Nitrite measurement question..

[FreshyFresh]

It's all good. 0,0,40. Now If I could get a chance to go to the LFS or *gasp* Petsmart/co... I'll do a WC again before adding any critters.

FWIW, my cycling 29gal came right back to life when I did a 50-60% WC on it yesterday. Once I got the nitrites down, it started making nitrates again. Weird.

Just say no to ammonia kids! KIDDING.

Joel

 

[FreshyFresh]

I saved a red/black beauty of a dragon scale, crown tail betta from the dreadful blue-water cup last night. As much as I think Petsmart is OK, man was it horrible in the fish section at ~7pm on a Saturday night. Too many people. I'll never do that time-slot again!.

The cashier asked me if I had ever owned a Betta before. The fish-dippers back @ the tanks were way too busy to do more than scoop and bag. I told her I did years ago and this one was going home to his own planted 10gal. That pretty much ended that conversation.

He's got a planted 10gal all to himself aside from 6 ghost shrimp and a black mystery snail. No issues with the flow-rate from the HOB filter either He loves it. One of the shrimp was DOA, but when I looked on my receipt, they only charged me for one $0.36 shrimp anyway. Cha-CHING!! I picked up another anubias nana as well, which was sweet, because it was two nicely established plants in one tube. I'll see how it goes!

Joel

 

[OrangeCones]

Neeeeed pictures!

 

[FreshyFresh]

Not the best photos, but here's the happiest Petsmart Beta ever.. and being the maniac addict that I am, I visited the LFS today and picked up a school of 5 blood fin tetras. They're like 6 peas in a pod at this point, but the tetras might be a bit much for the 10 and need to get relocated to the 29 once it's ready.

Joel

 

[Thyra]

Your tank looks very nice! You did a good job. If you do decided to move the tetras out, some neons or cardinals would like nice with you red betta.

 

[FreshyFresh]

Thanks Thyra!

Yes, I would have preferred cardinals or maybe some type of tiny rasboras, but my LFS was pretty cleaned out today aside from bigger fish, cichlids, live-bearers, etc.. 'Course I couldn't leave empty handed so I picked up the blood-fins for $1.30/ea. There was a betta in the blood-fin tank, which kind of clued me in they would be OK with them. That's how he keeps his male bettas. One per tank with fish that are compatible. Instead of the dreaded cups.

At one point the owner was handing my 7yr/old Son a Ball Python to hold. I don't mind snakes, but YIKES!

 

[Thyra]

It is good your son is not afraid of snakes, but make sure (without scaring him) he learns some of the things he needs to be cautious of. I was (and still am to some extent) afraid, but I did manage to raise four kids that are not. The problem was when they would bring them home as pets - and not tell me! We had a few exciting moments back then!

Yes, I like bettas in my community tanks.

 

[FreshyFresh]

LOL! My mother was always tolerant to us bringing critters home when we were kids. My wife? Not so much! Not by a long shot. She was brought up to be afraid of snakes. Luckily poisonous ones are basically non-existent where we live.

 

[FishDad]

Tank looks awsome. So whats the next one gonna be?

 

[FreshyFresh]

For the 29gal? I don't really have any plan set in stone. So much appeals to me. Given the tank size, configuration and what I've got in it, it's going to be another community tank of some sort.

I kind of got the cart in front of the donkey and decked it out with decor, etc.. before knowing exactly what I wanted to put in it. Bad beginners move!

I think I'm set on having a pearl gourami as a focal fish, given they can get somewhat large. Maybe corys for the bottom and a good size school of something small.

I had the filter sponge from the 29gal soaking in the 10 to seed it. Unbeknownst to me, my boys plucked it out of the 10gal this morning thinking it was something that fell in. *thumbsdow*crazysmil It was dry as a bone when I got home from work tonight at 6pm. Ugh..

Joel

 

[FishDad]

For what its worth I have rams and angelfish in my son's 30 gal. The angels are nice but its the rams that make the tank.

 

[lauraf]

Rams are lovely. Give them a cave or some dense plants to hide out in...they'll feel more comfortable. Angels are okay in a 29g, but will eventually need to be rehomed as they grow quite large. I like the idea of a pearl gourami with cories and tetras... you could do that plus a couple rams, actually.

 

[FreshyFresh]

Great suggestions. Thanks.

If I could only get some normal readings on this 29gal. After over a month, I'm at 0ppm ammonia, off the charts nitrites and 5-10ppm nitrates. I got the nitrates to go high once, about 6-8hrs after a big water change, but the next day it was back at 0,5,~5 again. I've done 2-3 40-50% water changes since in an attempt to get nitrites down to a readable level, but no go. Because of this, I haven't added any ammonia.

I don't see the point of continuing to add ammonia if nitrites remain off the charts. I know with my 10gal, this completely stalled the cycle.

BTW, the 10gal is handling it's 6 fish, 4 shrimp and a snail pee/poop load BEAUTIFULLY. After 3+ days, it was 0,0,20+ so I just did a PWC.

Joel