new member/aquarist, a few questions

[blacksaabath]

i recently started a 20G tank (almost 2 weeks ago) and had a few questions about the ammonia cycle and my pets' behavior.

my previous experience with fish: my older brother had a 10g tank with several tetras, i don't recall him doing anything as specific as some of the things i have looked over on this board, and the fish lived for quite a long time (3 yrs). i love fish and have always wanted a tank, i figured a starter kit would be the way to go and i thus received my kit for my birthday.

my tank came with a pamphlet outlining the cycle and says that in about 6 weeks it should be complete (if started with a few hardy fish). i let my tank sit for almost 2 days, and then, i bought a few (3) mollies (having no idea if these are hardy or not, i figured it meant not puny fish such as a tetra or guppy). i have had my water tested at the pet store 2 times within the past week and was told my levels are fine. i know i am supposed to change a portion of the water, i was just wondering how much (i've heard everything from 20% to 50%), and how i should go about it, considering my tank isn't really near a sink or hose.. its kinda a pain to fill... especially considering the water i put in the tank needs to be the same temp... i am curious to all cheap/difficult/expensive/easy forms of performing this task. also, i saw a gravel vac at the pet store, and was interested in the benefits of this device.

currently, my 3 mollies (2 silver, one black lyretail - plus 4 babies she had the 3rd day in my tank) appear healthy and happy... EXCEPT... my black mollie chases my 2 silvers around the tank when i feed them. is this some maternal protective reaction she is taking? i'm worried about the health of my two silvers, i figured they would be fine because they outnumber the black, but they are slightly smaller and run at every advance the black makes. i don't want my fish stressing out to the point that it becomes unhealthy. the store employee said i don't NEED to take the babies out unless i was absolutely hellbent on them living, which i could care less, i'm looking add more fish in about a month or 2, and if the babies live, they live, if not, i don't care, i kinda want to own them based upon fate, but i don't want a tank full of mollies.

if anyone could take a stab at these problems, it would be greatly appreciated!

 

[fearlessfisch]

Hi there. Congratulations on your new tank.

Definitely buy a Python to change your water. It attaches directly to the sink faucet and makes water changes very easy. People here swear by them, and I would not be without one.

During the cycle you should change water to keep ammonia and nitrite levels definitely below 1.0 and preferably below 0.50. The amount you change can vary depending on how high your levels are--essentially you are just trying to keep the levels safe for your fish. Twenty to fifty percent is usually good, but when my levels skyrocketed in the past, I have changed up to 80 or so.

Try not to vacuum the gravel during the cycle, and don't mess with the filter media, as that is where the beneficial bacteria are growing. Make sure you match water temperature to tank temps and use a good dechlorinator. Don't use pH adjusting products or other additives recommended by the store (unless you get Bio Spira, which is the only product currently on the market that can give you an instant cycle).

I don't know about the mollies. If she is only doing it when you feed, and she is not nipping their fins to cause damage, it probably is not stressing them out too much. Female mollies are usually the ones who have to endure constant chasing, because male mollies are very...enthusiastic. So maybe it is only fair.

Good luck, and keep asking questions.

 

[happygirl65]

Welcome to the wonderful world of fish keeping! It can be both fun and rewarding. Don't get discouraged through the cycle as this really is the hardest part.

You will probably want to get a test kit if you don't have one (liquid tests are more accurate than strips) and test for Ammonia, Nitrite, and Nitrate. There are some great sticky's on the forums about the nitrogen cycle that you may want to read.

It really does not have to be complicated though. Like fearlessfisch mentioned you want to keep your ammonia and nitrite under .50 if you can. This may mean frequent water changes for the next few weeks. Sometimes daily depending on how many fish you have in there and how much you feed. Feeding them every other day during the cycle can also help keep the ammonia and nitrite down.

Once you start seeing Nitrate and your ammonia and nitrite are 0 you are cycled and you can start to add more fish. You will want to add very slowly to let your beneficial bacteria catch up or you may cause a mini-cycle.

Also mentioned was the phython water changing system and I second that suggestion. There are extensions available as well if you are very far from the nearest sink. It sure beats hauling buckets and really makes water changes a breeze even if you need to do them every day (which you might for a few days during the cycle)

Also some low light plants (such as crypts, or anacharis) could help suck up some of the ammonia in your tank during the cycle. They also are loaded with beneficial bacteria to help things happen much faster. you just want to make sure the plants you get are "low light" plants or they wont do you any good if they start dying from lack of light.

Keep doing what you are doing, read, learn, and most of all enjoy your new aquarium!

