Daily Log

[mwood2]

Ok so Im worried about all the things i do with my tank seeing as im a Beginner. I have already opened 2 topics and gotten lots of help. But I want to open one last beginer topic that I can update regularly and get info.

Day 3 (first to days in other topic, will link later)

Added a Air Pump and buble tube thing (can think of name)
Added another plan
Siphoned 20% an replaced
Added a Bridge Decoration

9:00PM
Tests Showed:
Ph: 7.4
Ammonia:.20-.50 (issues reading but its one of them)
Nitrite:0
Nitrate (need to test still)


Questions: (will edit each day as there answered or have new, will indicate when done)
-As bad of an idea as it is, would a parter be ok? We know our Molly fish has as low a chance as is from what im told but where looking into a more endurent fish to have. We are debating but what would be the way to go about if we do. Again we know that if something happens to said Molly a change to a Fishless cycle would be the way to go.
(Answered)-Plan to add Ghost Shrimp Within a Week or 2 (most likely just 1 for now)

 

[Corleone]

Don't add the ghost shrimp that soon - they're more ammonia sensitive than many sensitive fish, and any measurable amount is bad for them.

 

[vinylman]

Can you get some used filter media from your LFS?. ANY amount will help - the bacteria multiply very quickly. As Corleone says, shrimp (or for that matter, any fish) are the last things to add to your tank at the moment.

 

[Miss Wiggle]

don't add any more fish for now.

what you need to do is as many water changes as possible to keep ammonia and nitrite below 0.25ppm, you need to wait until they hold steady at 0,0 with no water changes for at least 1 week before even thinking about more fish. Basically the longer you leave it now before you add more fish the better, if you add fish too soon you'll have to go though the cycle again, if you can leave it 3/4 weeks after the cycle has stabilised and then just add 1 more fish/shrimp at a time then hopefully you won't get another cycle, but you need to build up the stocking very slowly and carefully to avoid any more problems

 

[waterdrop]

Yes, agree with the above advice.

Your goal when you have in an un-cycled tank is to do water changes to keep ammonia and nitrite (NO2) as close to zero as possible. All other topics are less important. Suppose your test showed 0.50ppm of ammonia. Right away you would perform a 50%, or even a little more, sized water change. Make sure the tap water you put back in has the right amount of conditioner to remove the chlorine or chloramines and that you've roughly matched the temperature (just use you hand, that's close enough.)

Wait one hour or more and test again. If the ammonia or nitrite is still above 0.25ppm then perform another water change just like the first one. You can repeat water changes on and on if you wait an hour in-between. After one of these water changes you will find that you have finally brought the ammonia and/or nitrite level below 0.25ppm. This is by far the most important thing to be doing any time either of these toxic substances has gone above 0.25ppm.

~~waterdrop~~

 

[mwood2]

--Day 4--

Ok time for my next post. I'm home from work and just tested the water. Im pretty satisfied.

-Tests-

PH:
Ammonia: .0 (tested after water change at 2PM) and .0 (tested at 1:10AM)
Nitrite: .0 (tested at 1:30 AM)
Nitrate: 20 (tested at 1:30 AM)

-Fish Update-

Since my water change this morning our fish has been on the top more often looking like it may have been gasping for air. But it has mostly been going up looking at the floating plant debre (failed planting attampt as said from last post). So im not really sure whats up with him. If anyone has any idea what may be going on help will be appreciated.

-Questions-

Not much I have to ask this time. I plan to keep this up for awile and hope things turn out well but:

-(answered) Should I be worried about the Nitrate level? I plan to keep testing as I do my water changes.
-How does my cycle process seem to be coming along?



And as always suggestions are appreciated. If anyone has products/fish/plants to suggest price isnt to big of a problem as long as it doesnt go over 50 bucks.

You guys have been a huge help.

 

[Corleone]

Don't worry about the nitrate at this point - 20 is pretty harmless, a lot of people have as high as 40 out of their tap water. I'm only moderately aware of my own, I just keep up my water change regimen. Often, water will quality will decline in other ways between water changes (many of which home test kits don't cover) before nitrate builds up to toxic levels.

 

[mwood2]

--Day 5--

ok, I started early today since I woke up early before work. Did My water change today and have tests for before and after said change.

