Have I done it correctly or is there something wrong?

[bjcballa22]

Howdy there!

So I have reading around this website and it got me wondering about my tank situation. I would like for you to read about my tank and comment/opinion about my tank.


Here goes the story....

In August, I purchased a used 29 gallon fish tank with accessories and cleaned it up properly to use. I got all of my decor and (sand) substrates and placed them in the tank, filled it up with dechlorinated water (I use Novaqua Plus). I learned about the fishless cycle and decided against fish in cycling. Using fishless cycling, I used Dr Tims One and Only Nitrifying bacteria and Ammonium chloride. I followed the instructions (poorly written) and cycled my tank within 2 weeks. The nitrifying bacteria was to help jumpstart the cycle and the ammonium chloride is used to feed the bacteria that needs to colonize. So during the two week period, I had readings of 1ppm for ammonia and approximately .5 ppm nitrite, then as ammonia and nitrite readings began to drop, my nitrate grew to approximately 5ppm, it got to a light orange-y color but never red. Over the last few days during the two week period, nitrates went down to 0ppm and i tested my ammonia and nitrite by adding the ammonium chloride and after 24 hours, the readings were still at 0ppm. So, in the end, I had 0ppm for all three readings. Keep in mind, I have 5 different live plants and driftwood/bogwood in the tank during the cycle. So, after researching, I assumed the plants and wood absorbed the nitrates. After a few days of a complete tank cycle (to my knowledge) I purchased two bolivian rams, a balloon molly, ghost shrimp and chameleon shrimp. One bolivian died unexpectedly (no signs of stress or bullying) two days after purchase. One day later, my balloon molly died after a whole day of seeing signs of stress (separated dorsal fins, upside floating, etc). FYI-Balloon molly was bullied in the transfer bag from pet store by the bolivian ram that died. One week after their deaths, I got another bolivian ram and some cory cats. The very next day, my new bolivian ram was dead and I believe its from the bullying from my current bolivian ram in the tank that occurred when I put them together. As of today, I have one bolivian ram, (new) sunburst gourami, 4 cory cats (2 are new) , (new) balloon molly, (4) ghost shrimp, 1 chameleon shrimp (1 discovered dead this morning), and (2) (new) cherry shrimp.

Since my tank cycle 2 weeks ago, 3 fish and 1 shrimp have passed. Does this indicate anything as far as completing the tank cycle? All of my readings are currently at 0ppm. Ive only added 3 fish each week, but added more in replace of the dead ones. Can anyone provide their opinion or comment? I really hope I set the tank up properly. Thank you for your time.

 

[jtez]

When you cleaned out the tank, did you use any chemicals for cleaning? (Soaps etc?)

0 nitrates confuses me, even with plants, but if the plants are growing quickly they might be soaking those nitrates like you said.

The LFS really should have had the two fish in separate bags.. In future don't let them do that again, because no doubt that stressed the two of them and made them weaker. How did you acclimate them when you first put them in?

When was the last time you did a water change? This could be completely irrelevant but if you haven't done one for a while due to 0 nitrates, some necessary minerals could be missing (could also help with your plants).

What's your pH at, just curious?

If anymore shrimp die I probably wouldn't replace them, just to let the tank become more established, as sometimes shrimp may not do so well in new aquariums.

 

[Mebbid]

Assuming the cycle was done properly you should be seeing nitrates in your tank. The plants that you have in your tank will only absorb a little of the nitrate. I also have never heard of using ammonium chloride to cycle a tank before.

What is your water change schedule?

If you are using API test kit make sure that the bottles are being shook enough. First add 10 drops to the tube and shake for 5 seconds. Then shake bottle 2 VIGOROUSLY for 30 seconds straight. Add 10 drops of bottle 2 and shake tube VIGOROUSLY for a minute straight. Usually people don't shake the bottle enough to mix it properly and it gives a 0 reading.

Unless you have obscenely high ammonia levels in your tank I am led to believe that the fish died because of acclimation into your tank. How are you acclimating them?

