Help for an enthusistic newbie please...

[Viewfinder]

Hi everyone,

After doing things the wrong way;buying the tank from a so-called expert for 30% more than it is sold everyone else ; following their instruction to feed my one fish 2-3 times a day with no need to change any water during the first month and then being heart-broken by losing my one and only fish, I figured that I would do my own research and arrived here!

So... to give you an idea of where I am at;
- Bought a Baby Bi-orb (15l) on 14th Feb and set it up as per instructions with normal tap water
- Bought a lovely little oranda on 15th Feb, added to the tank after aclimatising to the new water
- Fed 2-3 times a day and all happy and lovely for 10 days
- 26th Feb oranda became less wiggly and was off his food so I sought advice for a different store and got my water tested which showed very high ammonia and Nitrites
- Advised to feed the fish much less and do a 20% water change before taking water for another test after a few days
- Oranda died overnight on 27th Feb so I spent the next couple of days doing loads of research

I have discovered tons of stuff but the main things are to treat the tap water before adding to the tank (have bought some Biotopol Plus Water Conditioner) and that the tank needs to go through the cyling process.

I bought a test kit (tablets and test tubes) and have spent the past few days trying to establish what is going on. I currently have no fish in the tank but am seeking advice as what I have had so far tends to conflict in certain areas.

I have carried our three tests since 04/03/2011. For each, pH was 8, Ammonia 0.1, and water temperature 24C. Nitrites are sitting at 4.0 but Nitrates have dropped from the 75-100 mark to 50. My understanding is that the cycle should see Nitrites decreasing and Nitrates increasing and not the other way around, as in my case, so I am a little confused. I have carried out a 3l (20-25%) water change each day for the past three days which may be why the Nitrates have fallen.

What can I do to reduce the level of Nitrites? I am told that it would be unwise to introduce fish at the moment due to the current levels. However, I have read that in order to move the cycle on, the tank needs the addition of Ammonia to continue.

I added a sachet of Stress Coat at set up and Stress Zyme just before adding my fish (after 24 hours). Otherwise, all I have been adding is the
water conditioner when changing the water.

I know that the tank I have is completely the wrong thing for me but I want to learn before I invest in the right thing. My sister is keen to have the Bi-orb so once it is cycled I will pass it over to her to keep some minnows and get me a bigger tank for my orandas!!

Any help greatly appreciated please.

Cheers,
VF

 

[Coleallensmom]

Good for you for doing your own research. I've heard so many times from new fish owners that their local fish store (LFS) advised that water changes aren't necessary when a tank is new. Frustrating, when that is so far from the truth. Basically when a new tank is "cycling", fish eat food and produce ammonia as waste. There is beneficial bacteria which grows on the filter and the gravel which converts that ammonia to nitrite. More bacteria then eats the nitrite, converting it to less harmful nitrate. Once the beneficial bacteria grow in the tank to acceptable levels they will be able to handle the waste the fish produce and the tank's ammonia and Nitrite readings will read 'zero'. Any time ammonia or nitrite rise over .25ppm in a tank, it can harm the fish. <40ppm nitrate is generally considered ok, while <20 is ideal. Many chemicals such as ammonia removers will actually stall a cycle; the best way to deal with lowering ammonia/nitrite/nitrate levels in a tank is by introducing fresh water into the tank by doing partial water changes (PWCs). By not preforming partial water changes, ammonia and nitrite can spike and cause fish deaths, so water testing/water changes must be a daily thing while cycling. What type of test kit did you purchase? Liquid test kits are generally considered the most accurate. If your nitrites are actually 4ppm and your nitrates are 50ppm, then yes I agree you should not add more fish. PWCs will lower those, but since the tank is currently fish-less, you might consider cycling fishless.
http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f15/fishless-cycling-for-dummies-103339.html

 

[BigJim]

Welcome!

You're definitely not the first person here that followed the LFS's advice to a bad end.

If you're set on keeping fancy goldfish, figure 30g for the first fish and an additional 10g for each additional fish.

If you don't have fish in the tank, get some pure ammonia, do one large (75%) PWC, and dose the tank up to about 4ppm of ammonia. Read the link Coleallensmom provided or the links in my signature for further information.

 

[Viewfinder]

What type of test kit did you purchase?

I will give fishless cycling a go I think - don't want to lose another one this early in my venture!

The test kit I have is an "Interpet Easy Test", which provides test tubes and tablets for adding to aquarium water for each of Ammonia, pH, Nitrite and Nitrate. It gives very specific instructions about shaking the tube for a certain amount of time and leaving it to develop. I intend to invest in a liquid test kit when this one runs out but as this has been giving me high reasons, I am happy that it appears to err on the side of caution.

Thanks for the tips and the link - very helpful.

Cheers,
VF

 

[Viewfinder]

Welcome!

If you're set on keeping fancy goldfish, figure 30g for the first fish and an additional 10g for each additional fish.

If you don't have fish in the tank, get some pure ammonia, do one large (75%) PWC, and dose the tank up to about 4ppm of ammonia. Read the link Coleallensmom provided or the links in my signature for further information.

Thanks Big Jim - useful advice on tank size.

Had a read of the links but couldn't find anything about how much ammonia I need. I have the ammonia but have no clue as to how much would take me to 4ppm. Any idea for a 15l (4g) tank? Are we talking teaspoons or litres?

Cheers,
VF

 

[Vircomore]

Easiest way to find that out is to fill a 1-liter container with water and then put it in a pot or pail, and then add ammonia (a few eyedropper drops at a time) and keep testing that 1 liter until you get 4ppm reading.

Then just multiply the number of drops it took by the size of your tank.

I think you'll find that - if you're using cleaner-grade ammonia - getting a 15L tank to 4ppm will only take you 5-6 eyedropper drops of the stuff.

 

[Viewfinder]

Easiest way to find that out is to fill a 1-liter container with water and then put it in a pot or pail, and then add ammonia (a few eyedropper drops at a time) and keep testing that 1 liter until you get 4ppm reading.

Then just multiply the number of drops it took by the size of your tank.

I think you'll find that - if you're using cleaner-grade ammonia - getting a 15L tank to 4ppm will only take you 5-6 eyedropper drops of the stuff.

Makes perfect sense - the logical part of my brain obviously hasn't kicked in yet!

Cheers,
VF

 

[BigJim]

There are ammonia dosing calculators online. We're working on getting one set up here, but it's still in progress.

 

[ejaramillo01]

I have my own ammonia calculator in excel. But I don't know how to attached here, I think that we can just attach videos or pictures.

Well I ran it for your 4G tank, and if you have ammonia from ACE at 10% concentration, you will need to add 0.60 mililitres of the product to reach 4ppm of ammonia in your tank.