I'm A Newb....

[xgator313x]

I'm relatively new to fishkeeping. My mother got a tank for my nephews, since I'm the one that's gonna be taking care of it mostly I'm gonna have a lot of questions. I just don't know where to start as I am kind of concerned about the water in the tank. I bought some test strips and when I tested the water and it said the nitrites were high. Where do I look for help on this?

 

[UK_Dave]

I'm relatively new to fishkeeping. My mother got a tank for my nephews, since I'm the one that's gonna be taking care of it mostly I'm gonna have a lot of questions. I just don't know where to start as I am kind of concerned about the water in the tank. I bought some test strips and when I tested the water and it said the nitrites were high. Where do I look for help on this?

Welcome

1st things 1st, check this out http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/277264-beginners-resource-center/

Its got alot of the info you need

secondly, throw the test strips away, and get the proper chemicals that you mix up in a test tube, they are the best you can get and give a proper reading, many a times the test strips give the wrong info

Next thing you do is read up on either the "Fishless cycle" or the "Fish in" if you have already got fish, although the fishless cycle is best

The testing kits with chemicals are the best, you then follw the instructions on testing for NO2, NO3, and ammonia mainly...If you can get these down before adding fish then you will have a better success rate

 

[xgator313x]

I'm relatively new to fishkeeping. My mother got a tank for my nephews, since I'm the one that's gonna be taking care of it mostly I'm gonna have a lot of questions. I just don't know where to start as I am kind of concerned about the water in the tank. I bought some test strips and when I tested the water and it said the nitrites were high. Where do I look for help on this?

Welcome

1st things 1st, check this out http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/277264-beginners-resource-center/

Its got alot of the info you need

secondly, throw the test strips away, and get the proper chemicals that you mix up in a test tube, they are the best you can get and give a proper reading, many a times the test strips give the wrong info

Next thing you do is read up on either the "Fishless cycle" or the "Fish in" if you have already got fish, although the fishless cycle is best

The testing kits with chemicals are the best, you then follw the instructions on testing for NO2, NO3, and ammonia mainly...If you can get these down before adding fish then you will have a better success rate

Thank you very much. I have a 5 gallon tank that's been running for about a week. Had the water in it tested at the local store I go to. He said that the ammonia was a little high and that it should level off in a couple days. I used the test strips in 3 tanks. 2 are empty and they came out right, while the one with the fish in it had high nitrite, everything else was fine. I have a few fish in there that I'm concerned about. The temps are pretty close to the same, could I move the ones I'm concerned about to that tank til I get the other one straight? We're talking 2 mollies and 2 guppies. Again, thanks for the advice. My nephews will certainly appreciate it. Should I do another water change before I go to bed or wait and get the proper testing?

 

[UK_Dave]

If the other tank is fine then I wouldnt see a problem in moving them over, although please dont quote me...As for the water changes, no harm in still doing it as it would help with the future test results

I can only give so much info from what I have learned on here, but from what I can tell you would be best looking for the user erk628 as he is the man with the info! If you find some posts but him then you will see in his signature part at the bottom, it will give you alot of info about fish in cycles and fishless cycles...And since you have fish your in the fish in cycle which is a bit harder to do, but can be done as I did it in a way, I only say in a way as it had alot of work done to it form the previous tank, although I went from a small 2ft plastic tank to a large 4 footer!

 

[holidayinn]

Hi, welcome to the forum!!

If you move the fish over to the other tank, if that tank isnt cycled, you'll have to do WC's as well. How much of a water change depends on the amount you stock and the size of the tank, but generally, 25% daily is reccommended.

If you can get your hands on some mature media, it could speeden the whole cycling process.

 

[Assaye]

I'm relatively new to fishkeeping. My mother got a tank for my nephews, since I'm the one that's gonna be taking care of it mostly I'm gonna have a lot of questions. I just don't know where to start as I am kind of concerned about the water in the tank. I bought some test strips and when I tested the water and it said the nitrites were high. Where do I look for help on this?

Best Link Ever

Seriously.

If you have nitrites, it means your tank has not properly cycled. If your tank is not fully cycled, yur fish could die. There is a full description of what cycling is in that link but here is a brief one:

Fish produce waste. Some of it you can see (their poo) and some you can't. From that, you get . . .

Fish waste => ammonia => nitrite => nitrate.

Two kinds of special bacteria break the ammonia into nitrite and the nitrite into nitrate. Your tank is "uncycled" when you don't have enough of those bacteria. Without those bacteria, the fish are exposed to ammonia and nitrite which is VERY toxic.

