I'm a newbie and need info

[Big Vine]

The main thing is that Michele is off to a very good start, which is more than most people who own aquariums can say for themselves.

I did not detect a condescending tone from JWright in this thread, so perhaps you must be referring to something else.

As a matter of fact, JWright has often been quite helpful...
For that matter, so have you, MissFishy---at least up until now.

Big Vine

 

[Grumpy_Marine]

enough enough enough lets all get along here it is holiday season and new year approaching. 2006 worries are fading rapidly look forward to 2007. We all have our approaches to fish tanks, some may have benefits but they all suit our needs and likes. He chose the route he did now lets be supportive and help out with questions for him as they arrise.

 

[Big Vine]

We all have our approaches to fish tanks, some may have benefits but they all suit our needs and likes...now lets be supportive and help out with questions for him as they arrise.

Agreed.
Forgive me if my comments seemed a little abrupt, MissFishy. I guess I just thought Michele and JWright deserved a little more leeway, so I got a little...

Best thing is to just move on and all get along, as Grumpy_Marine said. *celebrate

Big Vine

 

[GIS Guy]

I wouldn't worry too much about those guppies.
But you will want to purchase test kits for Ammonia, NitrIte & NitrAte if you haven't already done so.
While the tank is cycling, test the water and make the necessary water adjustments.

 

[usacutie81]

Yup. What's done is done, none of us can change it now, but we can still try to help. Mccarthyitis, definitly get a master test kit. With a tank that small you'll get ammonia, nitrites, and nitrAtes pretty quickly and you'll need to keep up with them. Plus, it seems like you are already looking forward to your next tank so that test kit will come in handy, anyway.

Keep up with the water changes so your pretty guppies survive through the cycle, and post some pics for us!

 

[azfishgal]

Welcome to the forum!!!*BOUNCINGS I love my Eclipse tank and I'm sure you will too. You have to treat this forum like a buffe, take what you can use and leave the rest. As far as having guppies, it's very easy to find yourself with muliple tanks like I did. I started with three guppies and 4 tanks later, I had a house full of guppies. I've since given my guppies to the local fish store and am down to one tank, but am in the process of starting a 125 gallon marine tank, entirely different world, but I'm looking forward to the challenge. I'm doing lots of research and reading before I even add water. Anyway, welcome and post pics of your new babes as soon as you are able.

 

[MissFishy]

I was responding to other experiences with J.

I just don't get why people come on here asking for advice, then don't heed a word of it. I'm not going to tell him it's ok, because I don't think it's right to run out and buy a bunch of pets that you don't know how to properly care for, and in this case, that lack of knowledge can mean a slow and painful death for those pets.

As for what to do at this point, I highly suggest you read up on cycling a tank. The prospect of all that ammonia, nitrites, nitrates sounds daunting at first, but I promise it is actually very simple. Please please do water changes every other day, making sure to dechlorinate your water each time. The water changes will increase your fishes chance at survival by diluting the bad stuff in the water. Even better, run out and buy some biospira or find someone with a cycled tank and add some stuff from their tank to yours. That will create an instant cycle.

 

[usacutie81]

Biospira wouldn't work now that there are fish in the tank. Don't you have to have absolutely 0 ammonia in order to use Biospira?

 

[jumpfreak26]

I was responding to other experiences with J.

I just don't get why people come on here asking for advice, then don't heed a word of it. I'm not going to tell him it's ok, because I don't think it's right to run out and buy a bunch of pets that you don't know how to properly care for, and in this case, that lack of knowledge can mean a slow and painful death for those pets.

As for what to do at this point, I highly suggest you read up on cycling a tank. The prospect of all that ammonia, nitrites, nitrates sounds daunting at first, but I promise it is actually very simple. Please please do water changes every other day, making sure to dechlorinate your water each time. The water changes will increase your fishes chance at survival by diluting the bad stuff in the water. Even better, run out and buy some biospira or find someone with a cycled tank and add some stuff from their tank to yours. That will create an instant cycle.

