Bubblebeam
Aquarium Advice Newbie
- Joined
- Nov 5, 2022
- Messages
- 1
Sorry for the lengthy post, but I want to cover all bases early on.
So I got a new 130L/34G tank a fortnight ago. Rinsed with a clean cloth and warm water (a family member did this but I did stress to them only warm water, no soaps). Given the size of the tank I wasn't sure how to go about conventionally rinsing it, and it's only me (currently pregnant with a hematoma so absolutely no lifting/strenuous work allowed) and another woman here. Hopefully that was enough? The tank is brand new and Google says a rinse is all that's necessary.
So a few days into setting it up, I installed the heater and hang on filter that the tank came with. Set the heater to 22C/71F so it was both ready for my goldfish and so it wasn't stone cold for the BB (just assuming here they do best in mild temps).
I followed an idea from someone online, about using the rinse water from a cycled tank sponge (that water you swish/squeeze your media in) and dumping it straight into the new filter. This seemed the best option for me as I can't attach a hangon filter of any kind to my already established tank (lid panels in the way all around). Otherwise I would have put it next to my cycled filter and done it that way.
So the new filter parts were looking very dirty as soon as I did that. A good thing I assumed. A good amount of BB must now be there. I'll admit at this point I had a d'oh moment and only then realised there was nothing for that BB to actually feed on, but a quick Google on cycling told me a pinch of fish food a day is all that's necessary, so I added it and have been daily for almost two weeks now.
The problem? Nothing seems to be happening. Ammonia, nitrites and nitrates have all read zero this entire time. I understand cycling can take months but 1) the person who posted about using his rinse water said his cycle was done in just days and 2) shouldn't I be seeing SOMETHING by now? Something going up? This tank bottom is now so full of fish food I can't understand how nothing is happening. Out of desperation, I even dumped some of the established tanks vacuum water in, full of goldfish poop, hoping maybe that would get some ammonia appearing. That was a few days ago and still... nada.
I get tempted at times to just transfer my goldfish as I could easily transfer them back to the established tank if readings suddenly spiked. But, I feel like I'll regret it. They could still fall ill. I don't get what I'm doing wrong though.
Thanks for reading and any advice. I should also mention that the water added was tap water than runs through a filter we have where I live, that removes chlorine.
My two current suspicions are 1) family member used a clean but perhaps previously used with chemicals cloth? and 2) perhaps the built in tap filter is overdue on having its filter changed. As I'm newly renting I don't know when it was last done, so maybe there IS chlorine in there?
So I got a new 130L/34G tank a fortnight ago. Rinsed with a clean cloth and warm water (a family member did this but I did stress to them only warm water, no soaps). Given the size of the tank I wasn't sure how to go about conventionally rinsing it, and it's only me (currently pregnant with a hematoma so absolutely no lifting/strenuous work allowed) and another woman here. Hopefully that was enough? The tank is brand new and Google says a rinse is all that's necessary.
So a few days into setting it up, I installed the heater and hang on filter that the tank came with. Set the heater to 22C/71F so it was both ready for my goldfish and so it wasn't stone cold for the BB (just assuming here they do best in mild temps).
I followed an idea from someone online, about using the rinse water from a cycled tank sponge (that water you swish/squeeze your media in) and dumping it straight into the new filter. This seemed the best option for me as I can't attach a hangon filter of any kind to my already established tank (lid panels in the way all around). Otherwise I would have put it next to my cycled filter and done it that way.
So the new filter parts were looking very dirty as soon as I did that. A good thing I assumed. A good amount of BB must now be there. I'll admit at this point I had a d'oh moment and only then realised there was nothing for that BB to actually feed on, but a quick Google on cycling told me a pinch of fish food a day is all that's necessary, so I added it and have been daily for almost two weeks now.
The problem? Nothing seems to be happening. Ammonia, nitrites and nitrates have all read zero this entire time. I understand cycling can take months but 1) the person who posted about using his rinse water said his cycle was done in just days and 2) shouldn't I be seeing SOMETHING by now? Something going up? This tank bottom is now so full of fish food I can't understand how nothing is happening. Out of desperation, I even dumped some of the established tanks vacuum water in, full of goldfish poop, hoping maybe that would get some ammonia appearing. That was a few days ago and still... nada.
I get tempted at times to just transfer my goldfish as I could easily transfer them back to the established tank if readings suddenly spiked. But, I feel like I'll regret it. They could still fall ill. I don't get what I'm doing wrong though.
Thanks for reading and any advice. I should also mention that the water added was tap water than runs through a filter we have where I live, that removes chlorine.
My two current suspicions are 1) family member used a clean but perhaps previously used with chemicals cloth? and 2) perhaps the built in tap filter is overdue on having its filter changed. As I'm newly renting I don't know when it was last done, so maybe there IS chlorine in there?