-Tests-

(before Water change 10:30AM)

Ph: 7.4
Ammonia: .0
Nitrite: .0-.25 (it looked in between the 2 colors)
Nitrate: 20

Performed my water change at 2:30 and tested at 2:45

Ph:7.4
Ammonia: .0
Nitrite: .0
Nitrate: 20

-Fish Update-

not much changed. Kinda swimming frantically but i assume it's getting use to my water change. Off to work to 7-9 hours in a bit. Will post any changed when this happens. I will check up on forum from work to see if anyone has suggested anything for when I'm home.


-Questions-

-Does my cycle seem to be going slightly faster then normal since its only day 5?
-Do I keep doing water changes daily or wait for switch to every other day?


IMPORTANT!

this thread is for a sudden change in my tank late tonight. so Keep this in mind for my post.

http/www.fishforums.net/content/New-to-t...-It-Seems-Odd-/

 

[waterdrop]

Hi mwood2,

In your other thread it sounds like we've discovered you've been using at test kit designed for marine tanks (the API salt water kit). (I understand you were thinking of the molly.)

The test kit you probably needed is the one most of us, including myself, use: API Freshwater Master Test Kit.

Now, I'm not actually qualified to tell you whether any of the tests included in the saltwater test kit would work correctly on fresh water, they might(!), but I can't say. It could very well be that some of the super-experienced ones here would know. You could also fire off a question to API on their help web site or via phone or mail. I've heard of people managing to get through to their lab from time to time.

Without verification by someone who knows, you could only assume the test results might be questionable at best.

~~waterdrop~~

 

[Miss Wiggle]

there are some tests which cross over between SW and FW but it would say so explicitly on the packaging if it did cover both.

I would dismiss results for now as inaccurate and suggest you get a new test kit asap but for nowassume that ammonia and nitrite are both sky high and do as many water changes as possible.

 

[Corleone]

The API nitrite test is the same between the two, I think nitrate is as well. The ammonia uses the same bottles, but a very different color scale, meaning all your results will be skewed considerably.

Since it is an API kit, look on the test cards. Several will say "saltwater/freshwater" and some will just say "saltwater." You can replace those tests by buying individual tests rather than the full kit.

Even for the molly, if you decide to go brackish for it, low-end brackish is better tested with the freshwater kit, though the ammonia readings will be slightly thrown off, they'll be much closer to freshwater than marine.

 

[mwood2]

--Day 7--

Ok bought the freshwater kit and just tested:

Ph: 7.6
Ammonia: .25
Nitrite: .25
Nitrate: 10


These seem to sound more reasonable then in my last post. I will now do a 30-50% water change and will post those results before work.

and tested-

Ammonia: 0
Nitrite:0

just tested those since those where the ones that owrried me. I will test again sometime around midnight to see any changed. thanks everyone for your help

-Questions-

When do I start doing lees water changes? Do i do it every time the ammonia/Nitrate raises or do I just keep doing every day?

 

[waterdrop]

re: "When do I start doing lees water changes? Do i do it every time the ammonia/Nitrate raises or do I just keep doing every day?"

Your goal is as I stated above in my Sept 26 post. You want to establish a water change pattern such that 0.25ppm is the high point it ever gets up to.

~~waterdrop~~

 

[mwood2]

--day 8--

ok so i have done my siphon today but all i had time to do after was test ammonia before school. test will be done when i get home later on tonight.

-Test-

(aftrer 30% water change)

ammonia: .0 (only test i got in today)

New test at 10:30

Ammonia: .25
Nitrite: .25
Nitrate: 10


(30% water change 11:30, next tests taken at 11:45)

Ammonia: .25
Nitrate: 0


-Fish Update-

same as past few days. will add more if it changes.

-Questions-

-would an african dwarf frog be a good idea after my tanks cycled?
-is adding aquarium salt good for our molly fish?
-if not whats best way to remove

 

[Corleone]

-would an african dwarf frog be a good idea after my tanks cycled?

How tall is the tank? Sometimes in tanks more than 12 inches tall, they have trouble getting to the surface for air. They also aren't good at competing with more active bottom feeders like corys.

-is adding aquarium salt good for our molly fish?

Really, no. Probably not bad, but not necessary, and not as beneficial as LFS often claim it is. Aquarium salt reduces nitrite and nitrate toxicity to an extent, and has some disease treatment qualities. Long term general use adds some stress to most freshwater fish, and brackish water requires small amounts of marine salt. Leave it for now - you'll literally go broke maintaining aquarium or marine salt in the tank with water changes going on. Give the molly a chance in freshwater - since your pH is 7.4, you probably have hard water, which is sometimes sufficient - my mollies are in fresh water with a pH of 7.6.

-if not whats best way to remove

Just stop adding it - water changes will have it gone in short order.