 

[jtez]

Do you happen to be from Australia?

 

[bjcballa22]

When you cleaned out the tank, did you use any chemicals for cleaning? (Soaps etc?)

0 nitrates confuses me, even with plants, but if the plants are growing quickly they might be soaking those nitrates like you said.

The LFS really should have had the two fish in separate bags.. In future don't let them do that again, because no doubt that stressed the two of them and made them weaker. How did you acclimate them when you first put them in?

When was the last time you did a water change? This could be completely irrelevant but if you haven't done one for a while due to 0 nitrates, some necessary minerals could be missing (could also help with your plants).

What's your pH at, just curious?

If anymore shrimp die I probably wouldn't replace them, just to let the tank become more established, as sometimes shrimp may not do so well in new aquariums.

I used an old algae scrubber with white vinegar and rinsed. Repeated process several times.

I put each unopened bag in tank and let sit for 15 minutes. Then, I cut the top at added a cup of my tank water, folded bag over edge and let them sit for 20 minutes, then I released fish/shrimp with net. I never poured water from bag into tank.

I did a water change almost 5/6 days ago. Im set every Wednesday to do a 30% water change. I have a 29 gallon tank, so I just use two 5 gallon buckets with dechlorinated water.

Regards to PH it was around 7.4-7.8, hard to tell using the API test kit but last wednesday or thursday I went out and bought an API water softener pillow to help reduce the PH. it still hasn't made much change but slightly tea-ed my water. I figured enough wood would help but nothing is working. Also, I boiled one piece of wood because the other two came from a tank in the fish store. For the other two, I had rinsed them with the "dirty water" from water change.

 

[bjcballa22]

Do you happen to be from Australia?

No Im from USA in Connecticut

 

[bjcballa22]

Assuming the cycle was done properly you should be seeing nitrates in your tank. The plants that you have in your tank will only absorb a little of the nitrate. I also have never heard of using ammonium chloride to cycle a tank before.

What is your water change schedule?

If you are using API test kit make sure that the bottles are being shook enough. First add 10 drops to the tube and shake for 5 seconds. Then shake bottle 2 VIGOROUSLY for 30 seconds straight. Add 10 drops of bottle 2 and shake tube VIGOROUSLY for a minute straight. Usually people don't shake the bottle enough to mix it properly and it gives a 0 reading.

Unless you have obscenely high ammonia levels in your tank I am led to believe that the fish died because of acclimation into your tank. How are you acclimating them?

Hmm if you are referring to the nitrate bottles, I should give that a try. Like I said, I did get a slight reading around 5ppm during the cycle and then it disappeared. I will try your method of shaking the bottle. Check my post a few spaces above, I described to Jtez the same thing you are asking.

Also, ammonium chloride is recommended with nitrifying bacteria by Dr Tims aquatic. A good number of people have used this product so I didn't hesitate to use it

 

[Mebbid]

Don't worry about you pH. It's fine right where it is. More harm will come if you try fiddling with it than is necessary.

It's possible that you just got bad stock.

 

[bjcballa22]

Don't worry about you pH. It's fine right where it is. More harm will come if you try fiddling with it than is necessary.

It's possible that you just got bad stock.

The only reason I'm messing with the pH is the bolivian ram. It is recommend they live in 6.5-7.5 but mine seems to be doing well, except I really dont see him eat. He'll see bloodworms, catch it and spit them out. But later on, he'll eat off the wood or look for food.

FYI- my wife calls him Michael Myers because he killed another bolivian and hes always hiding out

 

[jtez]

Well you're certainly doing everything I can think of correctly.. See how this lot of fish go, monitor parameters carefully and let us know how it goes. You may just have gotten a few weak fish, and will have no trouble with the new ones. Like mebbid said, make sure you're getting the water tests right because 0 nitrates is unusual even with plants.

If you add anymore fish, look into drip acclimating them. It's a bit of work but you've done pretty much everything else right.

