CYCLING 10 GALLON TANK, QUICK QUESTION....

[tttnjfttt]

Looking at your readings, I am very concerned about both of your nitrIte readings. Nitrite is very toxic to fish and should always be at zero. You need to begin daily partial water changes until that level is back at zero. Basically fish produce ammonia (toxic as well), which is turned into nitrIte by beneficial bacteria. NitrIte is turned into nitrAte by another set of bacteria.

The 25 gallon tank looks like it is just a mini-cycle because of your nitrAtes (this is GOOD) and somehting has killed off some of the beneficial bacteria. Have you added any fish lately? Have you cleaned our filter out in tap water or cleaned it very "throughly"? I'm guessing this should be back to zero within a week.

the 20 gal has very high nitrItes. Depending on the fish you have (I can't think of them off the top of my head), adding salt can help with the nitrIte.

Do you have a test for ammonia? If not, looking at the results you gave, I'm guessing you have a test kit that tests several tets on one dip strip? If so, those aren't very accurate, and it is best to get a liquid based one. You can find a good one for fairly cheap on Big Al's Online. I've found some chain LPS will match prices, if you print out everything.

Finally to the pH thing. Honeslty, I don't think your pH is too high. Most fish will adjust to your local water. My water comes out of the tap at 9+, but settles to around 8 after a few days. Be aware of your fish and spend alot time adapting them to your water. If you are determined to lower your pH, you can add some peat to your filter or bogwood to your tank. There is a pinned article in the tropical chat setion that explains alot about pH, KH (aka alkanity), and GH.

 

[aquatic-Bizkut]

yeah thanks for your help i really apreciate it, i do have some aquarium salt and i will use that, i think its just i have quite a bit of fish in my 20 gal, havnt cleaned it for a while and the water is 10% low (missing 10% due to evaperation and getting frogs)

so i will add more water, clean it today, and add some salt, all fish seam fine, but i noticed i am missing my 4 neon tetras..... and i noticed i have quite a big blue guarmi...(3 inches big) so i think he ate them, becuase i cant find them anywhere.......???

thanks for your help i do have the dipstripes i use what we use at work.... but i am looking for a kit that has everything but the PH as i have a seperate test kit for PH

 

[tttnjfttt]

It is quite possible that the neons got eaten. I would do the water changes evne though the fish don't look stressed out. Don't add any more fish or frogs until this cycle has had a chance to work its slef out.

an a FYI, I have never seen a master test kit without the pH.

 

[aquatic-Bizkut]

yeah i found one at big als and i will price match it at the store i work at.... (for the test kit)

as of my tanks i used my python (that thing rocks) and i cleaned it out well, filled them back up, lookin great, and i found some lights for my 10 gal hood......(finally!!!!!!!).... so i will test out the tanks tomorow before i get my frog and newt.....

and of course let you know

 

[aquatic-Bizkut]

well i have no clue what wattage i have, and what WPG i have, it would be good to know before i buy more plants and so on....

but another problem has occured.... this is like my daily journal

my ratings in tanks as follows

20 gallon

Nitrate -30
Nitrite -3.0
Hardness -100
Alkalinity -230 - 250
PH -8.0

25 gallon

Nitrate -20
Nitrite -.5
Hardness -75
Alkalinity -275
PH -7.8

i put salt in both tanks and the fish seem to be doing fine, i took the test about 20 minutes after i gave them food.... and i cleaned out the tanks yesterday, i also havnt added any fish for over a week now..... i plan on getting a ADF and a newt to add to my 20 gall. but those readings are bad, please tell me what i can put in, or what i should do??

and what WPG do you think i have (2 20 watt bulbs (40 watt total) and 6500 K ) ???

 

[tttnjfttt]

As long as you have a nitrIte or ammonia reading (I realize you don't have an ammonia test kit yet), you need to do partial daily water changes to help control the nitrIte and/or ammonia levels. Don't change more than 25%, as that will be stressful for the fish. Don't add any more fish or frogs or anything else until you get the ntirIte back down to zero (I'd say wait a week after so the bacteria have a chance to stabilize a little).

