ClassicRocker
Aquarium Advice Regular
FIRST aquarium! Marineland Eclipse Hex 5, 5 gallon Hexagon w/carbon cartridge and BIO Wheel. Highly recommended to us by Petsmart employee. Also have a Mini Heater and Temp Gauge in it.
Anyway, and PLEASE don't criticize (LOL), were doing a fish-in cycle using two Rosy Red Minnows. Read an article about fish-in, talked to local Petsmart worker about it and decided to go with it. These minnows were put in to cycle the tank, ABSOLUTELY NOTHING ELSE!I They would go back to Petsmart when we were done with them. They wouldn't be resold. They would be put into a tank in the back room.
So, set-up the tank on the 17th of last month (Jan) w/no fish in. Bought/put the two minnows and a Moss Ball in on the 21st (Jan). Done a 10% water change on the 29th (Jan) and our water perimeter readings were doing fine and the minnows were doing fine. Was told they are "hardy" fish and they are! Swimming around and chasing each other! Took out two artificial plants and added a live one.
Last Sunday, was told by a Petsmart employee, who we've taken sample water to be tested to before, that our tank was now cycled and that we didn't need the minnows anymore. He said, "Vacuum the gravel and add the amount of water taken out by the vac" and Conditioner. So, we took the two minnows out, along with décor, left the plant in, vacuumed the gravel, added two gallons of water, put another live plant in (Fern) and some décor w/Moss Ball and 4 eye dropper drops of Prime. Suppose to be two drops per gallon.
Wife asked me over the phone, "are you putting the minnows back in?" and I told her "no, was told we didn't need them anymore". Well, that turned out to be WRONG!! So, we have the API Test Strips (sorry, getting the Master Kit next) and tested the water yesterday......not to good. Read online about adding a couple of flakes of fish food to continue with building bacteria when fish not present, so did that. After doing that, took a water sample to Petsmart for testing......not to good. Petsmart told me to add 4 more drops of Prime to tank and take the flakes that I could see on the bottom out with a baster. I did that. Now, to this afternoon: Looked at the tank and could see tiny pieces of what appeared to be fish flakes floating around in the tank. Didn't like that! Done a 20% water change w/Conditioner and water looks much better!
So, folks.........WHAT'S NEXT??? Going to test the water later today, tomorrow and Friday before deciding what to do. IOW, buy two or three minnows again or leave the tank alone. I was told that the bacteria that was in there has died, so "leaving it alone" isn't going to do any good. Constantly adding ammonia and water testing to get the water just right isn't necessarily for us either.
Anyway, and PLEASE don't criticize (LOL), were doing a fish-in cycle using two Rosy Red Minnows. Read an article about fish-in, talked to local Petsmart worker about it and decided to go with it. These minnows were put in to cycle the tank, ABSOLUTELY NOTHING ELSE!I They would go back to Petsmart when we were done with them. They wouldn't be resold. They would be put into a tank in the back room.
So, set-up the tank on the 17th of last month (Jan) w/no fish in. Bought/put the two minnows and a Moss Ball in on the 21st (Jan). Done a 10% water change on the 29th (Jan) and our water perimeter readings were doing fine and the minnows were doing fine. Was told they are "hardy" fish and they are! Swimming around and chasing each other! Took out two artificial plants and added a live one.
Last Sunday, was told by a Petsmart employee, who we've taken sample water to be tested to before, that our tank was now cycled and that we didn't need the minnows anymore. He said, "Vacuum the gravel and add the amount of water taken out by the vac" and Conditioner. So, we took the two minnows out, along with décor, left the plant in, vacuumed the gravel, added two gallons of water, put another live plant in (Fern) and some décor w/Moss Ball and 4 eye dropper drops of Prime. Suppose to be two drops per gallon.
Wife asked me over the phone, "are you putting the minnows back in?" and I told her "no, was told we didn't need them anymore". Well, that turned out to be WRONG!! So, we have the API Test Strips (sorry, getting the Master Kit next) and tested the water yesterday......not to good. Read online about adding a couple of flakes of fish food to continue with building bacteria when fish not present, so did that. After doing that, took a water sample to Petsmart for testing......not to good. Petsmart told me to add 4 more drops of Prime to tank and take the flakes that I could see on the bottom out with a baster. I did that. Now, to this afternoon: Looked at the tank and could see tiny pieces of what appeared to be fish flakes floating around in the tank. Didn't like that! Done a 20% water change w/Conditioner and water looks much better!
So, folks.........WHAT'S NEXT??? Going to test the water later today, tomorrow and Friday before deciding what to do. IOW, buy two or three minnows again or leave the tank alone. I was told that the bacteria that was in there has died, so "leaving it alone" isn't going to do any good. Constantly adding ammonia and water testing to get the water just right isn't necessarily for us either.
(you do risk introducing any disease that was in the tank though so you might wait a week or two anyway)
