New Fish Person Learning Curve

[Mebbid]

ammonia had gone up to .50ppm so i did a 50% change. I added some seachem stability just to see if it has any effect on things. Will test water in about 30 minutes or so to see where its settle after the change.

Are you sure i am eventually going to have a stable tank????

hehe one day it might actually happen

 

[Fishperson]

Fishperson...as you have seen in this thread I did several 50% water changes to get my ammonia level down to .25ppm where it has remained for the second day now. My Nitrite and Nitrate levels are sitting at 0ppm. What will allow the nitrate level to increase? I am assuming based on your earlier post that Nitrates are a good thing.

Nitrates are a good thing in a cycle, because it shows how far the cycle has gone, but with a fish in cycle like this, nitrates aren't a good indicator of the progression of the cycle because water changes take down the nitrates. Basically, ammonia goes into the water through fish waster, dead plants or fish, and leftover food. Then that ammonia is converted to nitrite by bacteria of the Nitrosomonas genus, and that nitrite is converted to nitrate by the Nitrobacter genus bacteria. So when nitrite rises it shows your Nitrosomonas bacteria are doing their job, and when nitrate rises it shows that your Nitrobacter bacteria are doing their job.

So to increase nitrates you need to have nitrites, which occur when you have ammonia and the bacteria.

 

[ColoFishGuy]

LOL....ok...so in my case is it that i have plenty of ammonia and not enough bacteria??? Could i put a "dirty filter pad" from my sons aquarium into my filter to seed my filter pads with bacteria or would that open another can of worms?

Would i be better off getting rid of the fish i have and try to cycle the empty tank??? (would not want to get rid of mr. plecko...he's been with me thru thick and thin and is a nice size)

 

[Fishperson]

YES!!!!

A filter pad is super helpful! Or just gravel, or decorations, but a filter pad or piece of filter media is AWESOME!!!!

 

[Old Scales]

Great job asking and researching for doing your tank the right way. I salute you. Keep after it, you'll be cruisin' with healthy fish. Using a seeded filter pad from an established tank will speed up your cycle TREMENDOUSLY. You made a comment about all the bucket lugging during WC's. Let me suggest you getting an Aqueon or Python water changing hose. Best time & back saver money I spent! Congrats on your start. OS.

 

[ColoFishGuy]

bless you bless you

OS...thank you for that suggestion on the water changer...I will definitly be looking into that...where were you a few days ago??? 40lbs/bucket 14 buckets per change total 5 water changes...i can scratch my ankles without bending over!

My son is pulling a filter pad out of his aquarium and getting it to me in the next couple days...this should prove interesting!

 

[ColoFishGuy]

Just ordered my python no spill water changing kit from amazon!!!!!!!! My back thanks you!

 

[Old Scales]

Tips on the Python

Congrats on the Python.
I like that it has a brass coupler instead of a plastic one.
1. Coil it up loosely to avoid kinking the vinyl hose during storage as it really reduces suction.
2. Drain with faucet at full flow. Fill with water at about 1/4 flow.
3. Dose dechlorinator at the amount for the whole tank not just what water you replace. I personally double dose with prime.
4. Get an extra thermometer to hold under the water as you blend in hot water with the cold until you match the temp of your tank. (VERY IMPORTANT) You want the slower flow as to not wash away your gravel/plants while filling and to give the dechlorinator more time to blend with the water.
** Give thremometer about a minute to adjust fully to water temp for a true reading.
Welcome to AA. So many in here are so nice and willing to share their experiences saving much grief and money. OS.

 

[Fishperson]

Make sure that the filter media travels in old tank water!!!

Or at least dechlorinated water, but IMO old tank water is best. But without water, the bb will die.

 

[ColoFishGuy]

OS...thanks for the tips...got the thermomete issue handled already have an extra digital thermometer that i have been using when filling my buckets.

Fishperson...the guy i am getting filter pad from has them in his 120gallon now seeding new filters...i will be transporting them in tank water. Amazing...I put a request out on craigslist and got about 5 offers for grungy filter media within an hour...i work till 7am so will be picking up that tomorrow afternoon.

Good news is...since last water change my ammonia level has not gone up at all.

If anyone wants to email me directly...feel free.

 

[Old Scales]

Colorado,
Hope the flooding hasn't affected you too much. Stay safe! OS.

 

[ColoFishGuy]

Thanks OS...I am in Colorado Springs...I live on the east side of town. Most of our flooding is on the west side. North up in Denver/Longmont/Boulder/Ft.Collins and surrounding areas are extremely hard hit...amazing. if you want to see some pix go to 9news.com or 7news.com for info on the area up there.

