Help please.

[Slaphppy7]

Here are some pics. Also showing cloudy water and algae. Thank you!!

Get one of these ASAP: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000255NCI/?tag=ff0d01-20

Test "strips" can be unreliable and inaccurate

You also need a good quality water conditioner, such as Seachem Prime or API Tap Water Conditioner...I'd get one of those two soon, as well

After you get the liquid test kit, run tests for ammonia, nitrAte, and nitrIte, and post those results here

 

[Tenaj]

Get one of these ASAP: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000255NCI/?tag=ff0d01-20

Test "strips" can be unreliable and inaccurate

You also need a good quality water conditioner, such as Seachem Prime or API Tap Water Conditioner...I'd get one of those two soon, as well

After you get the liquid test kit, run tests for ammonia, nitrAte, and nitrIte, and post those results here

Should I not use the strips I have now? I can text now and post a picture of the strip.

 

[Essjay]

Do the strips test for ammonia? Most don't and that's one of the main things we need to test for in a new tank.

 

[Slaphppy7]

Should I not use the strips I have now? I can text now and post a picture of the strip.

They will do in the meantime, I suppose, but you really need that liquid test kit, for accurate results...mainly, we need that ammonia reading

I have a feeling your tank is going through a fish-in cycle right now, so read here: https://www.fishforums.net/threads/rescuing-a-fish-in-cycle-gone-wild-part-i.433769/

 

[Tenaj]

They will do in the meantime, I suppose, but you really need that liquid test kit, for accurate results...mainly, we need that ammonia reading

I have a feeling your tank is going through a fish-in cycle right now, so read here: https://www.fishforums.net/threads/rescuing-a-fish-in-cycle-gone-wild-part-i.433769/

I think it is too. I’ve only had fish for a month in a half now. 3 weeks in 10 gallon tank then switched to 36 gallons. Also, since I never knew anything about the water cycle in a fish tank, I went online to do some research before bringing the fish over to the 36 gallon tank. Much of what I read stated that I should bring over most of the water from the 10 gallon tank, the gravel, any decorations, which I did. I think this is why the water has remained cloudy. Two weeks after the 36 gallon set up I did my first water change of about 30% and cleaned all the decorations with hot water only. On top of all of this I will say that my fish do seem very happy and that may be because I’m overfeeding them ha ha

 

[Tenaj]

Do the strips test for ammonia? Most don't and that's one of the main things we need to test for in a new tank.

Why would ammonia need to be tested? How does it hurt or benefit my fish or tank? I will go today to buy testing for it.

 

[Colin_T]

Should I not use the strips I have now? I can text now and post a picture of the strip.

Keep using the strips until you run out and then get a liquid test kit to replace it.

The tank will have ammonia so just do daily water changes for a few weeks and then do it whenever there is an ammonia or nitrite reading above 0ppm, or a nitrate reading above 20ppm.

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Why would ammonia need to be tested? How does it hurt or benefit my fish or tank? I will go today to buy testing for it.

Ammonia burns the fish's skin and gills and does permanent damage. You want to keep ammonia levels on 0ppm at all times.

 

[Slaphppy7]

I think it is too. I’ve only had fish for a month in a half now. 3 weeks in 10 gallon tank then switched to 36 gallons. Also, since I never knew anything about the water cycle in a fish tank, I went online to do some research before bringing the fish over to the 36 gallon tank. Much of what I read stated that I should bring over most of the water from the 10 gallon tank, the gravel, any decorations, which I did. I think this is why the water has remained cloudy. Two weeks after the 36 gallon set up I did my first water change of about 30% and cleaned all the decorations with hot water only. On top of all of this I will say that my fish do seem very happy and that may be because I’m overfeeding them ha ha

Overfeeding is one of the most detrimental things we can do with our tanks, water quality is of utmost importance, and rotting food that just sits in the tank is a recipe for disaster...fish don't need to eat every day, I feed mine every 2 or 3 days

Be certain you are not cleaning your filter or the media inside of it, that is where the bacteria you are trying to grow will colonize, initially...read that sticky, get that test kit, and perform water changes DAILY if you are showing ANY amount of ammonia

 

[Slaphppy7]

Why would ammonia need to be tested? How does it hurt or benefit my fish or tank? I will go today to buy testing for it.

Ammonia burns the fish's gills, irritates and stresses them...stress many times leads to disease/infection/death

 

[Tenaj]

Ammonia burns the fish's gills, irritates and stresses them...stress many times leads to disease/infection/death

Ohhhhh noooo. I will get a test kit today. They seem to be happy. All 6 tetras school together. The 3 danios are so fast and energetic. They stay moving mostly in the top. My one glo shark stays at the bottom. Oh question on the bottom dweller shark. He is the cutest and is growing. I got him little pellets for bottom feeders. Is that what I should be doing. I’m basically adding 2 types of food 2 times a day, for them all to eat.

