Did I Do Something Wrong?

[Leeore]

Hello all,


il start off by telling you about my tank. It is a 10 gallon, no real plants...just fake. 2 lights under the hood, sits at 77F with the heater, and I have a Tetra Whisper PF10 filter.


Heres my story:

I bought this tank about...2 weeks ago. I started off with just a Betta fish in it. Then a few days later...I added a little Black Neon Tetra. The Betta and the Tetra did not get along as well as id hoped, so I gave the Tetra to a friend and brought in an Assorted Platy.

Once again...my Betta did not like sharing his new home, so I bought a small 1 gallon Betta tank and put him in there. A few days later I noticed a smell coming from the tank with the Platy in it. I do a 15% water change 2 times a week. Yesterday, I put in a...black Molly? Thats what I was told he was...but he dosnt look like the pictures I googled. And another type of Molly. Here are the best pictures I could get of them...my cellphone isnt the greatest

The water is clear, and the fish dont seem bothered by anything. I make sure to get all the food left in the graval, and I use Aqua Plus water conditioner. I cant give you ammonia readings or anything yet, because I still need to buy a tester (Will be doing that in a few days on payday). And all the stores around me dont do testings...at all. What could be causing the smell? It smells like...something died..I cant really explain it lol. Like I said, it started around the time of the Platy. Could 1 fish really cause a spike in ammonia?


EDIT: I turn my lights off at night, and turn them on in the morning.

Thank you

 

[sjolliff]

this was taken from the beginners section, from rabbut









Fish in cycling, a beginner’s guide.

This is the process of cycling a tank using fish. Most people on the forum advise against this, but since so many of us fall into the trap of purchasing fish a few days after setting up the tank on their LFS’s advise, I thought I would write this guide. If you have not yet added any fish, I would strongly advise you to look at this thread, here to fishless cycle your tank. This is far more humane for you fish.

What is cycling?

This is the process of building up a colony of filter bacteria, to break down your fishes waste. Your filter will not function correctly until the cycle has finished, and unless care is taken, your fish may get poisoned to death as a result sad1.gif It is important to maintain this colony of bacteria at all times, as your fishes health depends upon a correctly working filter. Please read-up on filter media, here and also general maintenance, here
In a cycled tank, ammonia from fish waste is broken down into nitrite, by one set of bacteria. Another type of bacteria then breaks down nitrite into nitrate, the usual bi-product of your filters.

The term “Cycling” came about, as this is the process of establishing the nitrogen cycle in your aquarium. Fish produce waste. Some in the form of ammonia and other waste in other forms, which are converted to ammonia. There is one set of bacteria that break ammonia down into nitrite. Then another set of bacteria break this down into nitrate. In nature another set of bacteria would break nitrate down into nitrogen gas, and oxygen. This does not occur in the aquarium, as filters are designed to stop this. This is because the by-product of the nitrate breakdown phase is Hydrogen Sulphide, which is also toxic. This is why a tank only contains bacteria to break down ammonia and nitrite. good.gif

How to cycle with fish in your tank

As above, we are trying to build up a colony of bacteria, to remove your fish’s waste. To do this with fish in the tank, however, we will be exposing them to poisons, mainly ammonia and nitrite (note spelling), which will eventually be converted into nitrate, the by-product of your filter. It is important for your fish’s health, that the ammonia and nitrite levels remain low. These two chemicals are dangerous long-term at any level detectable, but start showing short-term damage above 0.25mg/l, or 0.25ppm. Invest in a test kit, to monitor these readings. Nitrate is also toxic in large amounts. 50ppm should be the highest you allow nitrate to go, but fish will adapt to values up to 100ppm. Liquid drop tests are the most accurate, and dip strips are notoriously inaccurate. I use the Tetra range of test kits, but many on here recommend API. An API master kit will cost around £25, and Tetra are more expensive. API is not available to me however, and this is why I use Tetra.
To keep the ammonia and nitrite at an acceptable level, we must water test at least twice a day, and carry out 50% water changes as appropriate, i.e. if any reading for ammonia or nitrite comes out above 0.25. Testing needs to be done regularly, as conditions in a cycling tank change quickly. It isn't uncommon to go from ammonia only, into a phase where ammonia is undetectable, and nitrite is through the roof with this type of cycling. To keep our fish alive, we must monitor values of ammonia and nitrite carefully, or we may seriously damage our new pets. All water added to a tank must be de-chlorinated, or the new water may kill either the fish or the filter media’s bacteria. Tap water conditioner is used for de-chlorinating new water. There are many brands out there, mostly doing the same job. Check they remove chlorine, chloramines and heavy metals.
A pH below 6 will dramatically slow the cycle. If it drops below this, carry out a water change. pH is a measure of how acid or alkaline water is, and is held stable by minerals dissolved in your water. A stable pH is more important than one in the ideal range, unless your pH repeatedly drops below 6. If the pH repeatedly drops, you are short of minerals in your tap water. You can add coral sand or coral gravel to the filter or substrate to up the hardness of your water, and raise the pH. This will hold the pH stable at this new value, unlike many other chemicals. Make sure you add this slowly, until the pH reaches 7. Adding too fast will stress your fish.
Once levels for ammonia and nitrite have been 0 and nitrate has been rising, you are cycled for that fish load, and you are ready for a few more fish, space allowing. Remember never to add enough fish to double the numbers in a 24 hour time period. This is because it will take time for the existing bacteria to multiply sufficiently to allow for the increased load. Always test the water before adding fish, and also test around 12hours after, to ensure all levels are at a safe value. Check all levels daily for a week after adding fish, to ensure the filters are still coping good.gif Once cycled, and all levels for ammonia and nitrite are nil for a week, and nitrate is steadily rising, get yourself into the usual weekly maintenance routine, as described in the articles linked above.