Cycling your tank grows the bacteria.

You are doing a fish-in cycle . . . so have a read of that link and follow the advice. Not doing so will subject your fish to elevated ammonia and nitrites and you could end up killing them.

I'm relatively new to fishkeeping. My mother got a tank for my nephews, since I'm the one that's gonna be taking care of it mostly I'm gonna have a lot of questions. I just don't know where to start as I am kind of concerned about the water in the tank. I bought some test strips and when I tested the water and it said the nitrites were high. Where do I look for help on this?

Welcome

1st things 1st, check this out http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/277264-beginners-resource-center/

Its got alot of the info you need

secondly, throw the test strips away, and get the proper chemicals that you mix up in a test tube, they are the best you can get and give a proper reading, many a times the test strips give the wrong info

Next thing you do is read up on either the "Fishless cycle" or the "Fish in" if you have already got fish, although the fishless cycle is best

The testing kits with chemicals are the best, you then follw the instructions on testing for NO2, NO3, and ammonia mainly...If you can get these down before adding fish then you will have a better success rate

Thank you very much. I have a 5 gallon tank that's been running for about a week. Had the water in it tested at the local store I go to. He said that the ammonia was a little high and that it should level off in a couple days. I used the test strips in 3 tanks. 2 are empty and they came out right, while the one with the fish in it had high nitrite, everything else was fine. I have a few fish in there that I'm concerned about. The temps are pretty close to the same, could I move the ones I'm concerned about to that tank til I get the other one straight? We're talking 2 mollies and 2 guppies. Again, thanks for the advice. My nephews will certainly appreciate it. Should I do another water change before I go to bed or wait and get the proper testing?

2 x molly and 2 x guppies?

That's an awful lot for an uncycled 5 gallon tank.

Also, long term the mollys will get to big. Mollys are 3 inch long fish when adult and won't have enough space.

In order to lower the nitrites, I'd take at least the mollys back. If you take them all back, you can do a fishless cycle on the tank which is much better for the fish. If not, stick with the two guppys and get the tank fully cycled (all the info is in that link).

I'll be honest - 5 gallons is a very, very small tank. If you like guppys, stick with them. There are not that many fish that will do well in a small tank like that.

Here are some suggestions:

1 x siamese fighting fish
6 x cherry shrimp OR 3 x ornamental snails (apple snails, nerite snails)

OR

5 x guppies OR 5 x endlers livebearers
6 x cherry shrimp

OR

3 x african dwarf frogs

OR

1 x dwarf puffer fish

OR

6 x micro rasbora (lots of species there)
6 x cherry shrimp

You don't want any fish that get bigger than 1-1.5 inches long and some of those fish will still be a bad choice as they might be fast swimmers or high waste producers.

 

[xgator313x]

I'm relatively new to fishkeeping. My mother got a tank for my nephews, since I'm the one that's gonna be taking care of it mostly I'm gonna have a lot of questions. I just don't know where to start as I am kind of concerned about the water in the tank. I bought some test strips and when I tested the water and it said the nitrites were high. Where do I look for help on this?

Best Link Ever

Seriously.

If you have nitrites, it means your tank has not properly cycled. If your tank is not fully cycled, yur fish could die. There is a full description of what cycling is in that link but here is a brief one:

Fish produce waste. Some of it you can see (their poo) and some you can't. From that, you get . . .

Fish waste => ammonia => nitrite => nitrate.

Two kinds of special bacteria break the ammonia into nitrite and the nitrite into nitrate. Your tank is "uncycled" when you don't have enough of those bacteria. Without those bacteria, the fish are exposed to ammonia and nitrite which is VERY toxic.

Cycling your tank grows the bacteria.

You are doing a fish-in cycle . . . so have a read of that link and follow the advice. Not doing so will subject your fish to elevated ammonia and nitrites and you could end up killing them.

I'm relatively new to fishkeeping. My mother got a tank for my nephews, since I'm the one that's gonna be taking care of it mostly I'm gonna have a lot of questions. I just don't know where to start as I am kind of concerned about the water in the tank. I bought some test strips and when I tested the water and it said the nitrites were high. Where do I look for help on this?

