Water Test Questions??

[djbids]

I was afraid to hear what you all had said to me on this post and am very relieved.....I will continue with water changes and will look for the biospira. Since my tank has been set up for 5 weeks today, with fish 4 weeks, do i need to do the change on part of my filter. I have the aqua-clear power filter 50 with bio max. You know how it says once a month to change part of it. Either the carbon or the biomax insert. Should I leave it alone? I do have a filter insert in all the stuff I bought that is ammonia remover. Opinons please>>i will also consider the other suggestions and I really appreciate them. Thank you.

 

[djbids]

Helpful Web Site

This is a great article on what to expect and what to do when cycling with fish: Aquamaniacs :: View article - Cycling Safely - by Clint Tisher

It seems like your cycle will take longer than average.

Thanks for the site. I did see this and it was helpful. Keep in mind I had no ammonia for more than 4 weeks because of the size of my tank. The website says after day 3 and 5 ammonia rises. Mine didn't rise for a very long time. My tank is 36G and only 8 tiny fish. It took alot of pee to pollute my tank, and food i guess. Now I have more than I want....I guess the swimming in a toilet comment from someone on this site was actually accurate.*laughingc

 

[khisanthax]

I wouldn't change the biomax,because that's supposed to hold your beneficial bacteria, you need that. i would change the activated carbon if anything. if you want to clean out the other inserts, rinse in tank water. Other than that you should leave it alone until it cycles. i know i didn't because I panicked and I fudged things up quite a bit.

 

[Lotus]

Your tank is still cycling, even if you're not seeing any ammonia or nitrite spikes. Actually, it's probably much better for the fish that it's a "gentle" cycle. Sure, it will take longer, but it will be fine in the long term.

 

[pwrmacG4]

I wasn't trying to start something.. it just seemed to come across as.. its none of your business why you are cycling with fish.. as arrogant. we here are only trying to give advice based on personal experience. for the people who haven't cycled a tank with fish.. they can only speak of what they have read or heard. I personally did my tank the hard way... I cycled it with fish (overstocked at that) and was ?ed as to why I did that.. I simply told them that I didn't know any better. That is why I am here.. to learn and share experiences. Most people here found this place after making a purchase and getting started. You will do fine with that tank. just keep up with the water changes.

 

[trailmule]

pwrmacG4, my comment was not directed towards you in any sense... I was offering my explanation as to why djbids made the comment about none of our business...

I apologize if I offended you.

 

[djbids]

This is such a nice family of people on this website....I was not offended. I am learning alot and I did find this site after much frustration with books and other internet sources. I come here most nights and look for answers to my questions and if I get desperate I will ask. Its a cool site. This is my first real hobby since my kids are gone. They have been gone 3 years. I am an ebay junkie. I have been selling for 7 years hence the name djbids. I spend most of my time riding the central coast where I live, on the back of a motorcycle (i'm the irresponsible one) so my daughter bought me a 36 Gallon tank for my birthday and I have never had a fish my whole life. We had dogs, cats, lambs, hogs, horses, pot belly pigs, nubian goats, pygmy goats, hamsters, snakes, mice, birds, ferret, rabbits and a bearded dragon. I took care of all these animals and I can't even take care of 8 teeny tiny fish aaaaahhhhh!
I KNOW ITS A LEARNING EXPERIENCE...

 

[emmanuelchavez]

Just one quick note about the BioSpira. It's meant to be added to new water, without the ammonia, etc... Not sure how if it'll do it's job the way it's supposed to with ammonia already in the tank. I don't see why it wouldn't work that way though, since the bacteria needs ammonia to survive.





ok, dang! I was planning on taking a long lunch at work tomorrow to go see if I could find some BioSpira.... but I'm afraid that if I get it.... and leave it in the fridge at work... it'll disappear..... good thing i thought about this right now instead of while i was caught in traffic on the freeway on the way to the LFS.

