new 60 gallon need HELP!!!!!!!

[JTAM963]

I Have a newly set up maybe 2 weeks 60 gallon tank. I have 2 convicts 1 male 2 inches...one female 2 inches...2 Firemouths 1.5 inches each..one common pleco 5 inches...one Manguense/Jaguar Cichlid 1 inch and 2 3 inch silver dollars...I just tested the tank and it had 0 Ammonia..ph was 7.6..The water temp is 77 degrees..I just put a 3.5 inch clown knife in there yesterday and he was already dead today...no bite marks..just died..any advice..on this setup??

 

[neilanh]

Check your nitrItes too... I have a hard time believing with that bioload and a new tank, that you have 0ppm ammonia.

What test kit are you using?

 

[JTAM963]

I'm going to retest now...I got 0 YELLOW in my API test kit...what's highest my ph could be with the tankmates I have??

 

[neilanh]

It is better to have your pH be stable, then to try to target a certain point and have to use chemicals. However, I'm not a cichlid person, so I can't help you too much on that front.

Did you do a good acclimation on the clown?

 

[JTAM963]

Any clue why the CLown Knife went down already?

 

[neilanh]

do a full suite of water tests (ammo, NO2, NO3) and lets see what you got.

There's always the possibility that the clown was stressed from the transport from the store, or was in bad shape to begin with and never truelly had a chance. If you didn't acclimate long enough or properly he could've gone into shock.

 

[Zagz]

I would guess most likely your nitrites are high as a result of cycling. You will need to do a full range of tests as recommended to be sure. If you have any nitrites or ammonia you will need to do water changes to keep both those values to 0ppm.

 

[JTAM963]

I just retested the aquarium and got 8.2 for PH...0ppm Ammonia, 2.0ppm nitrite, and 10 ppm nitrate..any ideas about this and what to do to get it where it needs to be?

 

[neilanh]

yep, Zagz nailed it.
Your NitrIte is poisoning them most likely.

You need to keep the Ammonia and NitrIte at 0, or at the least below 0.5. NitrAte is okay up to 40, but below 20 is preferred.

I recommend an immediate 50% PWC, followed by another one tomorrow morning, then you'll need to do them probably daily (maybe twice daily) until the cycle finishes.

Check the articles section up top and read up on the nitrogen cycle. That article will explain what's going on and why it's important to maintain it.

 

[JTAM963]

I was wondering...whats best to do...fill 5 gallon buckets of water and treat them with conditioner and add those to tank once I take 5 out or what? I've only have a 30 gallon tank and rarely did water changes..I had pirahnas they were pretty hardy..and I have to wait till tomm at 2pm..I work at petsmart and will buy a new gravel vac

 

[neilanh]

That's the best way, to "pretreat" your water with dechlorinator. However it's not always necessary, depending on the quality of your water in your tap.

Remove however much water you're taking out, then refill and add dechlor (enough for the whole tank, not just the replacement water) and you should be okay.

If you're planning on getting a new gravel vac, I'd recommend a python. No more buckets needed.

 

[JTAM963]

How do pythons work? They connect right to sink and then suck water out then add water right back through the tap? I was jw if thats what they do..then after I add it back through tap then treat the whole tank? Whats top water conditioner? I have prime now..jw whats tops

 

[neilanh]

Yup, you basically nailed it on how the python works... they come in 25, 50, and 75 feet models, depending on how far to the nearest sink.

Prime is perfect - that seems to be the favorite in the industry.

 

[JTAM963]

Thanks neilanh..I have work till 2pm tommorow and I'm going to buy probably just the 25 ft python..going to measure how far it is...I think 25 will be perfect..but yeah Then i will do 50 percent water change tommorow when I get home..I forgot how do I do it without affecting water temp too much? Just add warm water back in would be best?

 

[neilanh]

when you get the instruction for your python you'll see how you can check the water temp in the sink before pushing the water down the line to the tank. It's best to read the tank temp, then adjust the tap to the same temp before refilling the tank. If you have one of those stick on thermometers in your tank, just take it to the sink with you to match the temp.

Good Luck Josh, I understand your circumstances, but the sooner the better to get the nitrIte down.

Keep us posted!

 

[JTAM963]

Thanks guys..I'll post tommorow after my water change...should I test right after or wait till later that night???? I think I should wait then a week or so to get another clown..or get something else to replace him..any ideas of a bigger tankmate for my cichlids?

 

[neilanh]

do the PWC, then wait a few hours for things to settle, then retest and we can go from there.

You have a pretty hefty bioload right now. I wouldn't get any new fish until the cycle completes. Bear in mind, this could be weeks.

Again, read the article on the nitrogen cycle when you have a few minutes, it will explain all of this really well.

 

[JTAM963]

Can a ghost knife even life with my cichlids or should I go route of some other cichlids to make the tank up...I know clown knife will eventually outgrow tank..jw

 

[Mosaic]

I wouldn't plan on buying anything you know will outgrow the tank unless you also plan on buying a new tank. Your pleco will get too big for your tank as well. Really I don't think I'd add anything else, period. Everything you have in there will be getting pretty big, or will multiply like crazy (convicts).

I don't know if a knife could hold its own against the firemouths or manguenese, but I've never had any of them, so I don't know.

 

[JTAM963]

Yeah the Manguense/jaguar is only 1 inch right now..but he is becoming less shy...and finally going up for the hikari pellets...the firemouths kinda wait around for food to sink..and the silver dollars go nuts when I feed them...I'll wait and see how these fish progress...I know they will all grow..minus the manguense the others will stay under 5 inches..am I right?