Hi i have just bought my son a 40 litre tank we have 4 mollies 4 guppys and 4 platies, the tank came equipped with the filter heater and ligh but do I need something to take the nitrate and other harmfull chemicals out of the water. Help would be appreciated thanks.
Help would be appreciated
- Thread starter Beau123
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LyndaB
Aquarium Advice Addict
Welcome to the forum.
Hi, you will need to read up on the nitrogen cycle and cycling a tank. Please see this link: I just learned about cycling but I already have fish. What now?! - Aquarium Advice
Now, for some bad news. Your tank is much too small for those fish. That tank is roughly 10 gallons. The mollies require 20 gallons because they have a large bioload. The guppies would be fine, but will soon inundate the tank with fry, as they are quite prolific breeders. The platies should also have a larger tank.
Hi, you will need to read up on the nitrogen cycle and cycling a tank. Please see this link: I just learned about cycling but I already have fish. What now?! - Aquarium Advice
Now, for some bad news. Your tank is much too small for those fish. That tank is roughly 10 gallons. The mollies require 20 gallons because they have a large bioload. The guppies would be fine, but will soon inundate the tank with fry, as they are quite prolific breeders. The platies should also have a larger tank.
hcourts
Aquarium Advice FINatic
You have to get some dechlorinator. Was this an established tank you purchased off someone or is it brand new? That is a pretty good amount of fish for a 10g:/ glad you found the forum
hope you can find some great tips I know I did
hope you can find some great tips I know I didThanks for the help. Its a new tank the shop we bought it from said set it all up leave it all running for a week then come back and collect the fish which is what we done. They told us what fish and how many we could have. I got told to change 10% of the water every two weeks would it help if I did it more often?
tamtam
Aquarium Advice Addict
I'm sorry you have been given such horrible advice. Sadly it's pretty common. Many of us have been victim to it.
Letting your tank run empty without adding an ammonia source does nothing. It's just that, running an empty tank. It doesn't prepare the tank for your fish in any way. 24 hours is all you need to allow your temp to adjust and substrate to settle. I'm honestly not sure where that idea came from.
The above posted article will be very helpful, as well there are others in the article section which you can see a tab for at the top of the page.
In short you need to rehome some fish or get a larger tank. Water changes are a temp solution but it's not going to work long term. A regular properly stocked tank needs a water change of about 30% weekly to maintain water quality. It's also the best and safest way to keep good water quality. Adding chemicals is just a short term fix. A band aid, that will cause more problems than it will solve in the long run. TBH I think you'd be facing daily water changes to try and maintain even close to a good water quality in that tank and that isn't including the fact that it just doesn't give those fish the space they need.
I'd keep the guppies and return the rest. Those guppies will do well in that tank. You are now doing a fish in cycle, there is an excellent article on it in the articles section that will be very helpful. I'd also suggest you get a good liquid test kit, no strips. the API master test kit is a favored on this board.
librarygirl
Look It Up
I agree with the above. Not your fault, but unfortunately the fish stores just want to sell fish and therefore their advice is often flawed. I'd highly recommend returning the mollies and platys as said above they are too messy and large for a 10 gal and without the tank being properly cycled they'll produce massive amounts of ammonia that is going to be very difficult to keep on top of.
A 10% water change every two weeks in a new uncycled tank, particularly with that many fish will result in dead fish. I would do daily 50% water changes with dechlorinator until you can return the larger fish and get your own test kit (whatever you have on-hand now is fine but when you can get some Prime, do so, it's more concentrated so it lasts longer and will help protect the fish between water changes). Return the mollys and platys; keep the guppies if you like but no more fish until the tank is cycled (3-8 weeks) and ask here before you purchase anything---clearly the fish store doesn't give good stocking advice.
Get your own liquid test kit; it's a must-have. STrips are cheaper in the short-term but will run out fast and are not accurate. Read this link: it explains cycling as well as some general aquarium tips: https://www.aquariumadvice.com/guide-to-starting-a-freshwater-aquarium/
Good luck and keep asking questions!
A 10% water change every two weeks in a new uncycled tank, particularly with that many fish will result in dead fish. I would do daily 50% water changes with dechlorinator until you can return the larger fish and get your own test kit (whatever you have on-hand now is fine but when you can get some Prime, do so, it's more concentrated so it lasts longer and will help protect the fish between water changes). Return the mollys and platys; keep the guppies if you like but no more fish until the tank is cycled (3-8 weeks) and ask here before you purchase anything---clearly the fish store doesn't give good stocking advice.
Get your own liquid test kit; it's a must-have. STrips are cheaper in the short-term but will run out fast and are not accurate. Read this link: it explains cycling as well as some general aquarium tips: https://www.aquariumadvice.com/guide-to-starting-a-freshwater-aquarium/
Good luck and keep asking questions!
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