 

[Fishperson]

Thanks OS...I am in Colorado Springs...I live on the east side of town. Most of our flooding is on the west side. North up in Denver/Longmont/Boulder/Ft.Collins and surrounding areas are extremely hard hit...amazing. if you want to see some pix go to 9news.com or 7news.com for info on the area up there.

Oh, that's not good!

But I'm glad your safe! I live in central NC, so we don't get much of anything. Doesn't rain enough to flood much, too far from the coast for hurricanes, not far west enough to get lots of tornadoes, so yeah, we're pretty lucky.

 

[ColoFishGuy]

ok...got yucky filter media

It was a small piece but I put it in one side of my Penguin Pro350. Question is, so now what??? As I test my water...what changes should I be looking for? Prior to putting this in i was still showing 0ppm Nitrites and 0ppm Nitrates....25ppm Ammmonia.

1) how often to test water and do water changes now? Should I drop back to 25% water changes or stick with the 50% when ammonia goes up?

2) should I still seek out additial icky pads ???

Can't believe we are still getting rain...dogs are learning that they can't hold it forever and have to get wet!

Thanks for all your help...will keep everyone posted on progress. Will be nice once things are "stable"

 

[Fishperson]

1. Test the water once every 2 days if not daily. Do a water change once the ammo or trite gets over .25ppm.

2. You don't need to, but if you have easy access to one then it would be good.

As far as changes go, you'll see (if the pads work) the ammonia begin to drop, until it hits zero and stays there, and then nitrite will start rising, then drop, and as the nitrite drops the nitrates will rise, although not much because they rise fairly slowly (or so it seems) and with water changes, they will be there but shouldn't be very high at all.

 

[ColoFishGuy]

is this a good idea?

Someone made this reply to my craigslist post....is this a good idea?

"Hi, I just saw your post and I think I can help you out. I just went from a 75 gallon to a 140, and though I don't have a pad you can have, I can still provide you with the beneficial bacteria that you will need, by squeezing out my pads over your (filter media), as well as giving you whatever liquid is left from my filter. Let me know if you are interested and you can stop over tonight. You'll have to come to me. I know what I am doing, as I used a different filter to do the same to my 140 and the tank is doing great."

 

[Nicobox]

I set my 60 gallon aquarium up the end of July. I have a Marineland Penquin 350 filter setup for the tank. I let the tank stabilize a week before adding my first 3 fish. Everything seemed to be going ok and being a newbie and wanting to see an active tank I added too many fish too soon...water became toxic and i lost all but my plecko.

I drained about 50% out of the tank ...cleaned all the plants and decor and let the tank cycle again. I know have the plecko 3 black fin tetras and 3 Gouramis. My ph/nitrite/nitrate levels look ok however my ammonia keeps getting worse. I use Seachem Prime as indicated. I am using the API Master kit for testing the chemical levels. I bought the ammonia indicator from Seachem....it indicates safe levels while the API test is showing high levels.

Which test can I trust???? How can I tell if my tank is cycled properly?

Thanks for taking the time to respond to a newbie.
Gary

Hi. I used to have average readings with Ammonia, on the high side. I put a air stone in with a separate pump and run 8-10 hrs s day and levels are now constantly safe. Hope this helps

 

[ColoFishGuy]

Thanks Nico...i have two decor features in the tank with air stones in them. I appreciate your feedback.

 

[ColoFishGuy]

Someone made this reply to my craigslist post....is this a good idea?

"Hi, I just saw your post and I think I can help you out. I just went from a 75 gallon to a 140, and though I don't have a pad you can have, I can still provide you with the beneficial bacteria that you will need, by squeezing out my pads over your (filter media), as well as giving you whatever liquid is left from my filter. Let me know if you are interested and you can stop over tonight. You'll have to come to me. I know what I am doing, as I used a different filter to do the same to my 140 and the tank is doing great."

Need to know if this is a good idea or not...If it is a good idea, would I just the water into my filter slowly????

 

[bshenanagins]

Someone made this reply to my craigslist post....is this a good idea?

"Hi, I just saw your post and I think I can help you out. I just went from a 75 gallon to a 140, and though I don't have a pad you can have, I can still provide you with the beneficial bacteria that you will need, by squeezing out my pads over your (filter media), as well as giving you whatever liquid is left from my filter. Let me know if you are interested and you can stop over tonight. You'll have to come to me. I know what I am doing, as I used a different filter to do the same to my 140 and the tank is doing great."

Need to know if this is a good idea or not...If it is a good idea, would I just the water into my filter slowly????

I've done that in the past as well, it should work just fine.