Yay!!! Success!!!

[ocminpin]

A lot of you have seen my many various posts about my tanks... The struggles, illnesses, deaths... Soaring nitrates and have also celebrated with me... Births, compatibility and the occasional chuckle of MTS...

Well, I'm so very proud to tell you all that all 4 of my tanks are at excellent levels, with 2 being better than ever before with the lowest nitrate reading I've ever had!

29g (6 adult mollies, 1 betta):

Ph- 8.2
Ammo- 0
Nitrite- 0
Nitrate- 10


20g (2 adult platies, 20 small juvy mollies):

Ph- 7.4
Ammo- 0
Nitrite- 0
Nitrate- 10


10g (4 1" juvie mollies awaiting a new home/up on Craigslist):

Ph- 7.4
Ammo- 0
Nitrite- 0
Nitrate- 5 !!!!!!!!


10g (25 tiny platy fry):

Ph 7.4
Ammo- 0
Nitrite- 0
Nitrate- 5 !!!!!!!!

I do 2 50% PWC per week and feed the adults every other day... The Juvie's eat twice a day, and the fry eat every 4 hrs or so...

I got my first tank in many years in September 2011 and the whirlwind started almost immediately... I thought the "chemical stuff" was for the professionals and it would be very simple to keep fish alive with water and food... AHHHH... Was I ever so wrong!
I post this for the person who is discouraged and wants to give up... I came CLOSE several times... But I kept moving along because you all told me it would be okay and I believed you.
My fish are happy and playing in the bubbles, rushing to greet me when I walk up, and reproducing well.
I'm grateful to each and every one of you who has helped me along the way these last (almost) 6 months...

Now is time for me to sit back and enjoy these little finned friends I've worked so hard to keep...

I was once told each fish tank you have is like taking care of a dog... I have 4 tanks... And 3 actual dogs at home... Let's not forget my (almost) 7 yr old son...

One day I have the hopes of having ONE big tank (40-55g) and a separate betta tank... I'm laughing at myself because I know in reality even if it gets to that point, I'm sure I'll have empty tanks piled in the closet with a bright idea on designing and filling the next one...

 

[boadams87]

Congratulations!!!!!!!!

 

[MandyINCo]

That's awesome to hear, and a HUGE encouragement for me!!! I am still battling crazy levels in my tanks! Things are almost complete, just taking longer than expected. It's nice to know I'm not alone in my frustration

 

[ocminpin]

That's awesome to hear, and a HUGE encouragement for me!!! I am still battling crazy levels in my tanks! Things are almost complete, just taking longer than expected. It's nice to know I'm not alone in my frustration

I had nitrates of 160 in 3 tanks at once... Discovered the week I got my API kit... I was doing back to back PWC on THREE tanks every day... It usually took me 3-4 hrs to get it all finished-- I'm working with a 2-3g bucket! It quickly went to 80 and stalled there.. Then stalled again at 40... All while dealing with births, camallanus, and betta fin rot...HANG IN THERE... trust me it will get better!

 

[phoenixkiller]

Wow. Amazing story. I HATE ten gallon tanks because they cannot hold any amount of nitrate without the levels being toxic to fish. Then I did a 95% change one day and a 50% the next. Nitrates from 60 to 5 in 48 hours...

 

[ocminpin]

Wow. Amazing story. I HATE ten gallon tanks because they cannot hold any amount of nitrate without the levels being toxic to fish. Then I did a 95% change one day and a 50% the next. Nitrates from 60 to 5 in 48 hours...

I haven't had any more trouble with the 10g than the others... But totally makes sense with larger tanks because of such a larger body of water.
I'm so happy with 5 nitrites...
Will test the tanks tomorrow and see where I'm at.

 

[severum mama]

Wow. Amazing story. I HATE ten gallon tanks because they cannot hold any amount of nitrate without the levels being toxic to fish. Then I did a 95% change one day and a 50% the next. Nitrates from 60 to 5 in 48 hours...

X ppm of nitrate is equal to X ppm of nitrate, regardless of tank size. The concentration is the same.