 

[Leeore]

Thanks!


I think il be buying the kit tomorrow after work...im curious about the levels. I hope the smell is due to ammonia, and not something weird!

il post back during my cycling if I run into any problems

 

[Leeore]

Quick question!

This wasn't mentioned in any of the cycling guides I have read, but what about the filter? Do I just leave it until I am done with the cycling, or do I change it?

 

[Rediahs]

Quick question!

This wasn't mentioned in any of the cycling guides I have read, but what about the filter? Do I just leave it until I am done with the cycling, or do I change it?

Well no, you leave it, and the reason the guides don't mention it is that I guess they assume you understand what's happening with the filter during that time...

If you changed the filter you'd throw out all your hard work

You are building up bacteria in the filter media, so basically, no, you don't want to change the filter. If you want to clean it, if somehow it got debris in it, you can swish it in old tank water when you do a water change. But you should not change the filter media!! If the media is degrading or falling apart, then replace some of it, but make sure you've always got most of it in there... if you replace 100% of the media at any point you're going to be resetting the cycle... not good! You'd have to do the process all over again.

 

[Leeore]

Quick question!

This wasn't mentioned in any of the cycling guides I have read, but what about the filter? Do I just leave it until I am done with the cycling, or do I change it?

Well no, you leave it, and the reason the guides don't mention it is that I guess they assume you understand what's happening with the filter during that time...

If you changed the filter you'd throw out all your hard work

You are building up bacteria in the filter media, so basically, no, you don't want to change the filter. If you want to clean it, if somehow it got debris in it, you can swish it in old tank water when you do a water change. But you should not change the filter media!! If the media is degrading or falling apart, then replace some of it, but make sure you've always got most of it in there... if you replace 100% of the media at any point you're going to be resetting the cycle... not good! You'd have to do the process all over again.

Yeah, I should have mentioned that. I meant swishing it in old tank water. The filter came with little indicator strips that tell you when to change it. Regarding the contents of the media - the carbon - should I put new carbon from new filter packs into the old media?


I am a total noob at this, so I just want to make sure I do it all right

 

[arobinson1984]

I wouldn't use the carbon.

Carbon is only used for removing medications and tannings from wood out of the water, its not something you should keep in your filter 24/7

Ignore the little indicator strips with the filter. The filter media shouldn't ever be replaced unless it is literally falling apart and at that point you should replace it in small parts bit by bit.

When you need to clean the filter media, just rinse it in old tank water to get rid of excess gunk, give it a little squeeze but not too much.

I wouldn't even touch the filter media until the cycle has completed, there should be no need to

Andy

 

[Leeore]

I wouldn't use the carbon.

Carbon is only used for removing medications and tannings from wood out of the water, its not something you should keep in your filter 24/7

Ignore the little indicator strips with the filter. The filter media shouldn't ever be replaced unless it is literally falling apart and at that point you should replace it in small parts bit by bit.

When you need to clean the filter media, just rinse it in old tank water to get rid of excess gunk, give it a little squeeze but not too much.

I wouldn't even touch the filter media until the cycle has completed, there should be no need to

Andy

Thanks much

 

[m00se]

FYI you have a black molly (looks like a sailfin, but hard to tell) and a dalmation molly. The dalmation is female, and the black is male.

 

[arobinson1984]

Agree with m00se here,

You definately have a male black sailfin molly and a female dalmation molly

Andy

 

[OldMan47]

I think that little chemical timer strip is the slickest piece of sales gimmick that I have seen yet, Andy. It is a simple timer and has nothing to do with your filter's needs. It is like putting an X on a calendar to tell you when to buy more filter inserts. The Whisper people have outdone themselves with that timer on their ES series filters. As far as HOB filters with throw away cartridges are concerned, they are not bad filters. Don't worry about the carbon in the insert, it has been dead since about day 3 or 4 anyway. If the filter starts to show a lot of flow resistance, it needs to be swished around in used tank water to get the buildup off the surface and then just put it back into the filter. The oldest cartridge that I have in my filters is at around 6 months so far, but that was about when the filters first came out. I decided to try them out and like the impeller location so I may buy another some day.

 

[Leeore]

Hmmm a new situation has arrised. I tried looking this up on google but I cant find an answer.


I can't take a picture, as my camera is not good enough to catch these fine...little...things


They look like little tiny white hairs, almost see-through. They are not very long, and some are attached to my big fake plant. Others to the front filter sponge. Are they some type of worm? I havnt seen them move at all, nor do they look like they have heads or anything. Just strands.



Thanks for all of your input guys, I really appreciate it!

 

[OldMan47]

Try a google for planaria. They are fairly common.

 

[Leeore]

Try a google for planaria. They are fairly common.

Definatly not that. What I have is much finer than those. Its almost like looking at a little single piece of hair, only partially see-through

 

[Leeore]

I finally got a picture. This is the big one...all the others look like fine strands of hair. I googled Planaria. but those worms look much thicker than this.