Newbie...started off on wrong foot...again..

[93civEJ1]

Ok, So....i have a 29 or 30 gal aquarium. Dont remember the exact right off...but 2 weekends ago I cleaned out my aquarium from it just sitting with junk in it and old plants and rocks etc and evaporating water. I decided two weeks ago to clean it out...take it outside scrub it good and clean all the gravel really well. I decided to toss alot of the old gravel and dump in a bunch of new to mix with a little of the old. I filled up the tank cleaned out the filter..its a 30 gal power head using the cartridge filters that have carbon inside. A heater and the temp is holding around 76-77ish. I also bought a 12" airstone and pump. (never had in the past). I also put 3 small looks like java ferns back in my tank from what I had before.

Not knowing what I was really doing yet (for the 2nd time now), I had my wife go ahead and buy a pleco that night. He seems to be doing ok.

Then we slowly added 3 mollies and 3 platys. then came 2 small snails and 1 big mystery snail. Then came 3 guppys. and an african dwarf frog...all over two weeks. Only one red colored platy ended up dying over the past 2 weeks. The others seem to be doing great.

Well today we decided to stop at petsmart and get our frog a buddy...but when we got home with a second small african dwarf, we noticed that the current frog seems suddenly paralyzed up front and a weird clear colored bacteria or fungus covering him some. If you barely touch him with a tank tool he will kick his back legs..but he just seems paralyzed with his back arched.

I tested my water with test strips the by Jungle labs and thought all was going well. ..but today I decided to buy an API master test kit and do it the right way...and man were my strips wrong. My PH is showing around 8.0, my ammonia around 4.0, my nitrite around .25 and my nitrate at 0 or a little above.

Now ...I guess my cycle hasnt got up to par....

Anything I can do on the mean time to help? Also, I have noticed my carbon filter cartridge in the power head looks dirty, but I dont want to take it out or change it yet due to it being too soon......any tips for a newb??

 

[Oceangirl]

Please see my signature for a helpful guide on cycling your tank. Please make sure to have lots of water conditioner and be prepared to do lots of water changes.

 

[93civEJ1]

Is there a way to do one successfully when you have a tank with things in it already???

 

[Oceangirl]

did you read the article in my signature? Its by Jetajockey and explains how to do fish in cycling. It just means doing a lot of water changes and testing 1-3 times per day.

 

[jlk]

Welcome to AA!!!

Heres another article on fish-in cycling as well. You will need test daily and do lots of big, frequent water changes (daily or more often). A good water conditioner such as Prime will help with toxicity affects on your fish. Right now, with ammonia at 4ppm, you need to do some emergency water changes to bring this down to .25ppm or less. Make sure you properly condition all new water and temperature match it to the tank water. The ph of 8 is not that important and likely reflects your tap water. Also, test your tap water for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate so you know what you are putting in your tank (make sure you really shake & bang those nitrate bottles!). Please ask any questions!

I just learned about cycling but I already have fish. What now?! - Aquarium Advice

 

[93civEJ1]

did you read the article in my signature? Its by Jetajockey and explains how to do fish in cycling. It just means doing a lot of water changes and testing 1-3 times per day.

Yeah I read it. I replied before reading the sig.

If the filter is getting clogged up. Is there a way to clean it without messing up the cycle prematurely?

 

[93civEJ1]

Welcome to AA!!!

Heres another article on fish-in cycling as well. You will need test daily and do lots of big, frequent water changes (daily or more often). A good water conditioner such as Prime will help with toxicity affects on your fish. Right now, with ammonia at 4ppm, you need to do some emergency water changes to bring this down to .25ppm or less. Make sure you properly condition all new water and temperature match it to the tank water. The ph of 8 is not that important and likely reflects your tap water. Also, test your tap water for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate so you know what you are putting in your tank (make sure you really shake & bang those nitrate bottles!). Please ask any questions!

I just learned about cycling but I already have fish. What now?! - Aquarium Advice

Yeh, i shook the test bottles very good per the instructions before testing a moment ago. I just got through doing a 25% water change and will prob do it every day or every other day at 50%. Going to read your link posted as well.

 

[jlk]

Yeah I read it. I replied before reading the sig.

If the filter is getting clogged up. Is there a way to clean it without messing up the cycle prematurely?

I really would try not to touch your filter while cycling unless necessary. If water is no longer flowing well, you can remove the media and swish it around in some used tank water from a water change. Do not rinse it in tap water/untreated water. If you find your filter media getting clogged on a frequent basis, the filter may be overtaxed and you may need to add some additional filtration to help compensate.

 

[93civEJ1]

I really would try not to touch your filter while cycling unless necessary. If water is no longer flowing well, you can remove the media and swish it around in some used tank water from a water change. Do not rinse it in tap water/untreated water. If you find your filter media getting clogged on a frequent basis, the filter may be overtaxed and you may need to add some additional filtration to help compensate.

I got to thinking.....ive had this filter a long time. Its a top fin 30 power head..i know its not the best, but I dont remember what all media it came with. Right now it only has one of the Large sized Whisper bags in it...i am thinking one of those with carbon inside with a white bag on a frame. To me this only seems like a mechanical / chemical filter. Should I try to add something else in my filter? It has plenty of room.

 

[jlk]

If you have room, filter foam (aq sponge) is an easy and inexpensive option. Filter floss (polyfill) is another easy one. Bio balls or ceramic rings can be tried too if you have enough room.

 

[93civEJ1]

thanks...i may look for some type of bio balls or foam to stick in there. Does it matter if it comes before the carbon bio bag or after?

Also, right now for the water conditioner (removing chlorine) I am using what i have left of tetra brand aqua safe for converting tap water. After that is finished ill probably switch to the Prime.

 

[jlk]

I would add it where ever you have room. If you can switch to Prime now, you can save the tap safe stuff for when your cycled or as a backup. In an uncycled tank with fish, Prime will be very helpful.

 

[93civEJ1]

I would add it where ever you have room. If you can switch to Prime now, you can save the tap safe stuff for when your cycled or as a backup. In an uncycled tank with fish, Prime will be very helpful.

I will keep updated as the days go by.
Hate that I lost my african dwarf frog...but I guess its a learning experience.

 

[bettagirl03]

Sorry bout your ADF's death.
But as others have said, teat your water a few times a day and do daily or even twice daily water changes. If you are okay with adding more products into the water, I would recommend TSS, it cycled my tank well and quickly, but you can do without it.

And this hobby really is a learning experience- my betta stayed in a 1 gallon bowl for 3 years (I got him when I was ten and didn't know any better), somehow surviving, but got really sick in the process. Now he is in a 5 gallon tank and I'm franticly trying to cure him, but I'm afraid I might lose him.

Learning experience, I guess.

 

[93civEJ1]

Ok, so I have been keeping up with the changes...my nitrites are down to around 0, nitrate has built up a little. Ammonia is still holding higher than normal along with PH up a little. I changed water at 50 percent a min ago and while it was sitting without water, i went and bought some Prime and used it with my fill back up. Also bought some bio foam for a fluval and cut into two peices. It is sitting in front of my carbon bag in my filter. Not sure if I should have put it in front right before the water comes out, or the back of the filter behind the carbon bag. Does it matter? Hopefully Prime will help out with my ammonia and the continuing of building good bacteria.

 

[jlk]

Great job! Prime wont help build bacteria but it will keep any ammonia/nitrite detoxed temporarily between water changes which your fish will thank you for! Nitrates increasing is a positive sign that your cycle is progressing. Keep up the good work!