Just starting

[Nick_Ash10]

Hi, I am new here and just found this forum. It had lots of info so I decided to join

Well I just got a 46 gallon I am using for freshwater and just got it set up a couple weeks ago. I let it run for a week but didnt know about the ammonia and the cycling system so here is a couple questions. Also I have a ph problem that I hope you guys can lead me in the right direction on to solve also.

Okay for the cycling.. I acquired a plecostomus fish from a friend of mine because it came with a tank he got but he is saltwater, so he gave it to me lol. Its about six inches and he is the only fish in my tank. My question is that I haven't done the cycling with the ammonia, and was wondering if it is to late to do it, or do I need to take this fish out before I do. He hardly ever moves so I just want to make sure I am not like killing him or anything by not having done the cycling yet

Second question I have, my ph is like wayyyy high. It is always a dark blue when I test it and I don't know how to bring it down safely without messing the tank up. The guy I acquired the tank through cleaned it before he gave it to me and my friend who works at petco said he may have used a bleach solution so that is why it may be really high? I've read on here that the ph don't really matter as long as the fish are doing good but my fish barely moves and I just want to make sure he ain't dying lol. What can I do to lower it safely without harming the fish and making it so it will be normal?

Any help will be greatly appreciated

 

[iceywater101]

First Welcome to AA!

Second you can still cycle your tank with the fish in it. Just do not add the ammonia your fish will provide this for you. I cycle all of my tanks with fish. I know this is very unpopular with this forum, but its just how I have always done it. What you will need to do is take a reading of your water with a test kit everyday. If your ammonia gets above .25 you need to do a PWC. Do this everyday until your ammonia is 0.
Thrid a stable pH is better meaning as long as your pH doesnt go up and down from adding chemicals to try to get it to go up or down you should be fine. Even if someone used blech to clean your tank your de clor should have taken care of that.
Also plecos are not the most active fish

 

[Nick_Ash10]

Okay so by having the fish in there it should start doing the cycle without me having to add anything?

As for the ph, it won't hurt that it is so high will it? It don't even show on my ph color chart since it is so high and it just don't seem good lol

 

[Shetland James]

High pH will stress the fish. What pH is your tap water? Mine is 6, for example.

 

[Vircomore]

Which pH test are you using? The API Master Test Kit comes with two, one for low and one for high.

For example - my Tap PH is 7.6 - so it hits the maximum on the Low-range-test, but it hits the minimum on the high-range-test.

And 7.6 is not bad, you just have to look more into hardwater fish than softwater fish.

 

[BigJim]

pH is the most overblown water parameter. Unless you're dealing with very sensitive species, your fish will adapt to you pH with proper acclimation.

If you're dealing with the regular pH test kit from API, dark blue doesn't necessarily mean your pH is really high. My tanks usually show blue on the regular pH kit and I've had lots of species of fish breed in the tanks.

Don't add ammonia to the tank if you've got a plecostomus or any fish in the tank. The pleco is adding enough ammonia by itself. Keep an eye on the ammonia levels and do PWCs to keep the ammonia below 0.25ppm.

 

[Mark Hewitt]

Okay for the cycling.. I acquired a plecostomus fish from a friend of mine because it came with a tank he got but he is saltwater, so he gave it to me lol. Its about six inches and he is the only fish in my tank. My question is that I haven't done the cycling with the ammonia, and was wondering if it is to late to do it, or do I need to take this fish out before I do. He hardly ever moves so I just want to make sure I am not like killing him or anything by not having done the cycling yet

Putting ammonia in the tank simulates the ammonia a fish would put into the tank, so now you're into cycling 'with fish'. You need to get a test kit and see how much ammonia and nitrite there are in the tank. If it's above 0.5ppm-ish do up to a 50% water change to bring it down again, you can do this up to twice per day. Don't forget your dechorlinator, of course!

Second question I have, my ph is like wayyyy high. It is always a dark blue when I test it and I don't know how to bring it down safely without messing the tank up.

Can you give us a proper number?

I've read on here that the ph don't really matter as long as the fish are doing good

True, within reason of course.

but my fish barely moves and I just want to make sure he ain't dying lol. What can I do to lower it safely without harming the fish and making it so it will be normal?

Forget about the pH, that's the last of your problems right now. The most important thing is getting through the cycling process. Now, what's your ammonia and nitrite readings?

 

[Mark Hewitt]

High pH will stress the fish.

Too broad a statement, some fish like high pH, some low.

 

[Nick_Ash10]

Okay little bit of an update. I found out why my ph is high, my tap water is high right out of the faucet so that is why. I got some of the chlorine stuff today and some of the helpful bacteria stuff today as well. I don't have a test kit for the ammonia, do I need to get one? If so I can get one tomorrow. Fish is still alive so that is good haha. He just sits on the same log literally all day, he is a very boring fish

 

[fishmonkey]

yep, plecos tend to be pretty boring fish, but they can be very awesome aesthetically. Ever seen a Zebra Pleco? You dont really need to worry about your Ph levels yet, just worry about your cycle. Its been a few days, so im assuming you have your test kit now?