Lots of questions! >.<

[batmansocks117]

I posted on the unhealthy fish forum last week about a sick cardinal tetra I had in my 10 gallon. I went and got my water tested today at PetSmart to discover that my ammonia level is at .5 and my nitrite level is 1.0. =( The lady who helped me said it looked like I was in the middle of my cycle even though my tank has been set up for 4 weeks (however, I did not do a fishless cycle), and she suggested to not do a lot of water changes because it will make the cycle last longer and to come back in 2 weeks to get the water tested again. So my question is, do I do more water changes because of my levels? I looked around online and from what I was seeing people suggest more water changes to help this. I've been using API +Stress Coat water conditioner up until last week when I switched to Prime because it was suggested to me.

My next question is that I want to eventually add a marimo ball and some more live plants to my tank. If I add these in after the ammonia and nitrite levels have become more normal will it mess with them again?

Also, I finally convinced my boyfriend to let me get a 5 gallon to upgrade my betta to (yay!). If I use the substrate and the filter media from the tank he is in now should that help the new tank cycle faster?

Last question, lol. Both my filters came with carbon inserts, I've read so many different things about them I'm so unsure as to what they do. Are they necessary? I read a lot of people just use them in quarantine tanks to help remove any medicine they had put into the tank. They are due for a change soon and I'm wondering if I should worry about getting new ones and just leave them out.

oh! One last question, lol. One of the decorations in my betta's tank ripped his fin up hecka. When I got him his fins were already pretty bad and he healed up nicely, but is there anything I can do to help him along?

Thanks! And sorry for all the questions, haha >.<

 

[Cloudhp8]

Removing water doesn't really hurt the cycle most of the bacteria that produces the nitrites and nitrates and consume the ammonia are in the filter and substrate.....im not 100% on water changing making the cycle last longer but it helps take out the toxins so to me IMO sounds more like a good thing then letting them build up to high and kill your fish....maybe doing smaller water changes every couple of days maybe..thats what i do on my 29gal about 20% every couple days during the cycle....larger 50% every other week or when levels are way to high....Nice choice switching to Prime!! i used everything thing you could buy i like the Prime a lot!

The live plants will actually consume the ammonia, nitrites and nitrates....so no they shouldn't mess with those except only lowering them(unless they are not aquatic then they would rot and produce ammonia)

swapping the filter media over will help keep the new tank in check...you may get a bacterial bloom. i would think that would be about it...just keep an eye on the water parameters.

You don't really have to use carbon....it's mostly good for keeping the water "clear" keeping it from going a tea color...which there are new ways now a days to do this...it also helps take out most toxins or meds or chems that you don't want in any more...I personally use some i use the API AMMO-CARB ...it helps keep ammonia down and has the carbon for keeping the water clean.....it's more or less what you prefer.....i have a slight overstock in one tank so i use the ammo-carb in the filter...i think its all preference ...if you use it change it once a month

To help with damaged fins...water changes every week i'd change a little bit out of his tank at least once a week.....just enough to freshen it up and that alone can heal a fish from a damaged fin...if it's say infected then it's a different story meds maybe needed.

 

[Rivercats]

Do you know if they used test strips or did water testing in a test tube? Often test strips are not accurate. It would also be a good idea to buy your own test kit. API Master test kit has everything you need.

As for cycling you need to do a WC whenever your ammonia or nitrites rise above .25ppm. Both are toxic to fish and need to be lowered when they rise. This means doing a WC as needed, even if its every day or two. After cycling a 50% WC weekly ensure good water quality. If a tank has few fish and a very low bio-load a smaller weekly WC can be done. Nitrates should be kept below 20ppms. Here's a good article on fish in cycling... I just learned about cycling but I already have fish. What now?! - Aquarium Advice

Using media from an established filter will aid another tank in a faster cycle but right now this tank is cycling so it won't help with cycling another tank near as well as media from a completely cycled tank would.

There is no reason you can't use the carbon inserts. Once the carbon is full, which is usually 2-4 weeks the carbon just becomes more media for BB to colonize on. You can always just get some cheap 100% Polyfill and use in the filter. It's easy to use and you just pull it out weekly or bi-weekly, throw away, and stuff new back in.

Plants are always a good option. Adding them now will actually help the cycle as plants using ammonia and nitrates. They don't use nitrites. Adding plants like water sprite, wisteria, or other fast growing stem plants are great for new tank.

Clean water will help repair damaged fins very quickly. Doing a 50% WC weekly along with feeding very lightly will help alot.

 

[pankelephant]

There really should be a sticky with a list of bad advice from pet stores. And the second one (after "Sure, you can put a goldfish in a bowl!") should be that water changes are bad, for whatever reason. They'll shock your fish, you'll lose your cycle, blah blah blah.

The more fresh water the better! These are freshwater fish, not 10-gallons-of-the-same-water fish. Also, there are no nitrifying bacteria in any significant amount in your water. For that matter, the amount in your substrate and on your decorations is minimal as well, although in a pinch they can be used to help kick start your cycle. But it will NOT be an instant cycle. Your filter is what matters.

 

[batmansocks117]

Okay, so I will definitely do water changes every couple of days then. And yea they used the test strips, I'm getting the liquid master test kit in the mail on Friday so I will test for myself then to see if they were off and go from there.

I would be using the filter media from the 1.5 gallon tank that my betta is already in, and that tank is completely cycled. =)

I'll have to look for the API AMMO-CARB inserts to help with the 10 gallon, that sounds like it would be helpful. =)

Thanks for all the advice! It's super helpful =D