Desperate newbee

[ejaramillo01]

Hi, I spend this afternoon learning a lot with all the threads posted here, I now understand better all the mistakes that my son and I made in the last three months.
My son received a 26 g tank with all the equipment from his grand parents for his 10 year birthday, short story, we adds fish to early, lot of problems, and frustrations.
But we are really trying to make it right this time, we will re start our tank using the fish less cycle process, nevertheless we still need a lot of help, here are some of my questions:
1.- Where can we buy the ammonia, the pure ammonia?
2.- If our last experience was a lot of sick fish, with cloudy eyes, white spots, rotten fins, ?Do we need to sanitize the tank? how do we sanitize the tank?
3.- Is it better to re start with new gravel? Or Can I use the old one?
4.- the tank is 26 g, and came with a aqueon filter, but we changed (one of the many changes) for a canister type, like a big box with different levels with trays and pipes, but is a big one for at least 55 g, the brand is Jumbo. is the filter to big? Do we need to sanitize also the filters, ceramics, etc? Do you heard about this brand? I purchased because was cheaper versus a similar "Marineland"

Sorry for all these questions, but my son is so excited about to try again and do it right, that any help will be greatly appreciated.
Thanks to all

 

[Mark Hewitt]

1.- Where can we buy the ammonia, the pure ammonia?

What country do you live in? What area?

2.- If our last experience was a lot of sick fish, with cloudy eyes, white spots, rotten fins, ?Do we need to sanitize the tank? how do we sanitize the tank?
3.- Is it better to re start with new gravel? Or Can I use the old one?

A lot here use a dilute bleach solution, I think I'd be too nervous to try that myself, just wash everything down with hot water straight from the tap, possibly with some (a lot!) of added salt and then let everything dry out for at least a week. There's no many nasties that are going to survive a strong salt bath AND drying out.

Personally I would start again with new gravel, just to be sure!

4.- the tank is 26 g, and came with a aqueon filter, but we changed (one of the many changes) for a canister type, like a big box with different levels with trays and pipes, but is a big one for at least 55 g, the brand is Jumbo. is the filter to big? Do we need to sanitize also the filters, ceramics, etc? Do you heard about this brand? I purchased because was cheaper versus a similar "Marineland"

No that should be ok, does the output come out via a spray bar, or just a pipe straight into the tank? You don't have to worry about excess filtration but you do have to worry about it causing big currents in the tank, but it would say with that setup that's unlikely to be an issue.

Sorry for all these questions, but my son is so excited about to try again and do it right, that any help will be greatly appreciated.

Not at all, just so long as you come back and update us!

 

[dkpate]

You can find the ammonia at Ace, make sure it's pure with no surfactants.

You can clean everything with a 10:1 vinegar solution, and not have to go through the hassle of using bleach. Just get the white vinegar, and you should be good to go. You can clean everything, or depending on where you live, you can lay the gravel out in the yard to dry in the sun. Leave it for 3-7 days or so. If you want to make the tank more natural looking, you can use pool filter sand, which is was also able to find at Ace, and just one 50# bag should be enough.
While the tank is cycling, I would get a liquid test kit, Melafix, Pimafix, aquarium salt and a heater. You could also get some Ich Attack (all natural). I tell you this so you will have all of these on hand, since the fish most of us get are never healthy.

 

[ejaramillo01]

Answres

Thanks Mark:
I live in S California, and I know of the ACE store, regarding your question the water goes to the tank into a pipe with 5 holes, can create a current, but also has valves to control the amount or strenght of the current.
I will try the salt water for clean and sanitize and the new gravel, or sand as suggested also.

Kepp you posted both and thanks for your help

 

[Mark Hewitt]

Thanks Mark:
the water goes to the tank into a pipe with 5 holes, can create a current, but also has valves to control the amount or strenght of the current.

That sounds good then, the problem is when the water shoots out in one constant stream, but going out via 5 holes probably won't be a problem, so I'd turn it up to 11

 

[BigJim]

1.- Where can we buy the ammonia, the pure ammonia?

- Ace Hardware. I've had luck with ammonia from Walmart. It says it has surfactants in it, but it doesn't foam when shaken. I've cycled one tank with it and I'm in midcycle with another tank using the same ammonia.

2.- If our last experience was a lot of sick fish, with cloudy eyes, white spots, rotten fins, ?Do we need to sanitize the tank? how do we sanitize the tank?

- If the tank is completely empty, it couldn't hurt to clean everything very well. Hydrogen peroxide or diluted bleach work well. Most parasites won't survive long without a host, but better safe than sorry.

3.- Is it better to re start with new gravel? Or Can I use the old one?

- If you like the gravel, there's really no reason you can't reuse it. Rinse it really well in tap water.

4.- the tank is 26 g, and came with a aqueon filter, but we changed (one of the many changes) for a canister type, like a big box with different levels with trays and pipes, but is a big one for at least 55 g, the brand is Jumbo. is the filter to big? Do we need to sanitize also the filters, ceramics, etc? Do you heard about this brand? I purchased because was cheaper versus a similar "Marineland"

- If the fish can handle the water flow, there's no such thing as a filter that's too large. I use an AquaClear 70 on a 29g and an AquaClear 110 on a 40B.