 

[Essjay]

Why would ammonia need to be tested? How does it hurt or benefit my fish or tank?

Fish excrete ammonia (it's their version of urine). Uneaten food rots and makes ammonia. When a tank is 'cycled' it has a colony of bacteria which eat this ammonia, and they 'poop' nitrite. Unfortunately nitrite is also poisonous - it binds to the fish's blood stopping it taking up oxygen. Nature rides to the rescue again as there is another bacteria which eats nitrite and 'poops' nitrate - which is less poisonous than the other two. When we talk about cycling we mean the process of growing thse two types of bacteria

It takes a few weeks for a new tank to grow enough of these bacteria to eat all the ammonia and nitrite and until they do we need to remove these poisons ourselves. Testing for ammonia and nitrite tells us when there is some in the water so we know we need to do a water change to get rid of them.

 

[Slaphppy7]

Ohhhhh noooo. I will get a test kit today. They seem to be happy. All 6 tetras school together. The 3 danios are so fast and energetic. They stay moving mostly in the top. My one glo shark stays at the bottom. Oh question on the bottom dweller shark. He is the cutest and is growing. I got him little pellets for bottom feeders. Is that what I should be doing. I’m basically adding 2 types of food 2 times a day, for them all to eat.

Feed every other day, the amount the fish can eat in about 5 minutes, with no leftovers.

That glo shark is actually a rainbow shark, they can get up to 6" in length, and become aggressive as they get older...not the best community fish, and not really one of the best for beginners

Rainbow Shark 101: Care Guide, Tank Size, Food & Tank Mates

Rainbow sharks are a fun and unique fish that can be very rewarding to keep. Learn how to take care of them in this brand new guide!

www.aquariumsource.com

See "Behavior and Compatibility" here: https://www.seriouslyfish.com/species/epalzeorhynchos-frenatum

 

[Tenaj]

Fish excrete ammonia (it's their version of urine). Uneaten food rots and makes ammonia. When a tank is 'cycled' it has a colony of bacteria which eat this ammonia, and they 'poop' nitrite. Unfortunately nitrite is also poisonous - it binds to the fish's blood stopping it taking up oxygen. Nature rides to the rescue again as there is another bacteria which eats nitrite and 'poops' nitrate - which is less poisonous than the other two. When we talk about cycling we mean the process of growing thse two types of bacteria

It takes a few weeks for a new tank to grow enough of these bacteria to eat all the ammonia and nitrite and until they do we need to remove these poisons ourselves. Testing for ammonia and nitrite tells us when there is some in the water so we know we need to do a water change to get rid of them.

Thank you!!! What a learning process. I just want to do what needs to be done to make sure they are healthy and happy. Is the algae causing the water to be cloudy. Only one week after change? I read that water changes make water cloudy. If I do water change each week then it seems water will never stop being cloudy. Also only one week after water change, filter is really really dirty. I think I’m really over feeding them.

 

[Myraan]

Pending the results of the liquid tests:
Unless it's just my eyes I am not seeing algae, the cloudiness looks to me as bacterial bloom. That is maybe just a normal sign that you are still cycling and will with sort itself out. If that's the case doing daily water changes for the sake of the fish until you can find out from tests what is going on is imperative. If it turns out you are already cycled, a bacterial bloom indicates you have been feeding too much, so go back to once or day or reduce portions. Or even fast for a day or two. When the water has cleared up you try can feeding a little more if you believe the fish are not getting enough. But they are small and cold blooded, they don't need as much as you think. Everyone knows overfeeding is bad, but the truth is, and someone correct me if I am wrong, feeding isn't a science it's mostly based on guessing.

If you are a lazy person like me - you will find a use for test strips (I use the kind that your phone app reads for you), but I still own and use liquid tests, basically if the strip results are weird or inconsistent. If I am bored I will test with both methods every now and again to convince myself the strips are telling the truth. (If you use an app to read test results, be discerning with the advice, because some of it is just to get you to buy more products from the company like pH modifiers)

 

[Slaphppy7]

Thank you!!! What a learning process. I just want to do what needs to be done to make sure they are healthy and happy. Is the algae causing the water to be cloudy. Only one week after change? I read that water changes make water cloudy. If I do water change each week then it seems water will never stop being cloudy. Also only one week after water change, filter is really really dirty. I think I’m really over feeding them.

If you are in the midst of a cycle, the cloudiness is most likely a bacterial bloom, which is not a bad thing

Again, we need that test kit to check your water conditions