 

[blacksaabath]

okay, well a few things have happened since i last posted.

i had given up a few babies to the fish store for food, leaving only 4 babies in my tank. one silver died after giving up my black molly to a friend (i couldn't handle seeing her chase at the other two relentlessly). for days it was swimming awkwardly (vertically?) until i found it stuck to my filter tube. 2 babies have also since died, and unfortunately, they didn't end up floating and i can't see them in my black (god i'm an idiot) gravel. should i vac the gravel if they are stuck somewhere on the bottom? i know you said try not to... but i'm worried about this adjusting my levels, i've been doing 50%pwcs for the past 2 days and finally my nitrites have lowered within a reasonable value, but my pH is a little high (about 8, **** strips are so hard to tell sometimes)

i know my water is not chlorinated, i am using a well system with a water softener though... not sure if that makes a huge difference.

 

[tawolcott]

I would take the time to read (or re-read) the posts on cycling an aquarium, water changes, filters, water chemistry and testing. While it may seem like alot, there is not a shorter path or things you can not do just because you have a smaller tank or less fish. Actually the smaller tank means you need to be more vigilent.

Take notes and understand the why not the just "I have to do this". It will serve you well in the long run.

It will take some education up front, some $$$ spent on the right things (test kit, filter type, media, etc) but they will last you and your tank size for a long time.

Shortcuts will just get you dead fish, frustration and nothing in return on your investment.

Run your filter, change the water, test the water, use good water based on your tests (filtered, RO/DI ,bottled) and you're well on your way.

When I had a smaller FW tank i used to get bottled water from HD/Lowes or from the grocery store to do the water changes. Not perfect water but it was more than adequate for what I wanted to spend starting out. A small hint if you go that route, put the water in the bathtub and run water in the tube to about the temp you want (maybe a little less).. let it sit for awhile and the temp will even out in the jug. Then do the water change.

If you are like the rest of us you'll soon want 'bigger and better' and that's where u can save and purchase the higher end equipment. For now, KISS and see how it goes.

IMO

 

[Purrbox]

Test Strips are notoriously inaccurate, you'd be much better off with quality liquid tests.

Most water softeners just replace hardness with salts, while this is good for dishes and bathing it's not good for your fish. You'd be much better off bypassing the water softener for your water change water.

I know that's it's very tempting to mess with the water parameters, but most likely it will just make matters worse. The problems you are seeing are the result of the incomplete cycle, so you just need to keep up with the water changes to keep those Ammonia and Nitrite levels as low as possible.

Try to remember that nothing good happens fast in an aquarium. Time and patience are key to a successful aquarium.

 

[happygirl65]

I completely agree with the last two posters.

Also you asked about vaccuming the gravel. You don't want to do it too vigourously but if you have dead fish in there you really need to get them out or you will have a big ammonia spike as they decompse. You could lightly run your fingers across the top of the gravel stirring things up a little bit to see if you can find them that way.

You could also do it with your net...or if you have the gravel vac you could swirl it above the gravel in s circular motion which will make things start to float around in that area...you might also be able the find the dead ones that way.

Hope that helps. I would suggest not adding any more fish until the cycle is complete and definitely keep up on the water changes. It can take a while.

 

[blacksaabath]

sooo... i've been keeping up with my water changes and whatnot and now my silver has ich. i read the article posted on this site and now i am at a crossroads. do i quarantine this fish? or can i just adjust my water temp and add salts like the article reccomends? how will this affect my cycle? am i doomed to restart my cycle because of this infected fish and there somehow is still parasites in my water? if my fish dies, what does that entail for my cycle? will the babies survive or are they likely infected with parasites as well (they have shown no symptoms yet, i figured they would be more readily affected)?

sorry for the bombarding questions, just kinda freaking out. i'm 10 days away from my cycle ending (if 6 weeks is accurate) and to start over would suck

 

[Purrbox]

Unfortunately with ick your best bet is to treat the tank. I don't know whether or not the babies will be able to tolerate the treatment. Upping the temp would actually speed up the cycle, not harm it, but it is stressful to the fish. As long as you're just using heat and maybe salt (some don't feel it is necessary) your cycle should be fine. There are some medications that will harm the beneficial bacteria, but really aren't necessary for treating ick.

 

[Skyrmir]

I didn't see if mentioned, so make sure you have some aeration in the tank when you raise the temperature. Hotter water holds less oxygen so an airstone/bubbler of some sort is really recommended. And make sure to keep the treatment going for two weeks after the last speck is off the fish. What you're waiting for is the eggs in the gravel to hatch and die. Otherwise, you drop the heat, they hatch and you're right back where you started.