Welcome

1st things 1st, check this out http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/277264-beginners-resource-center/

Its got alot of the info you need

secondly, throw the test strips away, and get the proper chemicals that you mix up in a test tube, they are the best you can get and give a proper reading, many a times the test strips give the wrong info

Next thing you do is read up on either the "Fishless cycle" or the "Fish in" if you have already got fish, although the fishless cycle is best

The testing kits with chemicals are the best, you then follw the instructions on testing for NO2, NO3, and ammonia mainly...If you can get these down before adding fish then you will have a better success rate

Thank you very much. I have a 5 gallon tank that's been running for about a week. Had the water in it tested at the local store I go to. He said that the ammonia was a little high and that it should level off in a couple days. I used the test strips in 3 tanks. 2 are empty and they came out right, while the one with the fish in it had high nitrite, everything else was fine. I have a few fish in there that I'm concerned about. The temps are pretty close to the same, could I move the ones I'm concerned about to that tank til I get the other one straight? We're talking 2 mollies and 2 guppies. Again, thanks for the advice. My nephews will certainly appreciate it. Should I do another water change before I go to bed or wait and get the proper testing?

2 x molly and 2 x guppies?

That's an awful lot for an uncycled 5 gallon tank.

Also, long term the mollys will get to big. Mollys are 3 inch long fish when adult and won't have enough space.

In order to lower the nitrites, I'd take at least the mollys back. If you take them all back, you can do a fishless cycle on the tank which is much better for the fish. If not, stick with the two guppys and get the tank fully cycled (all the info is in that link).

I'll be honest - 5 gallons is a very, very small tank. If you like guppys, stick with them. There are not that many fish that will do well in a small tank like that.

Here are some suggestions:

1 x siamese fighting fish
6 x cherry shrimp OR 3 x ornamental snails (apple snails, nerite snails)

OR

5 x guppies OR 5 x endlers livebearers
6 x cherry shrimp

OR

3 x african dwarf frogs

OR

1 x dwarf puffer fish

OR

6 x micro rasbora (lots of species there)
6 x cherry shrimp

You don't want any fish that get bigger than 1-1.5 inches long and some of those fish will still be a bad choice as they might be fast swimmers or high waste producers.

The move is just temporary until I can get the levels in the other tank down. Went to the pet store, was given some bacteria to put into the filter. They said that though it was high, it could be worse than it is... tomorrow I'm to do a 50% atleast change and add some nuetralizer and the usual stuff to take chlorine and other materials out of the water. I do believe I may have caused this out of a misunderstanding about the filter. I feel bad, but info wasn't shared in changing things around.

 

[Assaye]

No point moving them, as unless you have a mature filter on the other tank you'll just have to do loads of big water changes on that one as well.

Remember, the nasty chemicals come from the fish. Move the fish and you're just moving the source of the chemicals to where the fish are. Also, if you move the fish, you'll remove the food for the bacteria and so might end up killing the good bacteria in the filter by starving them . . . you'll never get it cycled if you do that.

Either put the fish in a mature tank (which might mean taking them back to the shop) or keep the fish in the tank (but please take the mollys back, they do need a much larger tank). If you take the fish back, cycle your filter with ammonia (or at a puch, fish food). If you keep the fish, just keep up with the water changes. You'll probably need to be doing about 75% a day to keep the nitrites down. Any nitrites are bad for the fish but you need them to feed the bacteria, so as long as you keep doing water changes you'll keep the fish healthy and there will be a teeny trace level left that the bacteria can feed off to grow. You'll also need your own test kit. It's worth it to help you keep these animals alive. Without a test kit you have no idea, on a day to day basis, how much of these chemicals are in the tank and how many water changes you need to do.

Read that link I posted about cycling. It'll make all this very clear.

 

[xgator313x]

No point moving them, as unless you have a mature filter on the other tank you'll just have to do loads of big water changes on that one as well.

Remember, the nasty chemicals come from the fish. Move the fish and you're just moving the source of the chemicals to where the fish are. Also, if you move the fish, you'll remove the food for the bacteria and so might end up killing the good bacteria in the filter by starving them . . . you'll never get it cycled if you do that.

Either put the fish in a mature tank (which might mean taking them back to the shop) or keep the fish in the tank (but please take the mollys back, they do need a much larger tank). If you take the fish back, cycle your filter with ammonia (or at a puch, fish food). If you keep the fish, just keep up with the water changes. You'll probably need to be doing about 75% a day to keep the nitrites down. Any nitrites are bad for the fish but you need them to feed the bacteria, so as long as you keep doing water changes you'll keep the fish healthy and there will be a teeny trace level left that the bacteria can feed off to grow. You'll also need your own test kit. It's worth it to help you keep these animals alive. Without a test kit you have no idea, on a day to day basis, how much of these chemicals are in the tank and how many water changes you need to do.