If you are looking at WPG for the 20 gal, you have 2 WPG (40 watts/20 gallons =2 WPG)

 

[aquatic-Bizkut]

thanks for your help, now i have a real frewshwater liquid test kit, although it took me about a hour to test just two of my tanks, but well the readings were umm.. well not good

20 gal
ph-8.0
nitrite- 5.0
nitrate- 6.0
amonia- about .85

25 gal
ph- 8.0
nitrate- 1.0
nitrite- 0.25
amonia-0.25

as i added a new fish in my 25 gallon..... it is doing pretty good im just worried about my 20 gallon..... i will do some water changes and frequent too...... anything else i should add, and how much salt should i add, and how frequent?

 

[tttnjfttt]

My advice is still the same as the last time I posted...

As long as you have a nitrIte or ammonia reading (I realize you don't have an ammonia test kit yet), you need to do partial daily water changes to help control the nitrIte and/or ammonia levels. Don't change more than 25%, as that will be stressful for the fish. Don't add any more fish or frogs or anything else until you get the ntirIte back down to zero (I'd say wait a week after so the bacteria have a chance to stabilize a little).

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Also, I can't seem to find the list of fish that you have in this tank, could you please post them? I'm not gonna say anything about salt until I know what fish this is for.

 

[aquatic-Bizkut]

alright well i just barely had 2 fish die with internal parasites.... should i go buy some parasite tabs at the LFS ??? will that help, i performed a emergency water change, and took out some of my plants and they are boiling but i lost my guarmi and my female guppy...... they both would be kind of calm, then jut out very fast, jumping out of the water hitting the hood and just going crazy really fast, then they would lie on their side on the bottom of the tank looking dead, so i put them out of their misery.... :cry: :cry:

what should i do now??

and for the list

20 gal
-1 red dwarf guarmi (his brother died this morning)
-1 male guppy (his girlyfriend died this morning)
-2 orange plattys
-2 black skirted tetras
-1 rasboras

 

[tttnjfttt]

First of all, what were the symptoms that made you think it was internal parasites?

Right now, you need to get the ammonia and nitrite controlled in the tank. Do 25% water changes every 3 hours until both the ammonia and nitrIte are .5 or less. After this, do atleast one water change daily, keeping the levels at or below .5. Do this daily until the ammonia and nitrite are zero.

In the 25 gallon tank, remove the snail and you can add 1 tbsp of aquarium salt per every 5 gallons, so 5 table spoons of salt. Make sure you disolve the salt before hand, and add it slowly to not stress out your fish. After every water change, replace the salt for the amount you water you changed. So if you changed 5 gallons, add anohter teaspoon.

 

[aquatic-Bizkut]

gotcha...... well kinda, i will do about 2-3 water changes daily, hopefully i work every day, so its kinda hard, the other fish seem to do ok, but one of my platty is getting the shakes like the others had....

the fish that died, were calm and stayed at the bottom and didnt come up, even for food, then they violently and very very fastly flew and speeded around the tank running into the sides of tanks, ornaments, and even jumping out of the water, then they would fall to their sides on the bottom of the tank and seem like they are dead, but when i scoop them up they shutter..... so i try to put them out of their misery......

should i buy some parasite tablets that dissolve in the tank???

 

[tttnjfttt]

What are the water stats looking like after having done the water changes? the behavior you are noticing can also be from stress.

EDIT: Take a flashlight and shine it on the fish. Does it look like they are covered in a gold dust? Any scratching on objects in the tank?

 

[aquatic-Bizkut]

hmmmm wow let me check....the fish all reflect like glitter

in my 25 gallon my tiger barbs seem to have a golden dust....... why does that matter? havnt noticed any scratches, but my driftwood (fake kinda) moves, it doesnt like to stay down, so it kind of turns and floats...


what can i use to weigh it down, i have a bolt attacht to my air tube to keep that down, im kinda worried about rust, but not sure what i should do.... any recomendations?

 

[jollysue]

Good Thread,. Lots of info. Big bag of tricks.

 

[WILDER]

If the barbs have a gold dusting to them they have velvet desease, do you use the same net for all your tanks and do you sterlise them, also can you tell me why you knew they had internal parasites.