Going away for two nights...just started the tank..help!

[jmaglich]

Hey there,
Ive got a few questions for you guys, thanks in advance for the help. I just started this tank about a week or so ago...Have 2 angels, 5 danios, a gourami and a pleco. EVerything is going great, and I am going home to get a few more fish from our reputable LFS...I am pretty set on getting a school of tetra, and 3-5 cories and possibly some freshwater plants. Any objections/suggestions?
Anyways, I am leaving on a fri nigth, and coming back sometime Sunday. What should I do for the fish?!?! Like, should I leav the light on the whole time, get one of those time release food tabs, etc? Thanks a lot for the help.

 

[MSU Fan]

is your tank cycled? let's say it is: is your light on a timer? then don't worry about it. They will make it a couple of days without food no problem.

If your tank is not cycled, then you may have a problem when you come back Sunday, since that is quite a few fish to cycle with, and ammonia may become a severe (or fatal) problem.

 

[SHIFT_Unique]

woah now! back up here. your nto cycling your tank with angels and gouramis now are you???

i'll be suprised if the angel makes it through the cycling process.

don't buy anymore fish until your ammonia and nitrites hit 0ppm

when a customer comes into my petco

i point them towards a few of the hardy tetras and danios.
corys are a senitive fish as are the angels, they are for established tanks only


do a 50% water change before going on this two day vacation and dont feed so your fish dont poop in the water.

and about the pleco. i hope your feeding it algae wafers, because there is no algae in a 2 week old tank. i suggest you get algae wafers soon or you will have a dead pleco.

 

[jmaglich]

Hey,
It is not cycled, as far as I know, it was just started last friday. The water has been treated with amquel plus, there is a bio filter (penguin?), a heater, and I can get a timer. Im starting to hear that I should hold off on getting more fish at least for a little while, and I can deal with that. I will plan on just getting some plants/hiding places this weekend and some test kits. I just want the fish to be ok for the weekend. Should I do a water change before I leave, or would that be too risky since I'd be leaving for two days right after I did it?

 

[Codefox]

Do the water change otherwise you may very well have dead fish when you get back. I'd buy a test kit too..dollars to donuts says you have really high ammonia right now.

 

[SHIFT_Unique]

do a 50% water change, test it afterward. if you dont have test kits, petco i know does free water tests.

dont feed them. its actually good to fast your fish atleast once a week to clear otu their intestines and reduce bloating.

 

[jmaglich]

Someone I was talking to just told me if I got some bio spira from the store, I could put that in and not worry about cycling, that apparently it takes care of the cycling???

 

[SHIFT_Unique]

you have to have mature filter media, in example your bio-wheel, it has to be matured and filled with beneficial bacteria before it can support your current bio-load.

i knwo you can dose your filter with cycle and that will speed up the bacteria build up on your bio-wheel

but your bio-wheel can only support your current bio-load. when you add more fish your tank has a mini cycle

so i say wait it out keep testing the water untill ammonia and nitrite are at 0ppm

 

[Codefox]

Biospira will work if you can find it. I've never once seen it in any petstore I've been to.