Read that link I posted about cycling. It'll make all this very clear.

I've just got 3 of them in this tank (2 mollies and 1 guppy), the levels are coming back down in the other tank. They've dropped in half since the last water change. The levels in the 5 gallon are perfect, there are other fish in the main tank I moved them from, I've just moved my fish that are in the main tank only as a temporary move until the other tanks water levels are completely under control. I do hope within the next few days for it to be alright so I can move them back to their tank.

I bought a Tetratest Laborett test kit, so I'll have far more accurate testing. Again, thanks to everyone that's offered advice/knowledge. I am trying to learn as much as I can about all fish and the things to do to keep them healthy and living for a decent while.

 

[erk628]

First off thanks for the kind words UK Dave! Secondly I found this thread to be quit confusing. Now what I get out of it is you have a 5 gallon tank that was bought for your nephews but your going to be the one taking care of it right? Now what confuses me is you mention some other tanks that you could move them into were are these? Now going with what I know now the first thing you need to do is lower your stock because like Assaye said your overstocked for a 5 gallon. I would take the the mollys and guppies back and do a fishless cycle its much easier on you and the fish. Regardless what you do the mollies have to go.

Now you said you tested a empty tank and the water readings were perfect? The reason for this is because there are no fish in it so theres no waste in the water. When you cycle your tank you really are cycling your filter this is were the majority of the bacteria live.

The way a cycle works is first a source of ammonia is introduced into the water. Once ammonia is present your ammonia levels will begin to rise and any amount of ammonia is toxic to fish. Once your ammonia levels rise a type of bacteria will begin to colonize in your filter that will feed on this ammonia. What this type of bacteria does is it converts ammonia into nitrites which is also very toxic to fish at any level. Once the first colony of bacteria gets big enough to handle the ammonia thats present in your tank your ammonia readings will drop to 0. Then the second stage of the cycle will begin and this is when your nitrites start to rise. Now the colony of bacteria that feed on this multiple at a slower rate then the first kind so this part of the cycle usually takes twice as long as the first. Once this colony gets big enough to handle the nitrites giving to it your nitrites will drop to 0 and is like that for a couple days your cycle is complete. Now what this type of bacteria does is it converts nitrites to nitrates which usually kept under 100ppm is not harmful to fish. This can be lowered by water changes.

So what your gonna have to decide is are you gonna do a fishless cycle or a fishin cycle. Either way we can help you through this but I would strongly suggest a fishless cycle much easier on you and the fish no water changes needed during the cycle. With a fishin cycle you will have to do many water changes even more so in a 5 gallon then a bigger tank. Either way you will have to test your water several times a day and do water changes several times a day just to give your fish a fighting chance to survive. With a fishless cycle you wont have to do this.

Let us know what your gonna do and we can go from there!

 

[xgator313x]

First off thanks for the kind words UK Dave! Secondly I found this thread to be quit confusing. Now what I get out of it is you have a 5 gallon tank that was bought for your nephews but your going to be the one taking care of it right? Now what confuses me is you mention some other tanks that you could move them into were are these? Now going with what I know now the first thing you need to do is lower your stock because like Assaye said your overstocked for a 5 gallon. I would take the the mollys and guppies back and do a fishless cycle its much easier on you and the fish. Regardless what you do the mollies have to go.

Now you said you tested a empty tank and the water readings were perfect? The reason for this is because there are no fish in it so theres no waste in the water. When you cycle your tank you really are cycling your filter this is were the majority of the bacteria live.

The way a cycle works is first a source of ammonia is introduced into the water. Once ammonia is present your ammonia levels will begin to rise and any amount of ammonia is toxic to fish. Once your ammonia levels rise a type of bacteria will begin to colonize in your filter that will feed on this ammonia. What this type of bacteria does is it converts ammonia into nitrites which is also very toxic to fish at any level. Once the first colony of bacteria gets big enough to handle the ammonia thats present in your tank your ammonia readings will drop to 0. Then the second stage of the cycle will begin and this is when your nitrites start to rise. Now the colony of bacteria that feed on this multiple at a slower rate then the first kind so this part of the cycle usually takes twice as long as the first. Once this colony gets big enough to handle the nitrites giving to it your nitrites will drop to 0 and is like that for a couple days your cycle is complete. Now what this type of bacteria does is it converts nitrites to nitrates which usually kept under 100ppm is not harmful to fish. This can be lowered by water changes.