It can also help to have the lights off for the first few hours of having a fish, so that they feel more comfortable. But if your fish aren't showing signs of being skittish or scared I doubt that's really the issue.

I also have never heard of using ammonium chloride to cycle a tank before.

In Australia it's incredibly difficult to buy ammonia (other than "cloudy ammonia", which is unsuitable). There's a product called ammonchlor which is what I know some people use, and it's just ammonium chloride. I think ammonia has been pretty strongly regulated since 9/11 and the only place I've heard people sourcing it is from science labs.

That's the only reason I was asking if you were from Australia, by the way Balla.

 

[bjcballa22]

Well you're certainly doing everything I can think of correctly.. See how this lot of fish go, monitor parameters carefully and let us know how it goes. You may just have gotten a few weak fish, and will have no trouble with the new ones. Like mebbid said, make sure you're getting the water tests right because 0 nitrates is unusual even with plants.

If you add anymore fish, look into drip acclimating them. It's a bit of work but you've done pretty much everything else right.

It can also help to have the lights off for the first few hours of having a fish, so that they feel more comfortable. But if your fish aren't showing signs of being skittish or scared I doubt that's really the issue.



In Australia it's incredibly difficult to buy ammonia (other than "cloudy ammonia", which is unsuitable). There's a product called ammonchlor which is what I know some people use, and it's just ammonium chloride. I think ammonia has been pretty strongly regulated since 9/11 and the only place I've heard people sourcing it is from science labs.

That's the only reason I was asking if you were from Australia, by the way Balla.

I totally forgot about lights off once adding new fish. I will remember that part, but I have no fish that are scared or anything like that. Just fed them an hour ago, usually 12 hours in between. I was trying to find pure ammonia with no additives or surfactants but I gave up after trying 10 stores, and yes because of the 9/11 tragedy. I will update you guys tonight on the nitrate to see if I can pull a reading. By the way, nice to meet you fellows, Jtez and Mebbid

 

[jtez]

I totally forgot about lights off once adding new fish. I will remember that part, but I have no fish that are scared or anything like that. Just fed them an hour ago, usually 12 hours in between. I was trying to find pure ammonia with no additives or surfactants but I gave up after trying 10 stores, and yes because of the 9/11 tragedy. I will update you guys tonight on the nitrate to see if I can pull a reading. By the way, nice to meet you fellows, Jtez and Mebbid

I'm not sure how crucial lights off is, but I guess every little thing adds up.

You could probably feed them just once a day, but whatever works for you. If you aren't having ammonia spikes or algae growth with what you're doing now then I'm not telling you to suddenly change it.

Nice to meet you too, good luck with it over the next couple of weeks. Let us know how it goes

 

[bjcballa22]

Assuming the cycle was done properly you should be seeing nitrates in your tank. The plants that you have in your tank will only absorb a little of the nitrate. I also have never heard of using ammonium chloride to cycle a tank before.

What is your water change schedule?

If you are using API test kit make sure that the bottles are being shook enough. First add 10 drops to the tube and shake for 5 seconds. Then shake bottle 2 VIGOROUSLY for 30 seconds straight. Add 10 drops of bottle 2 and shake tube VIGOROUSLY for a minute straight. Usually people don't shake the bottle enough to mix it properly and it gives a 0 reading.

Unless you have obscenely high ammonia levels in your tank I am led to believe that the fish died because of acclimation into your tank. How are you acclimating them?

Unbelievable! I just got a reading for the first time using your method. My nitrate reading falls between 5-20ppm. I just added a blue ram today so I will perform a water change tomorrow. Thanks a bunch for the help with nitrates testing. All fish/shrimp are doing well and I'm happy my new ram isn't fighting with my bolivian or any other fish. I will update you guys later this week how things are going.

FYI- each time a fish store tested my water for returning a dead fish, they never got a nitrate reading either. Inexperienced fish maintenance person or what? Lol