New to the Fish scene

[DGAFPolar]

ok, i'm 100% NEW to fish.....i have a 20gal tank with 5 black skirt tetra, 1 red skirt tetra, 2 blue tetras and a mystery snail. They have only been in a day or 2 so i'm ok on the cleaning i think, how often should i clean this tank? what signs do i need to look for (i have a blue gravel and poop is hard to see) I only have 4 plants (plastic) so a siphon will be easy for me. I just need to know how often i figure once a week with a 20% PWC should be ok....you guys think i'm ok?

 

[Homedog98]

Ok... Do you know about cycling? If not check out the link in my signature.

 

[eco23]

Welcome to AA! I HIGHLY suggest you educate yourself on what is involved in cycling a tank. It is the single most important thing you will do as an aquarium owner, and can be absolutely deadly to the fish in your tank. The types of fish you have can be quite fragile, and without learning about the process, they will potentially not survive for long.

 

[eco23]

Since your fish are so new to their home, I would seriously consider returning them to the store or finding a temporary home for them in an established tank. A fishless cycle is the smartest thing to do to prepare their home for them. Please check out the link in my or Homedog's signature to learn about fishless cycling and what the differences are between traditional cycling.

 

[Homedog98]

Since your fish are so new to their home, I would seriously consider returning them to the store or finding a temporary home for them in an established tank. A fishless cycle is the smartest thing to do to prepare their home for them. Please check out the link in my or Homedog's signature to learn about fishless cycling and what the differences are between traditional cycling.

Definitely. +1. That's only if you haven't cycled.

 

[WendiDell]

ok, i'm 100% NEW to fish.....i have a 20gal tank with 5 black skirt tetra, 1 red skirt tetra, 2 blue tetras and a mystery snail. They have only been in a day or 2 so i'm ok on the cleaning i think, how often should i clean this tank? what signs do i need to look for (i have a blue gravel and poop is hard to see) I only have 4 plants (plastic) so a siphon will be easy for me. I just need to know how often i figure once a week with a 20% PWC should be ok....you guys think i'm ok?

\
No matter whether or not you do a fishless cycle or keep the fish (not the best way to go) you need to get an API Freshwater Master test kit. Without it, there is no way to know when to do a PWC (partial water change) or how much of a PWC to do.
You can't tell by looking if the water needs to be changed or not. It's about chemicals you can't see. Just like the pollutants in the air, It's the stuff we can't see that's toxic. The stuff we can see is just dirt.
Also, you don't need to clean the tank, you need to clean the water.
You actually want some bacteria (NitrAtes) to grow inside your filter and your gravel and on the plants.
And the only way to know when that has happened is with the Master test kit. Don't let the FS (fish store) sales people talk you into test stripes. They are not accurate and in the long run end up costing you more.
Also for
If you decide on keeping the fish while doing your cycle, you'll need to be much more diligent about testing and PWC. For that you will still need the Prime but, you would also need to use a Stress Coat or Stress Guard with every PWC. When doing a cycle with fish, you need to keep the ammonia and or nitrItes below .25ppm, or your fish can and will get sick and die.
Once you decide which way your going to go, let us here on AA know and there are many who can help you through it all.

 

[Homedog98]

\
No matter whether or not you do a fishless cycle or keep the fish (not the best way to go) you need to get an API Freshwater Master test kit. Without it, there is no way to know when to do a PWC (partial water change) or how much of a PWC to do.
You can't tell by looking if the water needs to be changed or not. It's about chemicals you can't see. Just like the pollutants in the air, It's the stuff we can't see that's toxic. The stuff we can see is just dirt.
Also, you don't need to clean the tank, you need to clean the water.
You actually want some bacteria (NitrAtes) to grow inside your filter and your gravel and on the plants.
And the only way to know when that has happened is with the Master test kit. Don't let the FS (fish store) sales people talk you into test stripes. They are not accurate and in the long run end up costing you more.
Also for
If you decide on keeping the fish while doing your cycle, you'll need to be much more diligent about testing and PWC. For that you will still need the Prime but, you would also need to use a Stress Coat or Stress Guard with every PWC. When doing a cycle with fish, you need to keep the ammonia and or nitrItes below .25ppm, or your fish can and will get sick and die.
Once you decide which way your going to go, let us here on AA know and there are many who can help you through it all.

+1.

 

[WendiDell]

+1.