So what your gonna have to decide is are you gonna do a fishless cycle or a fishin cycle. Either way we can help you through this but I would strongly suggest a fishless cycle much easier on you and the fish no water changes needed during the cycle. With a fishin cycle you will have to do many water changes even more so in a 5 gallon then a bigger tank. Either way you will have to test your water several times a day and do water changes several times a day just to give your fish a fighting chance to survive. With a fishless cycle you wont have to do this.

Let us know what your gonna do and we can go from there!

Ok, to clear up confusion. My mother got a 29 gallon tank for my nephews, it was over stocked too fast and some other mistakes were made. I moved 2 guppies and 2 mollies to the 5 gallon tank that is mine (The numbers are still where they should be for that tank nearly a week later). The 1 guppy didn't make it, but the 2 mollies and the other guppy are all 3 doing very well in the tank. Had I not moved them to this tank they'da died I'm sure. The guppy was starting to lay in the tops of the plants and the mollies were not acting normal either. I've since gotten ahold of some mature media that I shared with the tank as well. The nitrite level when last tested was at .3 mg/l about an hour ago. The plan all along has been to get the nitrite level down and put these 3 fish back in their home tank, which will be soon.

Sorry for the confusion, but thanks so much for the help and advice.

 

[erk628]

What is the stocking of the 29 gallon?

 

[Assaye]

Ok, to clear up confusion. My mother got a 29 gallon tank for my nephews, it was over stocked too fast and some other mistakes were made. I moved 2 guppies and 2 mollies to the 5 gallon tank that is mine (The numbers are still where they should be for that tank nearly a week later). The 1 guppy didn't make it, but the 2 mollies and the other guppy are all 3 doing very well in the tank. Had I not moved them to this tank they'da died I'm sure. The guppy was starting to lay in the tops of the plants and the mollies were not acting normal either. I've since gotten ahold of some mature media that I shared with the tank as well. The nitrite level when last tested was at .3 mg/l about an hour ago. The plan all along has been to get the nitrite level down and put these 3 fish back in their home tank, which will be soon.

Sorry for the confusion, but thanks so much for the help and advice.

I see!

Righto.

Well, 0.3 mg/l is still too high so unfortunately more water changes are needed. Is that in the 5 gal or the 29 gal?

How is the 29 gallon looking, stock wise?

Glad the levels are stabilising.

 

[xgator313x]

Ok, to clear up confusion. My mother got a 29 gallon tank for my nephews, it was over stocked too fast and some other mistakes were made. I moved 2 guppies and 2 mollies to the 5 gallon tank that is mine (The numbers are still where they should be for that tank nearly a week later). The 1 guppy didn't make it, but the 2 mollies and the other guppy are all 3 doing very well in the tank. Had I not moved them to this tank they'da died I'm sure. The guppy was starting to lay in the tops of the plants and the mollies were not acting normal either. I've since gotten ahold of some mature media that I shared with the tank as well. The nitrite level when last tested was at .3 mg/l about an hour ago. The plan all along has been to get the nitrite level down and put these 3 fish back in their home tank, which will be soon.

Sorry for the confusion, but thanks so much for the help and advice.

I see!

Righto.

Well, 0.3 mg/l is still too high so unfortunately more water changes are needed. Is that in the 5 gal or the 29 gal?

How is the 29 gallon looking, stock wise?

Glad the levels are stabilising.

Stock on the 29 gallon right now is 4 rainbow sharks (They get along great right now, and do not bother the other fish), 3 red eyed tetra, 1 Pristilla Tetra, 1 Bala Shark (he'll be moved to a friend of the family's tank when he gets too big for this one), 2 Guppies, 3 Leopard Danio's and 1 Cory.

As for the levels in the water, the nitrite test came back with an ever so slight hint of orange. So I know I got atleast one more water change, I've done a little over a 50% change each day making sure that temp and ph were right before refilling. It's been a pain, but it's been worth it to watch after each change as these fish get more and more lively and back to normal. :: knocks on wood :: So far only a few fish have died, and the rest are responding well to the water changes.

The tank is starting to take on an earthy dirt smell, which I'm told is good. It's not strong, only when you got your nose relatively close to it.

 

[erk628]

Once rainbow sharks reach adulthood they become very territorial and need a 55 gallon minimum. Also only one should be in a tank because once older they will show aggression with there own kind. The bala as you know needs a bigger tank 6ft plus. Its also a schooling fish and needs to be kept in groups of 3 plus.