Newbie Help - Can't Get Tank Ready For Fish :(

[eaglesaquarium]

You need to have a test kit in your home and test daily when adding new fish. A entire week of zeros and you can cut down on testing and do it during regular maintenance or when you notice a problem.


Having a test kit is required equipment for a fishkeeper, much more important that the cocktail of solutions from the pet store. Its like having a thermometer as a parent. You need it to be aware of potential problems, and unlike a child, your fish have a hard time communicating problems before they become big problems.

 

[jimxms]

i have the equipment as stated above. But fish shop said to wait until weekend anyway. the kit was quite expensive (about 45 pound i think) And im running low on it all already and dont really want to go and have to buy another lot. people been keeping fish for years before they bought out these kits so its all trial and error i guess.

 

[bmonki]

I'm surprised you're running low on tests already after only a few weeks! The API master test Kit is usually recommended on here, I bought my API ammonia tester for example in June, I tested every day during a long fish in cycle and then weekly since it finished... I've still got at least 1/4 of the solutions left! The API Kit is about £20 online and lasts ages.
tbh, the general consensus is fish stores tend to either not understand the cycling process or give bad advice as they know three fish will likely die and need replacing hence more cash for them.
You will now be in a fish in cycle, there's info about that in the beginners resource bit, I'm not gonna lie, it takes a while, and it's hard work, but it's doable. To give you a rough idea, you need to be testing for at least ammonia and nitrite daily, sometimes even twice a day, and changing large amounts of water (way over half) every time either of these levels are over 0.25 ppm. If you do a water change because of a high level, wait an hour, test again, and if necessary do another change till the levels are as close to zero as possible. I lost a fair few fish before I joined this forum and realised where I was going wrong, essentially, the most important things to now are ammonia and nitrite are toxic to fish. They can poison them, and although they may not die straight away if they have been exposed to high levels of either of those they will more than likely have a shortened lifespan and be more prone to disease.
Good luck, and I really would test now and change the water as necessary according to the results. I doubt your kids would like to wake up to sick or dead fish, mine certainly didn't like it! It's also much kinder to the fish, and now you know where you can get a longer paying cheaper test Kit

 

[eaglesaquarium]

i have the equipment as stated above. But fish shop said to wait until weekend anyway. the kit was quite expensive (about 45 pound i think) And im running low on it all already and dont really want to go and have to buy another lot. people been keeping fish for years before they bought out these kits so its all trial and error i guess.

Years ago it was trial and error. Now we understand the nitrogen cycle. Your LFS is giving you terrible advice, honestly. The fish you put in are hardy, but they are still affected by ammonia/nitrite poisoning and can be killed by it. Waiting to test is only good for the fish store, not your fish. Ammonia will build up in an uncycled tank, like you have, and unless you are testing the ammonia and nitrite you won't know how high the levels are. Honestly, unless the levels are at 0, you should do a water change. If the levels are high, like 1ppm, then you should complete as big a water change as possible, and slowly refill the water (temp matched and dechlorinated).


The kit doesn't have to be as expensive. There are ways to stretch the kit, and as explained above, the API kit is much cheaper than the amount you paid. Either way, you need to test your water, in the best interest of the fish. Completing water changes will NOT prolong the cycling process, but instead it will help to prolong the life of your fish and keep them far healthier.

 

[Jenste]

Remember, at the end of the day the employees are trying to make a profit off you. They have convinced you to spend more and more money in their store whether on chemicals, solutions or fish.

If you do not truly understand the purpose of what you are putting into the tank, then don't put it in until you have researched it. Most of the "miracle" solutions are gimmicks and the miracle is simply that they keep convincing new fish keepers to purchase them.


Please, give the links on here a really thorough read through and understand the Nitrogen cycling and the benefits of Fishless cycling and the cons of Fish in cycling which is what you are now doing.