Greetings All, Newbie Here With Some Questions

[RoLo]

Greetings everyone. I just recently got my first aquarium/fish, and was interested in finding an online forum to do with my new found hobby, and FishForums.net seemed like the most popular, active, and informative, so here I am. As for my setup, I have:
1. 10 gallon tank with built in LED lighting
2. 3 pearl danios fish(Read in many many places and was also told at the aquarium store that danios are a great startup fish, which are very hardy and great for the breaking in period of my tank)
3. Marineland Bio-Wheel Power Filter Penguin 100(3 stage filtration, filters 100 gallons per hour, good for tanks up to 20 gallons)
4. 50 watt aquarium heater
5. API Freshwater Master Test Kit
6. Siphon tube
7. Water conditioner, bio-support, and bio-clean

Now, the tank started running last Tuesday(December 27th), I put in 2 teaspoons of water conditioner, bio-support, and bio-clean as instructed, and will be adding 2 more teaspoons of the bio-support tomorrow as that makes 1 week of the tank running. I then bought my fish Saturday afternoon, meaning that the tank was running 3 and a half days before putting the fish in, introduced them into the tank slowly like I had been explained and read online. I also have the tank water temperature at 27 celcius(80 fahrenheit). As far as I'm concerned, I'm on the right track thus far...but what do I know right? lol =) So I just have a few newbie related questions that need some answers. I've gone over your newbie threads, and believe me they've helped, but I got some other questions.

1. I have yet to test for ammonia or anything yet, and have yet to clean/change/or add any water, as I figured I would do both of those tomorrow when adding more bio-support and cleaning the water with my siphon tube. Tomorrow makes about 4 days that the fish have been in the tank. Have I waited to long to do these things?
2. The filter instructions say to change the filter sponge inside it every 2-4 weeks. Should I follow this? What about my bio-wheel, what do I do with that?
3. As mentioned above, the water temperature is at 27 celcius(80 fahrenheit) is this a good temperature?
4. As also mentioned above, I have 3 pearl danios. Was this a good choice in your opinion as a starting fish? As for feeding them, I am feeding them 3-4 flakes once a day. Is that sufficient enough?
5. When it comes to changing water and cleaning my tank, should I turn off my heater? I have a friend who electrecuted all his fish by not turning it off during a water change. Was he just a dummy? lol
6. When it comes to cleaning my tank with the siphon tube, I then need to add water after because of the water I lose while cleaning. Is it okay to expose to fish to water conditioner? As I'm pretty sure I'm supposed to add some to every cup of tap water I put into my tank.
7. Lastly, I've included a picture of my tank. Is it too overcrowded? Sometimes I think so because it seems that my pearl danios usually gravitate toward the back right of the tank behind some greenery and just kinda float there for a good period of time. Is that due to lack of swimming room for them? It's not always the case, but it just has me thinking. Please give me your opinions.

Wow that was a long thread lol I'm such a newbie, and I hope I'm not being too overwhelming. Any answers to any questions are truly appreciated and any other unrelated suggestions are as well.

Also, I live in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Anyone else on here from there? I've done all my fish/tank related shopping at Big Al's(www.bigalscanada.com)which are a pretty reputable fish and aquarium service superstore. Are there any better dealers out there? Anyone have any positive or negative experiences with Big Al's?

Okay I think I'll stop typing now lol. Thank you all very much, and I look forward to becoming a long lasting and active member of this forum community. Cheers.

 

[RoLo]

I attached my tank picture, but it doesn't seem to have attached for some reason. Instead, here is a link: http/imageshack.us/photo/my-images/685/tankkh.jpg/
I have 2 pieces of greenery, a pirate ship, and a rock wall type of thing.

 

[snake007]

Welcome to the forum!

Ill try and answer most of your questions,

1.) You should really test the water straight away, so I would do that now.
2.) No you dont ever really need to change the sponge unless its tattered and falling apart
3.) Danios are temperate fish, meaning they prefer a much cooler temp, around 20 and raise it to about 23-24 to create a summer for them.
4.) Danios are shoaling fish, meaning they should be in groups of 6+ and they really need a 4ft tank as they are very fast swimmers.
5.) No you dont need to ever turn your heater off.
6.) Your doing it fine.
7.) Its fine,

Theres on problem though, a filter takes 6+ weeks to create a bacteria colony and cycle your tank, so right now your in a fish in cycle.
Read up on the beginners resource center for advice on that.

