New tank - levels of everything are off!

C

cindymairi

Small Fish
#1
Aug 22, 2005
16
0
0
Texas
#1
I started my first tank 3 weeks ago...

10gal tank, no live plants. Added two platys and an apple snail on the 3rd day. Added 2 mollies on the 8th day. On that day I started checking Temp, pH, Alkalinity, Hardness, Nitrites, and Nitrates every other day with strips. Didn't realize there was a separate test I needed for Ammonia until one of the platys died a week ago (my first fishy death really made me feel bad).

So from reading a little here, I guess my tank is cycling - but what I'm not sure of is where to step in with the chemicals and where to change the water...and then when to back off and let it do its thing.

At the end of two weeks I did a 10 water change and just scooped out the water from the top of the tank. My pH spiked to 7.8 and the water was reading very hard and low alkalinity. SO the gal at the pet store told me to add a pH neutralizer (powder) which I added - it seemed to fix the levels but made the tank very cloudy for two days. A day after it cleared up my platy died and I found out that although nitrites and nitrates were at 0 levels that the ammonia was almost off the chart :(

So I added AmQuel Plus two days in a row as suggested buy the fellow at the pet store and I changed the filter. Then I set forth to just watch what the tank was doing...trying not to interfere, but then the other platy apparently was pregnant and now there are 4 babies swimming about in the tank. Since then the nitrites and nitrates have consistently been rising (1ppm/day) and my pH is consistently dropping (0.1 per day). Yesterday I did a 15% water change; using the ciphon hose and it seemed like I stirred more sh* than I cleaned up. BUT I added more AmQuel after the change as well as today and still the Nitrite/Nitrate are increasing and the pH dropping. I don't get it -

What I'm wondering is should I do another 25% water change today and use the hose to clean up as much crap as possible, do I change the filter again?, do I need to add any different chemicals? How long can my fish survive with the nitrite @ 4.0 and nitrate @ 20?

Thanks for your patience in reading all this - I just really want to learn what is going on in there so I can keep my fishies happy & healthy! ;)
 

V

vinodhv

Large Fish
#2
Jul 26, 2005
125
0
0
41
chapel hill, nc
#2
first thing: don't change the filter while cycling. it completely undoes the process (trust me, i listened to the person at petsmart- and am wiser 3 dead fishes later).
second: cycling takes atleast 2 weeks. Dont add any chemicals to a fishless cycle. just do some water changes.
 

Seleya

Seleya

Superstar Fish
#3
Nov 22, 2004
1,384
3
0
59
Cape Cod, MA
Visit site
#3
Do your water changes from the bottom with a vacuum and do them very regularly to keep the parameters within safe levels. Don't change your filter and don't use all those chemicals. Use the Amquel only as directed to neutralize the chlorine/chloramines in the water you're adding during water changes.

Go read the stickies about cycling, it's going to take a while for your tank to stabilise and truly cycle. You'll want to get the reagent (drop style) test kits -- they're way more accurate and cheaper.

Oh, and go find another fish store...... :rolleyes:
 

C

cindymairi

Small Fish
#4
Aug 22, 2005
16
0
0
Texas
#4
Seleya said:
Oh, and go find another fish store...... :rolleyes:
Click to expand...
LOL - I'm definately going to be more careful of who I talk to there!

OK, I'll just do a 25% water change tonight and add the AquaPlus water conditioner to the new water as I have - no other adjustments...and I'll hold my breath 'till tomorrow eve. :eek:
 

f8fan

f8fan

MFT Staff
#5
Nov 19, 2004
1,765
8
38
Bangor, Maine
#5
Yeah, what selyena said...don't change your filter cartridge, that's where all the good bacteria are living and colonizing!
Also, does Amquel "remove" ammonia??? (? Never used it....) If so, ditch it, buy a plain ole dechlorinator, do frequent water changes, and just let your cycle complete....
 

FroggyFox

FroggyFox

Forum Manager
Moderator
#7
May 16, 2003
8,589
10
38
42
Colorado
#7
yeah amquel is one of the ones that takes ammonia out...or rather neutralizes it. Honestly, you might use it until that bottle is gone since you already bought it...but no need for it once your tank cycles. Depending on the test kit (I dont know about strips) the amquel can give you a false positive on the ammonia. The best thing you can do at this point is try to be calm and calculated...dont follow what the pet store people tell you...do your own research...and do as many water changes as you need to during the next month or so while your tank cycles.

