons fish alive

Id do one when ur ammonia gets to .50 or more. Or do one everyday at least 50-75%