 

[HayzH]

+1 on the reading up on fish-IN cycle x welcome! x

 

[RoLo]

Okay so I just finished conducting my first water tests and here are my results:
pH: 7.6
Ammonia: 0 or 0.25 ppm (it looks more like 0, but I find that hard to believe...)
Nitrite: 0 or 0.25 ppm (same as above, looks more like 0...)
Nitrate: 0 ppm

Are these good results? I plan on doing a gravel vac/20-25% water change in about 20 mintues as well, as well as adding bio-support after those 2 things. Am I doing well?

Also, how can I lower the pH to 7.0, as 7.0 is neutral and recommended?

And also, thank you very much snake007 for the feedback. It's greatly appreciated. But just one question...so I NEVER change my filter sponge or bio-wheel(unless falling apart)?

 

[fluttermoth]

Don't bother trying to change your pH; a stable pH is much more important than the actual number, unless you're keeping very delicate or wild caught fish.

snake is quite right, you never change your filter media, unless it is falling apart (though I've never had any media that did that!) as if you do, you'll be throwing away all yourgood bacteria. The only media you replace regularly is filter floss (the stuff that's like nylon cotton wool) which traps the very fine particles from your water and clogs easily.

If you're showing any ammonia or nitrite, then you want to do a large water change; I'd do 75 or 80%; as long as your new water is warmed and dechlorinated, large water changes don't harm your fish, and you want to stop both ammonia and nitrite creeping up over 0.25ppm before your next change, so you want to be doing large-ish changes.

 

[RoLo]

Don't bother trying to change your pH; a stable pH is much more important than the actual number, unless you're keeping very delicate or wild caught fish.

snake is quite right, you never change your filter media, unless it is falling apart (though I've never had any media that did that!) as if you do, you'll be throwing away all yourgood bacteria. The only media you replace regularly is filter floss (the stuff that's like nylon cotton wool) which traps the very fine particles from your water and clogs easily.

If you're showing any ammonia or nitrite, then you want to do a large water change; I'd do 75 or 80%; as long as your new water is warmed and dechlorinated, large water changes don't harm your fish, and you want to stop both ammonia and nitrite creeping up over 0.25ppm before your next change, so you want to be doing large-ish changes.

By filter floss, do you mean the cartridge? Because that's what I meant by filter sponge lol, don't mind my newbie terminology.

As for the pH, what if it begins to rise? What do I do then?

 

[RoLo]

Also another newbie question, but when it comes to feeding, they obviously don't all get the same amount of food, some will always eat more then others. What should I do about that? Just feed them as I normally do? I normally crumble up 3 flakes, sometimes 4 if I notice some fall to the bottom without being eaten. Am I doing alright?

 

[RoLo]

Me again, lol. So last night before going to bed, I noticed that my filter started randomlly making this unbarable rattling noise. It's weird though because earlier yesterday it wasn't...? What could be happening or wrong? Is my filter broken? Anything I can do or check?

 

[the_lock_man]

Me again, lol. So last night before going to bed, I noticed that my filter started randomlly making this unbarable rattling noise. It's weird though because earlier yesterday it wasn't...? What could be happening or wrong? Is my filter broken? Anything I can do or check?

My filter is of a different design to yours, but whenever mine makes a funny rattling noise, it's because the inlet is partly blocked.

 

[RoLo]

Me again, lol. So last night before going to bed, I noticed that my filter started randomlly making this unbarable rattling noise. It's weird though because earlier yesterday it wasn't...? What could be happening or wrong? Is my filter broken? Anything I can do or check?

My filter is of a different design to yours, but whenever mine makes a funny rattling noise, it's because the inlet is partly blocked.

Sorry to sound like a big idiot, but what is the inlet?

 

[the_lock_man]

Me again, lol. So last night before going to bed, I noticed that my filter started randomlly making this unbarable rattling noise. It's weird though because earlier yesterday it wasn't...? What could be happening or wrong? Is my filter broken? Anything I can do or check?

My filter is of a different design to yours, but whenever mine makes a funny rattling noise, it's because the inlet is partly blocked.

Sorry to sound like a big idiot, but what is the inlet?

The tube and/or hole where the water goes into the pump and filter.

 

[RoLo]

Me again, lol. So last night before going to bed, I noticed that my filter started randomlly making this unbarable rattling noise. It's weird though because earlier yesterday it wasn't...? What could be happening or wrong? Is my filter broken? Anything I can do or check?

My filter is of a different design to yours, but whenever mine makes a funny rattling noise, it's because the inlet is partly blocked.

Sorry to sound like a big idiot, but what is the inlet?

The tube and/or hole where the water goes into the pump and filter.

How should I go about unblocking my inlet?

 

[RoLo]

?