New 10 Gallon Tank W/ Stress Zyme

[jojomcdougal]

The title pretty much says it all, but I will elaborate the best I can. Keep in mind I am new to this, please.

My friend just gave me his 10 gallon tank, as he is cutting down on his fish collection.

The tank was in use with fish in it until only a few hours ago.

It has now been filled with all new water, Stress Coat, and it's first dose of Stress Zyme.

I am following the directions on the bottle to a T. Add Stress Coat, Stress Zyme on the 1st 7th and 14th day. Today is day 1.

How long until I can add fish?

The fish to be added:
1 large hardy blue crayfish.
Half a dozen small goldfish (they are not pets, they are his food).

Thanks!

 

[TylerFerretLord]

Woah, where to start...

Are you new to fishkeeping? I suggest you read the stickied topics in this forum, particulary the ones about fishless cycles.

You can't add fish right away, you need to do something called a cycle, which means you build a colony of bacteria in the filter to handle the waste made by fish. You do this by adding ammonia. Read the sticky on that.

And stress-zyme does not work, nor do other bacteria in a bottle products other than bio-spira, which may have been stored improperly and thus be useless.

A cray will not be happy in a ten, they need more room. And goldfish are not a good food, and not to mention they are big waste producers and will pollute your tank with ammonia, killing themselves and the cray. Good choices for a ten gallon.

You should pick up some supplies:
Gravel vacuum
Ammonia(for cycle, don't get anything but pure ammonia, you can find it in walmart)
Filter(if you don't have one)
Filter media (Sponge, bio-medium)
Water test kit (get a liquid test kit, the sticks are inaccurate, make sure it tests for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate, and ph)

In short, please read the stickies, they are full of information that will benefit you. You should feel lucky that you came here begore you added fish!

Suggested reading:

http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=171045
http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=88643

 

[jojomcdougal]

Woah, where to start...

Are you new to fishkeeping? I suggest you read the stickied topics in this forum, particulary the ones about fishless cycles.

You can't add fish right away, you need to do something called a cycle, which means you build a colony of bacteria in the filter to handle the waste made by fish. You do this by adding ammonia. Read the sticky on that.

And stress-zyme does not work, nor do other bacteria in a bottle products other than bio-spira, which may have been stored improperly and thus be useless.

A cray will not be happy in a ten, they need more room. And goldfish are not a good food, and not to mention they are big waste producers and will pollute your tank with ammonia, killing themselves and the cray. Good choices for a ten gallon.

You should pick up some supplies:
Gravel vacuum
Ammonia(for cycle, don't get anything but pure ammonia, you can find it in walmart)
Filter(if you don't have one)
Filter media (Sponge, bio-medium)
Water test kit (get a liquid test kit, the sticks are inaccurate, make sure it tests for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate, and ph)

In short, please read the stickies, they are full of information that will benefit you. You should feel lucky that you came here begore you added fish!

Suggested reading:

http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=171045
http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=88643

Thanks for the reply. I have read several of the stickies, of course to somebody new to a process that much information at once can be overwhelming so I posted for a straight answer.

I should have added that I am not new to fishkeeping, it's just that this is the first time I have started a tank from scratch. My previous tank was inherited with the crayfish and goldfish and they have lived together for years.

Thanks again for the speedy reply. My friend is helping me with this and he is very experienced with this stuff, but he has always used a different brand of enzyme product, and this is the one answer we are seeking.

 

[TylerFerretLord]

So you already have an established tank? If so good, you can 'seed' a tank with some of the filter media from that one(or get some from your friend). Just put some of the media with your new media in your filter, and continue with a fishless cycle. It should go faster than normal from the bacteria you introduce to your tank.

As I said before(and many other members will tell you) most bacteria-in-a-bottle products are useless.

Since you obviously know about the basics of fishkeeping I would just concentrate on the fishless-cycling aspect.

 

[DiscusKeeper403]

Stress Zyme will not cycle a tank, it only stalls the cycle.


A Blue Crayfish, will get to be too big for that tank, and can you imagine the bio-load!? I doubt he will even eat the goldfish.


If you want some more reading, follow the link in my sig.


Already all stated after a quick browse...

 

[arvlyn]

I've cycled tanks successfully only using Stress-Zyme for many years, although others here say it does not work.
I usually wait between 14 to 21 days before adding fish, depending on what my test results show...but I *have* added the fish immediately after setting up the tank and using the first dose of Stress-Zyme then continued adding it as the bottle says.

I have never lost a fish when I've set up an aquarium using Stress-Zyme, hard as that is for most to believe.