- I haven't heard of Jumbo filters before, but a name brand isn't necessary for a filter to be good. I would clean the filter media in dechlorinated water, but don't sanitize it. You should have some beneficial bacteria in the filter already. They'll speed up your cycle if you can preserve them. I pulled a bag of biomedia out of an established filter to help seed a new tank. It's been a week and I'm nearly done with the cycle. When you reassemble the filter, make sure you place the media in order from coarsest to finest.

 

[ejaramillo01]

Thanks
I will keep you posted
We are going to start again this weekend

 

[ejaramillo01]

Last question, the filter is a canister, the order is coarser to finest, but bottom to top or top to bottom?

 

[BigJim]

The water should enter the coarsest media first.

 

[SeverumGuy]

Yes, clean the tank. You can use distilled vinegar to clean it, just make sure you rinse it out real well. Soak and run the gravel under hot water and that'll be fine. As far as ammonia goes. You can go the cheap way and drop in some food that you have. It'll go a little slower, but save you money since I would imagine you already have the food since you've already had fish in the past. You don't have to clean out the filter. Maybe replace some of the media in it if it's old. Always nice to start with fresh everything. Good luck!

 

[XimeD]

The food will also add phosphates (which can cause algae) and other things, a 1L bottle of 10% ammonium hydroxide is around 2-3 bucks at ACE, I would go with that.

 

[Mark Hewitt]

The water should enter the coarsest media first.

Remembering that the water usually goes to the bottom of the canister first and is then drawn upwards.

 

[ejaramillo01]

Thanks to all

We re-started today, so far looking good, added ammonia to 4ppm , no we will wait.
I decorated with two nice stones, new gravel, nice looking sand type, and a beautiful piece of wood, also added two air stones which pump tiny air buboes.
I will keep you all posted
Thanks guys/gals!!!!

 

[Cococalm]

The gravel can also be boiled too ( be sure to rinse it off with cool water before putting it in the tank again ), so too can the filter ceramics if you fear the nasties. Seeding from an established tank has always been my preferred method to cycle a tank. I have never used ammonia before either .....

 

[ejaramillo01]

Fishless cycle not moving!!!

Well, we re started 3 weeks ago, new gravel, etc.
Looks great, but ammonia is not moving at all, my readings are:
5 ppm ammonia
0 ppm Nitrites
0 ppm Nitrates
Ph 7.
Kh around 116

I treated the water with Prime at the start up, then I used ACE pure ammonia until I reached the 5 ppm, and also I used gravel that my friend give me from his 3 years old fish tank.
We have been waiting and nothing moves, temperature is at 85 degrees,What are we missing here?

HELP!!!!!!

 

[Gus]

Well, we re started 3 weeks ago, new gravel, etc.
Looks great, but ammonia is not moving at all, my readings are:
5 ppm ammonia
0 ppm Nitrites
0 ppm Nitrates
Ph 7.
Kh around 116

I treated the water with Prime at the start up, then I used ACE pure ammonia until I reached the 5 ppm, and also I used gravel that my friend give me from his 3 years old fish tank.
We have been waiting and nothing moves, temperature is at 85 degrees,What are we missing here?

HELP!!!!!!

This takes time and patience.

 

[ejaramillo01]

This takes time and patience.

Thanks Gus, so you think that we are in the right path still?

 

[XimeD]

What are you using to test the water? Liquid kits (like the API master test kit) are more accurate than the strips. It won't help you cycle faster though =(.

If you're really anxious u could try a bacterial additive such as Tetra safestart (haven't used that one myself but I hear good things about it). I have used microbelift Nite-Out II and Special Blend it made some difference but nothing drastic. Honestly, it's hit or miss depending on wether the bottle you bought actually had live bacteria in it.

Good luck.

 

[ejaramillo01]

What are you using to test the water? Liquid kits (like the API master test kit) are more accurate than the strips. It won't help you cycle faster though =(.

If you're really anxious u could try a bacterial additive such as Tetra safestart (haven't used that one myself but I hear good things about it). I have used microbelift Nite-Out II and Special Blend it made some difference but nothing drastic. Honestly, it's hit or miss depending on wether the bottle you bought actually had live bacteria in it.

Good luck.

We have the liquid API master kit.
Thanks for your suggestions, I tried 1week ago the tetrastart,
Where do you buy the Nite out or the Special Blend?
We live in South California.

Thank again ximena

 

[Gus]

We have the liquid API master kit.
Thanks for your suggestions, I tried 1week ago the tetrastart,
Where do you buy the Nite out or the Special Blend?
We live in South California.

Thank again ximena

If your cycle is stuck, I would suggest a partial water change to bring down the ammonia a bit. Maybe you dosed too much? I'm cycling a tank right now, and I think I dosed way too much, so the ammonia's been stuck in .25 for 24 hours now.

I don't add anything other than the ammonia to the water, I tried those 'magic' formulas, and they never did anything for me.

Good luck!