Please Help. (New Tank)

24 posts • Page 1 of 3

Discuss all topics related to freshwater and planted tanks.


goldenrod
 
Posts: 9
Joined: Tue Jan 18, 2011 9:14 am

Please Help. (New Tank)

by goldenrod

Hi everyone. I've been reading posts on this forum for a few hours now and I feel terrible about m current predicament so I think it's a good time to just ask for help. I went to a few different places to ask about setting up a freshwater tank and everything and never got a full explanation on cycling the tank (which I just got done reading here). I should have probably looked on the Internet first but anyway, here's the problem.

I setup the tank and let it sgo for a few days (treated the water ran the filter) and I talked to the guy at the pet store and he thought it would be fine to just add fish to the tank as it was. I added 3 tetras and 1 pleco(that's very small I might add) and everything was going great for a few days but now the water is fairly cloudy. I reada bunch of threads about water cycling and treating and water testing and I just wanted to get some direct advice on how to keep these fish alive. I'll feel terrible if the go belly up so any suggestions are welcome. Thanks in advance. (it's a 10 gallon tank by the way)


lilcrum98
 
Posts: 70
Joined: Tue Sep 28, 2010 6:07 pm

by lilcrum98

well your pet store always wants u to get this get that the dont care about the fish they care about the money and if u do not have any alge then u didnt need a pleco and did u put any start wright wich will help tsp water be safe for fish and u can buy this at wal-mart and any pet store


Alasse
 
Posts: 993
Joined: Sun May 09, 2010 5:35 am
Location: QLD Australia

by Alasse

Cloudy water is caused by a bacteria bloom and happens to all new tanks (and some older ones too), it will settle.

Do not add anymore fish until the tank settles. If you can go and buy a test kit. API Master (liquid) kit is the best one, that will help you immensely in knowing what action to take to help them through. Also it will tell you when your tank is cycled and you can slowly start adding more fish.

Until you get a test kit though, do small daily waterchanges to keep excess ammonia under check

The pleco reqires there to be some real wood in the tank also, they need to be able to gnaw it as it aids them with digestion.


goldenrod
 
Posts: 9
Joined: Tue Jan 18, 2011 9:14 am

by goldenrod

I did condition the tap water ahead of time but i wasnt sure if i was supposed to get awuarium salt also? It said for new freshwater tanks but i wasnt sure. Alright. So as soon as I read the posts I got a full liquid test kit. The only thing I've tested so far is the ammonia and I got a reading of 1 ppm (2 times) and from what I've been reading this is a fairly normal amount during the cycle? I have water sitting at room temperature for a water change. How much should I change at once and how often? Maybe a gallon every few days? Thanks for the help I'm happy that my fish seem to be doing fine and the water is already looking a little better.


lilcrum98
 
Posts: 70
Joined: Tue Sep 28, 2010 6:07 pm

by lilcrum98

yes u should get aquariam salt because if your fish is hurt is will help them like a cut u put a bandaid on it lol but dont add any more fish untill the water settles and when it is time for more fish dont get any more than 3 at a time because if u get a hole lot of of fish at a time your ph gets high then all the fish die


goldenrod
 
Posts: 9
Joined: Tue Jan 18, 2011 9:14 am

by goldenrod

So I should be ok with a few water changes now right? Oh and i need a piece of driftwood for my pleco? Do all plecos need the driftwood for digestion and all that?


lilcrum98
 
Posts: 70
Joined: Tue Sep 28, 2010 6:07 pm

by lilcrum98

well idk i had 2 precos and they died and i didnt have any wood in itbut u should ask a person that u trust at the pet store but it wouldnt hurt to add one but i change my water every month but if it really needs it i will do it it is all about the fish lol:)


yasherkoach
 
Posts: 1306
Joined: Sat Jul 26, 2008 1:24 pm

by yasherkoach

1 ppm at this time is a healthy sign that the tank is cycling properly

water change about 25% per week...sometimes more depending on the chemical tests

just follow Alasse's advice, she knows best

malaysian wood will do the trick

let us know when your nitrite level starts to go up...cycling completes itself usually within 4-6 weeks


goldenrod
 
Posts: 9
Joined: Tue Jan 18, 2011 9:14 am

by goldenrod

Should I get anything else as far as chemicals to add to the tank when the nitrite goes up or should I be good with the water changes. You don't even know how amazingly helpful all o you are.


tekneb
 
Posts: 211
Joined: Fri Apr 16, 2010 3:45 am

by tekneb

Don't add any chemicals other then water conditioner with your water changes. Nitrite will go down by itself once the second stage of bacterial growth begins. Does your tank have any algae in it? Plecos feed almost exclusively on algae so if your tank doesn't have any yet I would recommend buying some algae wafers for him :). All pleco's need driftwood, but you don't need that big a peice. I have a 1x6" piece in there for my little guy and that has sufficed. What kind of pleco is it? Cuz some of them get to big to keep in a little 10 gallon.

Please Help. (New Tank)

24 posts • Page 1 of 3

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