Thank Lauren, I appreciate the back up.
It's me Wendi, minus the purple from now on

 

[DGAFPolar]

I had gotten the tank 5 days before i put fish into them. I had treated the water and did a water test. Everything passed. I don't trust PS people either. The only reason i got more then 3 fish is b/c my girlfriend bought more. I know all about the cycle process ( i did about 30 some odd hours of research on fish before i got any). I think they will be ok, they seem not to be stressed or acting odd. So i need to test the water ever how often to see if the levels get to high? Once i get the hang of when the water goes bad i'll have a better understanding of when to change it? I can't afford the maser test kit (i used a friends) until a week from when the fish were out in....is that ok? I'm sure i'll be back on here once i test the water to see if the levels are good lol. Also, when i do a PWC do i treat JUST the new water or do I treat it all again, if i treat it all do i add just enough for the new amount or enough for the whole tank? Last question....if i use well water does it need to sit out for a day or two? Sry for all the questions, but you guys are all i got. ^_^

 

[eco23]

I had gotten the tank 5 days before i put fish into them. I had treated the water and did a water test. Everything passed. I don't trust PS people either. The only reason i got more then 3 fish is b/c my girlfriend bought more. I know all about the cycle process ( i did about 30 some odd hours of research on fish before i got any). I think they will be ok, they seem not to be stressed or acting odd. So i need to test the water ever how often to see if the levels get to high? Once i get the hang of when the water goes bad i'll have a better understanding of when to change it? I can't afford the maser test kit (i used a friends) until a week from when the fish were out in....is that ok? I'm sure i'll be back on here once i test the water to see if the levels are good lol. Also, when i do a PWC do i treat JUST the new water or do I treat it all again, if i treat it all do i add just enough for the new amount or enough for the whole tank? Last question....if i use well water does it need to sit out for a day or two? Sry for all the questions, but you guys are all i got. ^_^

With all due respect, you are asking for huge problems trying to cycle a tank with fish in there...especially if you don't have a master test kit. Cycling with fish requires constant testing and often daily water changes to insure they don't undergo ammonia or nitrIte poisoning. Leaving your water sitting out will do nothing as the municipalities use chloramines that do not evaporate out of water.

 

[eco23]

If you do truly understand the nitrogen cycle, and are unable to obtain a quality test kit, I would ask you to reread my second post and consider returning the fish while your tank cycles.

 

[DGAFPolar]

so i eat the price on the fish?

 

[eco23]

A vast majority of lfs's have a return policy. You can also bring a water sample back in and tell them that the employee didn't tell you about cycling, and since you have no nitrAtes your tank is not cycled, and not safe for fish. Another way to look at it, even if you did lose a couple dollars returning or giving away the fish, your girlfriend who bought them won't have to watch them potentially suffer and die.

It is possible to successfully cycle a tank with fish, but without the proper test kit, it's virtually a death sentence for the fish. If you decide to go that route, you will need to do 50% water changes daily and use a good dechlorinator (like Seachem Prime) during each pwc. Take a peek at the link in my signature it's an article I wrote on fishless cycling and it explains the pros/cons of cycling with or without fish.

 

[WendiDell]

+1
you can get a Master test kit from Amazon.com or from bigalsonline.com for under $20.00. Which is a small price to pay to not kill living creatures

 

[DGAFPolar]

ok guys, i wanna do the fishless cycle, but i doubt pet smart will take them back b/c i can't find the receipt and i don't have anyone to give them to....there is NO way i can get a test kit until tuesday, will they live off of 50% PWC a day? I have a good dechlorinator i just can't afford a kit yet, the average advice seems to be a 50% change daily

 

[Rosenweiss]

ok guys, i wanna do the fishless cycle, but i doubt pet smart will take them back b/c i can't find the receipt and i don't have anyone to give them to....there is NO way i can get a test kit until tuesday, will they live off of 50% PWC a day? I have a good dechlorinator i just can't afford a kit yet, the average advice seems to be a 50% change daily

I did a successful fish-in cycle. =] You can do it, too. So don't stress too much about not being able to take the fish back. If you had known beforehand I'd've done a fishless, but I didn't know either, so now you can work with what you have. You may not need to do 50% daily, but I'd at least do about 30% daily. COntinue to do this until you can afford a kit, then test daily and keep a log! Good luck!

 

[Herotilapia_Multispinosa]

The solution to pollution is dillution!

 

[DGAFPolar]

it's cool guys....i'll make it work, i've loved fish since i was a kid but this is the first time as a "grown up" that i've owned a tank and see the true work in it.....seems fun, worth the work

 

[Rosenweiss]

it's cool guys....i'll make it work, i've loved fish since i was a kid but this is the first time as a "grown up" that i've owned a tank and see the true work in it.....seems fun, worth the work

It definitely is! So what's a red skirt tetra? XD

 

[eco23]

Here's a good link if you're going to do a fish in cycle- http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forum...-but-i-already-have-fish-what-now-116287.html
If you can find a temp home for your fish, use the one in my signature...good luck!