Hello, and help!!

[Bloo]

oh, and ive just noticed a dead Neon.

I am absolutely gutted that i wasnt told any of this from any pet shops, but at the same time i guess i should have swotted up on it all first.

Oh what a shame. I'm afraid they tend to be of the more delicate tetras and not recommended as starter fish for a new tank. They prefer very well established, stable and pristine water conditions.

 

[Gazman]

I'll rememebr that! Shame ive learnt this the hard (and cruel) way.

Hey, im a little confused. All the help about cycling the tank doesnt say anything about adding chemicals to reduce amonia, nitrites n stuff. yet looking through a book we got, it shows lots of products. Do i not need these? When getting the strips today, should i purchase anything else? (pet store is a few miles away!)

Also, you say the only stupid question is the one you dont ask... how about this then.

How do i dechlorinate the water before adding it )

 

[Bloo]

OK, I'd most certainly steer clear from any and all chemical additives. Don't start messing with those unless you know exactly what you are doing - and even then.....

Just add the dechlorinator to the new water you're about to put in the tank (if you use the bucket method of refilling). It's almost impossible to overdose and that stuff, but do try and stick to the rough guidelines on how much to use. Some people just squirt it into the tank first and then just add the new tap water directly after that. I'd be a bit hesitant to recommend that in case a fish gets a mouth full of dechlorinator
Or I suppose if you want to, squirt it into the filter and it can disperse it that way.

 

[Gazman]

lol, thanks!! I really should read previous posts to see if my questions have been answered before!

 

[freddyk]

Gazman

The ammonia builds up in the tank until the time bacteria can form to take care of it by turning it into nitrite. This can take a while, and with too many fish in the tank it can rise to lethal levels.

Then we still need to wait until bacteria forms to take care of the nitrite. Fish can handle higher nitrite levels then ammonia, but too much will again be fatal.

By adding filter media from another tank you are literally adding both kinds of bacteria. The ammonia and nitrite will immediately be dealt with, the bacteria will quickly multiply to suit your biological load (livestock levels) and you have, in effect, an 'instantly cycled tank'. The filter media can be as simple as filter floss (cotton batting). The more you add, the better. Since I always have at least one tank on the go I haven't had to cycle a tank in years - I get fish, stuff the new filter with old media, and add fish. Voila.

The only additive you need in your tank is a water conditioner - almost everything else is either for a specific purpose or problem, or to try to get you to spend more money on consumables. I've always added the conditioner right to the tank - it's been proven safe. Add for the amount you replace, not for the entire volume of the tank.

 

[Gazman]

Marvellous, thanks!!

Right, bought a complete test kit earlier today and just finished some tests.

PH 7.6
Amonia 0.25
NitrIte 0
NitrAte between 10 and 20

I am a bit shocked at the results. From what i have read from you helpful bunch so far, my tank doesnt seem too bad. Bear in mind the tests i have carried out are on a tank that still has some ICH treatment in (not sure if this matters).

What do you guys (and gals!) think of those results please?

Thank you in advance,

Gazman.

 

[Bloo]

Seems pretty good to me ! Though I'm slightly surprise at the 0.25 reading on ammonia. After 3 months that should really have been down to zero. However, it's nothing to really worry about at the moment and it will go down to zero soon. It might also be due to chemical bleeding if you used test strips to take your readings instead of individual tests ?

 

[Gazman]

Bloozoo, i used freshwater master test kit, by Aquarium Pharmaceuticals. No test strips involved. Is that ok?

It was good doing the tests, i was a bit scared at 1st (lack of knowledge) but now i feel good that i am doing something to help my fishees, but also i felt like some sort of nutty professor scientist dude. Wheres my white coat? So hopefully the Amonia will drop more.

I know this should be a differnt topic, but does anyone know of a free site where i can host pics?

Thanks.

PS, cheers to everyone who has contibuted to this thread. Helpful bunch that you are, i think im gonna like it here.

 

[Vivienne]

Gazman - try snapfish for hosting pics. www.snapfish.co.uk

 

[Bloo]

Ah fab - well done for getting the API test kit. It's not cheap buying the whole thing all at once, but it's a really good kit
And in that case your reading is indeed correct. But don't worry too much about the ammonia at this stage - it will come down soon.

Yeah, I use www.photobucket.com but there are loads of other pic hosting sites

 

[Gazman]

Oh wow, i am now a happy chappie!! I thought when i was in the shop that the one i picked was the one you suggested. Good choice Gaz! Why the ICH keeps returning is a mystery tho.. Its only with the Tetras now tho.

To think i knew nothing about water testing yesterday. Cheers loads bloozoo, and the rest of you.