I hope you can stand another fishless cycling log...

[librarygirl]

Hi everyone,

Well, I learned a lesson the hard way. Everything PetSmart told me was wrong. All 4 of my fish died within 24 hours after having them for almost a month (levels were decent, ammonia <0.25 so I'm not sure what happened) but now I'm doing a fishless cycle (and staying away from PetSmart, not even to restock my tank when it's time ).

So I just finished re-setting up my tank (12 gal bowfront). What I did:

• a 100% water change
• changed out the gravel (didn't like the colors in there and I figure why not now )
• Re-rinsed all decorations in hot tap water
• Rinsed the filter media in old aquarium water
• Re-filled the tank
• Added 24 drops of Prime
• Cranked up heater to 86 degrees fahrenheit
• Started filter and 4" air stone

I don't have ammonia yet; there's an Ace hardware near where I work so I'm going during lunch tomorrow

After I add ammonia I'll start posting test results. I may need help/encouragement through this so figured I'd start a post.

Here we go....


RIP Hemingway
RIP Dickens
RIP Fitzgerald (aka "Fitzy")
RIP Orwell

(What? I'm a librarian )

 

[Rosenweiss]

I read your last thread. How did you acclimate your fish? Even if your water parameters are perfect, they can easily die of temperature--or more often, pH--shock.

 

[Mr. Limpet]

Hi everyone,

Well, I learned a lesson the hard way. Everything PetSmart told me was wrong. All 4 of my fish died within 24 hours after having them for almost a month (levels were decent, ammonia <0.25 so I'm not sure what happened) but now I'm doing a fishless cycle (and staying away from PetSmart, not even to restock my tank when it's time ).

So I just finished re-setting up my tank (12 gal bowfront). What I did:

• a 100% water change
• changed out the gravel (didn't like the colors in there and I figure why not now )
• Re-rinsed all decorations in hot tap water
• Rinsed the filter media in old aquarium water
• Re-filled the tank
• Added 24 drops of Prime
• Cranked up heater to 86 degrees fahrenheit
• Started filter and 4" air stone

I don't have ammonia yet; there's an Ace hardware near where I work so I'm going during lunch tomorrow

After I add ammonia I'll start posting test results. I may need help/encouragement through this so figured I'd start a post.

Here we go....


RIP Hemingway
RIP Dickens
RIP Fitzgerald (aka "Fitzy")
RIP Orwell

(What? I'm a librarian )

The hardest lessons are usually the best learned. You'll get it right and there's lots of help, support and encouragement here for you. Ace sells the "Janitorial Grade" ammo and a quart will last, well forever .

Sounds like you got the tank ready and letting it just run is helpful so it's ready for the dosing. Remember, no carbon while cycling and put small does of ammo in, let it filter for a couple hours then test it. Better to have to add a few drops of ammo than being forced to do a PWC to drop it down.

 

[BldrArch]

RIP Hemingway
RIP Dickens
RIP Fitzgerald (aka "Fitzy")
RIP Orwell

(What? I'm a librarian )

I was going to say... LOL!

GL! My tank just finished its cycle this week and I'm off today to look at fishies!!

 

[librarygirl]

I was going to say... LOL!

GL! My tank just finished its cycle this week and I'm off today to look at fishies!!

Congrats!

I was able to get to Ace and get the ammo, but I won't be home until later tonight so I'll either dose then or in the morning.

 

[librarygirl]

I read your last thread. How did you acclimate your fish? Even if your water parameters are perfect, they can easily die of temperature--or more often, pH--shock.

Thanks. I had the fish for a month. I always check to make sure the tank temp and newly treated water temp are the same (I do it with my hand but even if I feel a bit of difference I'll dump out the treated water and start again). With that large of a water change something could have gone wrong. My PH has been fluctuating but I tested before and after the last pwc and parameters were the same (7.6).

 

[Rosenweiss]

Okay, but I mean how did you acclimate the new fish from the bag?

 

[Kawaipoon]

Sounds like you got the tank ready and letting it just run is helpful so it's ready for the dosing. Remember, no carbon while cycling and put small does of ammo in, let it filter for a couple hours then test it. Better to have to add a few drops of ammo than being forced to do a PWC to drop it down.

Does carbon filter stop tank from cycling (fishless)?

Thanks,

 

[librarygirl]

Okay, but I mean how did you acclimate the new fish from the bag?

Oh, well at the time I didn't know about the drip method. I let the bag stand in the aquarium water for 30 minutes, then netted them in. But that was a month ago, no new fish since then. I'm doing a fishless cycle now since the one's I've had for a month suddenly died over the past day.

 

[Rosenweiss]

Oh, well at the time I didn't know about the drip method. I let the bag stand in the aquarium water for 30 minutes, then netted them in. But that was a month ago, no new fish since then. I'm doing a fishless cycle now since the one's I've had for a month suddenly died over the past day.

Personally, I don't think drip acclimation is necessary, but yeah, make sure you that you acclimate pH as well as temperature. Personally, I would let the bag sit for 15-20 minutes to equalize temperature, then add a cup or so of tank water into the bag at a time and do this several times over an hour or two. This is easier than drip acclimation but should still work.

 

[librarygirl]

Personally, I don't think drip acclimation is necessary, but yeah, make sure you that you acclimate pH as well as temperature. Personally, I would let the bag sit for 15-20 minutes to equalize temperature, then add a cup or so of tank water into the bag at a time and do this several times over an hour or two. This is easier than drip acclimation but should still work.