 

[HAAA]

i have cycled with fish but i put them in with the water they came

 

[TabMorte]

i have cycled with fish but i put them in with the water they came

Putting them in the water they came in won't' help you cycle the tank. Water contains the waste produced by the benificial bacteria. Not the benificals themselves. Infact in the future you'll want to be very careful not to let any of the the water from the fish store get into your tank least it contaminate your water with ick or something.

 

[emmanuelchavez]

i have cycled with fish but i put them in with the water they came

Putting them in with the water they came in is supposed to be a big no-no. I've never done that, so I couldn't tell you what the outcome could be, other than passing on diseases that could be present in the water. I'll let someone with experience in that tell you of what it could do...

 

[djbids]

emmanuelchavez. wow you have alot of tanks. do you have time for anything else? And I like the names Bonnie & Clyde. I named my pleco Frank, but he died. He was my first kill. And I hope my last. I still feel bad.

 

[TabMorte]

emmanuelchavez. wow you have alot of tanks. do you have time for anything else? And I like the names Bonnie & Clyde. I named my pleco Frank, but he died. He was my first kill. And I hope my last. I still feel bad.

Plecos are often really sensitive to ammonia and water changes when they're small, not that they tell you that at the fish stores. Unfortunitely we all learn at least some of our lessons that way though. Eventually everyone loses fish.

 

[emmanuelchavez]

emmanuelchavez. wow you have alot of tanks. do you have time for anything else? And I like the names Bonnie & Clyde. I named my pleco Frank, but he died. He was my first kill. And I hope my last. I still feel bad.

Lol. Fortunately, they're small enough that they dont' take up much time. Plus 1 of them is cycling right now (fishless, so no water changes ), and I'm waiting to get some BioSpira for the other. One of them is a future tank. How I still make time for them, and school and work... I dont' know... well, I do... and it involved skipping calculus class... so now I have to drop. : /

It took me about a week to come up with the names. I was thinking something like Homer and Marge... but when I looked at my Bettas, they looked like the kind of fish that would would rob "fish banks" lol. Plus, I have them in bowls side by side (for a while, till I can get them into their bigger tanks). The day after I put Bonnie next to him, he started making a bubble nest. Unfortunately for him, he will not get to go near her, as I am not equipped to handle any more fry!

I've had 3 fish (all guppies) die on me in the past month or so. But I started with about 6, and now I have more than I could've wanted. lol. This is quite an addicting hobby... It all re-started with my 1 gallon tank, and a couple of guppies...

 

[djbids]

The day after I put Bonnie next to him, he started making a bubble nest. Unfortunately for him, he will not get to go near her, as I am not equipped to handle any more fry!

I've had 3 fish (all guppies) die on me in the past month or so. But I started with about 6, and now I have more than I could've wanted. lol. This is quite an addicting hobby... It all re-started with my 1 gallon tank, and a couple of guppies...

I thought you could not put bettas together as they will kill each other. My sister had two in bowls side by side and they tried to fight through the bowls. They couldn't stand the site of one another..haha..

 

[djbids]

Plecos are often really sensitive to ammonia and water changes when they're small, not that they tell you that at the fish stores. Unfortunitely we all learn at least some of our lessons that way though. Eventually everyone loses fish.

I think when I readd a new pleco it will be my last fish I add. I want one that is around $34. The one that died was $4.99. I know the fun will come one day! Still no nitrites............i feed my fish twice a day. they eat the freeze dried daphnia, blood worms and shrimp. they won't eat anything else. should i really only feed them once a day or every other day while I am cycling?
they are always hunting the floor of the aquarium for food and I know they eat enough....what do you think?

 

[emmanuelchavez]

I thought you could not put bettas together as they will kill each other. My sister had two in bowls side by side and they tried to fight through the bowls. They couldn't stand the site of one another..haha..

Well, there's about 6 inches between them. Neither of them seem aggressive though, hopefully they'll stay that way. 2 male bettas certainly would constantly attack each other.

 

[djbids]

Yipee....I finally have nitrites....after 6 weeks. Wow....gotta read whats next in cycling. I know they spike, ammonia should start to go down...this is a real chore. I keep thinking some day I can add more fish when I'm old and gray.