Well missfishy, were you one of those perfect newbies that got everything right on the first time? Doubt it, none of us were. So please give the newbie a break, theres nothing like coming into a new hobby and getin railed for doing one thing wrong. when i started out, i had the same setup, and i had 5 neons and a CAE, the neons died a month later due to heater malfunction. So this isnt that bad. How are you suposed to cycle without ammonia? sure you could use the bottled stuff, but that is hard for a newb to moniter. So please, be nice.

Mccarty(sp?);Your choice wasnt the best, but not the worst, closer to the best tho, as long as you dont add anymore fish for a while, say 3-4 weeks, you should be fine,a s long as you do 2X week 50% water changes, unless you have a test kit, which i doubt, cuz your new. What all do you have for supllies on this tank? List everything you bought at the petstore.

 

[MissFishy]

If the fish have just been added, the ammonia levels should still be low enough to add the bio-spira, of course by now, the levels are probably too high.

Jump - No, I don't know many perfect newbies. I've been keeping fish tanks since I was very little, and of course then I had no clue about how to properly keep fish, but when I got back into the hobby, I did do my research and reading, although of course I made mistakes. This person had the chance to do things right, and even came on here to ask advice, but then didn't listen to a word of it. It's disappointing. As far as fish treatment goes, I don't think it's right to just "expect some losses" when starting a new fish tank. There's no reason to kill off fish when the information to properly keep them is right at your fingertips.

 

[Big Vine]

This person had the chance to do things right, and even came on here to ask advice, but then didn't listen to a word of it...There's no reason to kill off fish when the information to properly keep them is right at your fingertips.

In my experience, the best lessons learned are often those learned the hard way. Some stubborn people (and I'm referring more to myself than anyone else here...well...my 'former' self, really---I'm much more patient now, in my old age ) need to screw up royally on their own to discover that the advice that all of these so-called 'experts' have been giving them should have been followed from the start.

Big Vine

 

[mccarthyitis]

guppies

I acquired a 5 gal. tank (as a newbie) and got 2 guppies (males) and went thru the required procedure to acclimate them to the water and tank. That was about 6 weeks ago. I got 2 new guppies (males) 4 days ago and one of them died. I then went out to the same store (Petco) and acquired 2 more male guppies. Well, this morning one of the newer guppies died this morning. Not sure why my newer guppies are dying as my first bought guppies (6 wks. ago) are doing great. As I said i have a 5 gal. tank and know I can't have but 4-5 fish per 1inch in my tank. I'm wondering if the new fish were sick when I bought them or are they r not adjusting to the water in my tank?
thanks for any help!
Michele*PEACE!*

 

[Fuzz16]

was your 5g cycled?
overcrowded maybe....
and no dont listen to the one-inch rule.
2 male guppies is fine for you being a beginner, wait until you get a bigger tank and learn about the fish some.
probably died from stress or ammonia poisening.
did you ever check your parameters? do you use anything to dechlorinate your water before putting it in the tank?
are you doing water changes?

 

[lauraj]

I agree that your biowheel must not be in position correctly, or maybe a defect is the problem. The wheel should spin pretty consistently and stay put. If not, i would return it and maybe even go with a larger tank. I started with a 6 gallon Eclipse and all i do is wish I went larger!

 

[lauraj]

OMG, I'm so sorry.....it's getting late and I'm just delirious I guess. I didn't notice that this thread had 3 pages and here I am responding to page one issure. I'm such a "newbie"!! Goin to bed now!

 

[Fuzz16]

OMG, I'm so sorry.....it's getting late and I'm just delirious I guess. I didn't notice that this thread had 3 pages and here I am responding to page one issure. I'm such a "newbie"!! Goin to bed now!

LOL...i think its the noobs that keep us sane. who would want to hear about the same thing everyday. a little fish drama is fun!