Great thank you! I'll definitely do it that way if I can ever get more fish Thanks!

 

[librarygirl]

I could also use some stocking ideas. Might as well start planning now, I'll probably have some time to consider various options. So if anyone has any suggestions just post them. Thanks!

 

[Mr. Limpet]

Does carbon filter stop tank from cycling (fishless)?

Thanks,

It removes elements fro the water column that helps a tank cycle. I don't use carbon in general unless I'm removing meds from my DT.

 

[Rosenweiss]

Great thank you! I'll definitely do it that way if I can ever get more fish Thanks!

You're welcome! As for stocking suggestions, many types of fish can go into a 12 gallon. Here are a few options:

Platties (not mollies): 3-5ish.
Guppies: 4-6ish.
Small tetras (neons, cardinals): 6-8.
Small rasboras (galaxy, harlequin, briggitae): 6-8.
Single dwarf gourami.
Pair of African Dwarf frogs.
1-3 pygmy sparkling gouramis.
Snails/shrimp to your liking.
Single male or female betta.


Of course, you can't put ALL of these in, but you can do like a combination of any two! Or three, possible, if you pick one schooling fish, one centerpiece, snails and a couple frogs, for example.

Best of luck!

 

[Mr. Limpet]

Oh, well at the time I didn't know about the drip method. I let the bag stand in the aquarium water for 30 minutes, then netted them in. But that was a month ago, no new fish since then. I'm doing a fishless cycle now since the one's I've had for a month suddenly died over the past day.

Using a good drip method is one thing most people don't do and is a common reason fish don't survive.

Here's a link with info Jsoong (A resident expert and senior moderator) sent my about the correct way to acclimate fish.

Aclimating Moors from hospital tank (QT), back to DT - Aquarium Advice - Aquarium Forum Community

Here's a link on how I acclimated (new fish, transfer to new tank, etc.) my fry from their small fry tank to a 20g last night.

20 Gallon Build: Moor Babies Movin' On Up! - Aquarium Advice - Aquarium Forum Community

 

[librarygirl]

You're welcome! As for stocking suggestions, many types of fish can go into a 12 gallon. Here are a few options:

Platties (not mollies): 3-5ish.
Guppies: 4-6ish.
Small tetras (neons, cardinals): 6-8.
Small rasboras (galaxy, harlequin, briggitae): 6-8.
Single dwarf gourami.
Pair of African Dwarf frogs.
1-3 pygmy sparkling gouramis.
Snails/shrimp to your liking.
Single male or female betta.


Of course, you can't put ALL of these in, but you can do like a combination of any two! Or three, possible, if you pick one schooling fish, one centerpiece, snails and a couple frogs, for example.

Best of luck!

Ooh thanks! Hm, I have a lot to think about. I think what I'm going to do is research some of the suggestions above, but not start making any decisions until I get a GH/KH kit for my water and see where my PH levels end up after the cycle, then I can choose which fish would fit best in those conditions. But it's fun to research fish and make a list of possibilities. The stocking ideas will probably have to be a new thread once I get the stable ph numbers and gh/kh numbers just so I'm sure I'm stocking right.

Thanks for the info though, I'll be busy researching those ideas. And I like the idea of African Dwarf Frogs if they''ll end up fitting my paramaters, they're cute!

Thanks again!

 

[librarygirl]

We have ammonia!

So last night (er, this morning) I got home at 1 AM and couldn't wait. So I added two teaspoons (which I thought was conservative) of ammonia. Fifteen minutes later I checked and the ammonia was 8.0

So I did a 4 gal water change, which did almost nothing to help the number. But since there's no fish in there and it was almost 2 AM I went to bed.

This morning I checked and it was still over 4 ppm, probably 7-8ppm, so I did another 5 gal change, waited about fifteen minutes and checked again, and it was exactly 4.0

So I covered the front and sides with a blanket (because the bacteria like the dark and algae doesn't ) and I'm going to try to let it go for a day or so and then test again.

So if I'm doing this correctly I'm going to keep checking the ammo until it gets to 1 ppm or less and then redose? Should I also be checking other paramaters now (ph, nitrates/nitrites) or should I wait?

Sorry, this is going to be a thread with inane newbie questions

 

[BldrArch]

I don't think there's any need to check anything else at this point. If you see the ammo drop significantly, you could test for nitrites for curiosity's sake LOL!

 

[mollymama]

Good luck with your new tank! Can't wait to find out what you get and how things go for you. I'm sorry to hear your first group of fish didn't make it (and love their names, btw). If mine don't survive the cycling process (we're at 6 weeks here but I may have extended it by rinsing out the filter last week...oops) I will def. give fishless cycling a try.

 

[librarygirl]

Well I got impatient and tested again yesterday, ammo still at 4.0, unsurprisingly

I'm going to try to forget about it for a few days and check again

In the meantime I'm going to check out some lfs this weekend

Question: I have some plastic plants at the rear of the aquarium and some silk ones in other spots and wanted to replace the plastic with silk. I'm also not sure I'm happy with one of the decorations. If I were to add/take away decor during the cycle, would that upset the cycle? I know bacteria can be on tank surfaces, so should I not replace anything now or does it not matter much? I hate being so undecided and picky; I like something one minute then hate it the next but I figure I should get it right now before I add fish in, although don't want to upset the cycle in any way either

Thanks!