Like the others said...never change your filter cartridge. OK yes someday you'll have to...but honestly not anytime in the near future so just tell yourself thats not an option. Maybe after the tank cycles you'll want to rinse it in used tank water that you've taken out...but thats it. I think most people change them a couple times a year. I know I dont change mine except once in a blue moon.

I'm sure you'll run across a lot of stuff reading the boards...but one other thing I wanted to mention is that you should really just leave your pH alone. Stop using whatever it is that you got at the pet store 7.8 is fine. Whatever your tap water levels out at is fine. Your fish will be healthier overall with a stable pH rather than one that is changing all the time because you are trying to get it to the number that someone told you is "perfect" :)

Welcome to the hobby ;)
 

longtyme68

longtyme68

Large Fish
#8
Aug 16, 2005
468
0
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43
I'm currently stationed in Ft Worth, TX
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#8
FroggyFox said:
I'm sure you'll run across a lot of stuff reading the boards...but one other thing I wanted to mention is that you should really just leave your pH alone. Stop using whatever it is that you got at the pet store 7.8 is fine. Whatever your tap water levels out at is fine. Your fish will be healthier overall with a stable pH rather than one that is changing all the time because you are trying to get it to the number that someone told you is "perfect" :)

Welcome to the hobby ;)
Click to expand...
FroggyFox ~ That is something I just learned along with cindymairi. I was unaware about the pH just stabilizing...well besides using the conditioner correctly. Also, didn't think about the fluctuating levels after each water change due to trying to reach the "perfect" pH level. I am glad to read this before buying any of the chemicals that the LPS and LFS sell!
 

FroggyFox

FroggyFox

Forum Manager
Moderator
#9
May 16, 2003
8,589
10
38
42
Colorado
#9
pH is one of those things that some people have a really good grasp on...and others just know the basics. I am definitely in that 2nd group. I did however learn that leaving things alone is usually the best policy. SOME people's tap water is crazy....it comes out of the tap at one pH and then if you let it sit overnight in a bowl it will be a completely different pH in the morning. It would probably be good for every person to test their pH and make sure...just because you put it in your tank at that pH today it might go through a big fluxuation at night before it levels out. Luckily my water doesn't change like that -=whew=- but I think people who's water does that usually either find a new source of water...or they'll age their water overnight before doing water changes.
 

C

cindymairi

Small Fish
#11
Aug 22, 2005
16
0
0
Texas
#11
Thanks everyone....I went ahead with a 20% water change and cleaned the rocks real good. I'll have to stop by the store and get a new testing kit tomorrow I think - all my worrying and I've almost used all my test strips!! LOL

I'll just try and get to know my tap's pH (7.0 right out of the faucet, have to check what some does overnight) and will just hope and pray that the nitrate/nitrite/ammonia stays in check until it levels off.

part of me is wondering why we went with fish instead of a hamster or something - but I sure do love sitting and watching them swim around :) Once I get the hang of it, I'm sure it'll be less stressful.
 

B

bfish

Medium Fish
#13
Jul 23, 2005
84
0
0
51
el cajon california
#13
you went with fish cause they are more interesting and do not smell as bad. I did not read all the replies that close but did anyone mention rinsing your filter? After siphoning your tank let everything settle and go thru your filter try and clean the filter. I have heard you should use the water you took out of the tank but I have often ran cold I repeat cold water from the tap to rinse out filter. hot or warm water is harmful to the biological properties of your filter. Also what kind of filter are your using.i.e. inserts. I abandonded pre-made inserts. I found refillable bags that I fill with ammo-carb.. They have carbon(black media that cleans and purify water) and white media(takes out amonia) really cost effective and very effective in keeping my tank with approx. 30 convicts very clean and clear. do not critic my spelling and good luck!
 

JNevaril

JNevaril

Large Fish
#20
Jul 10, 2005
369
1
0
42
Lincoln, Nebraska
#20
Bfish, it's the filter that comes with the kit you can get at wally world.

My 10gal has this filter, and i hate it!!

When you change the cartrige, because they get to a point where rinsing does no good, you have to throw out the plastic where all of the good bacteria are growing because they re-did their packaging. They used to sell the cartriges in a 4 or 6 pack with 1 plastic thingy and you just slipped a new filter floss bag and used carbon (which, i just toss...)...so you got to keep the cruddy plastic frame with all the bacteria.

Now, they are prepackaged...so, you basically lose all of the bacteria on the filter cartridge each time you change it.

It does the job pretty well, other than that problem...
 

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