Conrad283
New Member
- Joined
- Nov 4, 2012
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So I'll just start by saying that I've done some things incorrectly in setting up my tank and I've realized that in doing a bit more research after the fact.
So, with that out of the way, here's my story
My wife went to Petco and bought a betta for my 4 year old so that he could learn about taking care of an animal. She got a 1 gallon aqueon betta tank.
I've never had a fish, nor taken care of a fish before.
My son named him "bubbles"
Well, I got tired of seeing him in that small tank, so I went to the store and got a tetra 15 gallon starter kit, some gravel, and some plants, etc.
Oh, I also bought 5 pristilla tetra's and 2 black mollies, in addition to the betta that I already had. First mistake
I brought the tank home, washed the gravel, washed the plants. Filled it with water. Used the filter that came with the kit. Acclimated the tetra's and the mollies and dumped them in. 7 fish total. Second mistake.
Dropped the betta in the next day.
Wound up getting peppered cory catfish (3) a few days later. Third mistake.
Then I start reading all about the cycle and whatnot.
Get the API master test kit, and start testing. Ammonia was at 4.0ppm, everything else is fine. Doing daily 25-33% water changes, gravel vacuuming. Using API water treatments as well. I have the ammonia level down to just below 2ppm.
So right now I'm 2+ weeks in, and I have 12 happy fish in a tank that's cycling. I've definitely learned a lot, and I'm already planning my next tank 75g (gonna do that one right though)
Thanks for looking,
Andrew
So, with that out of the way, here's my story
My wife went to Petco and bought a betta for my 4 year old so that he could learn about taking care of an animal. She got a 1 gallon aqueon betta tank.
I've never had a fish, nor taken care of a fish before.
My son named him "bubbles"
Well, I got tired of seeing him in that small tank, so I went to the store and got a tetra 15 gallon starter kit, some gravel, and some plants, etc.
Oh, I also bought 5 pristilla tetra's and 2 black mollies, in addition to the betta that I already had. First mistake
I brought the tank home, washed the gravel, washed the plants. Filled it with water. Used the filter that came with the kit. Acclimated the tetra's and the mollies and dumped them in. 7 fish total. Second mistake.
Dropped the betta in the next day.
Wound up getting peppered cory catfish (3) a few days later. Third mistake.
Then I start reading all about the cycle and whatnot.
Get the API master test kit, and start testing. Ammonia was at 4.0ppm, everything else is fine. Doing daily 25-33% water changes, gravel vacuuming. Using API water treatments as well. I have the ammonia level down to just below 2ppm.
So right now I'm 2+ weeks in, and I have 12 happy fish in a tank that's cycling. I've definitely learned a lot, and I'm already planning my next tank 75g (gonna do that one right though)
Thanks for looking,
Andrew
