New Here

[debware87]

Hi All,

I have just joined up after being a lurker for about 6 weeks,. I am very new to tropical fish keeping,, all has been going well, water has been great,, not sure how long the cycling will take but maybe about half way,,

anyway I purchased a 60L elite tropical tank set with heater and singray 15 filter supplied,, well tank set up with gravel and plants and oranments for a week (using chemical method) after a week we added 2 sword tails (male and female) after water test and another week we added 4 danios (2 leopard and 2 zebra) all going well still water fine, so did 25% water change weekly and all has gone well after each week we have added more fish, we now have 3 mollies (2 male 1 female) 3 neon tetras, 2 guppys, (did have 6 but 4 died) and as water was ok,, when tested put it down to bad batch..

well this week we added 2 more Mollies and 1 red tail shark,, all well until the next day and noticed 1 new mollie with white spot well popped to local fish place (in a garden centre) and gave me interpet anti white spot which I did first treatment on wednesday,, the next treatment is for days later,,

now is does not say,, but should I do a part water change before I do the next treatment on saturday,, or leave it,, as it says on packet after 2nd does leave tank a week before doing water change,,

the Mollie is looking very well and not so many spots on her/him I did turn thermostate up a notch too,,


your advice would be great,, there doing so well dont want to mess up now,, water is still fine aswell,,

 

[chrisbassist]

Hi, and welcome!

firstly, it's pretty odd to have "fine" water stats like that, what type of test are you using and what are the results? for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and pH?

I would go with a water change just before the dose, just to make sure your water stats stay fine. if the tank was more mature then i'd leave it...

 

[debware87]

Hi, and welcome!

firstly, it's pretty odd to have "fine" water stats like that, what type of test are you using and what are the results? for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and pH?

I would go with a water change just before the dose, just to make sure your water stats stay fine. if the tank was more mature then i'd leave it...

well for the past 5/6 weeks I have been taking the water weekly to either, local tropical fish shop, pets at home or the local fish supplier in a couple of garden centres all have said the water is fine and ok there has been no ammonia trouble, PH has been nothing,,

but after loosing the guppys i get the interpet Easy test,, using tablets when I have tested,,

last week the ph has been between 7.0 and 8.5 which on the sheet said either ideal or acceptable, ammonia has been 0.1mg/l or 0.4mg which i treat with some safe start Tetra) on the advice of the garden centre as i took results to them to check.. Nitrite has been 0.1 and nitrate 25mg/l but every time it was tested elsewhere the water has been fine and allowed to buy fish,,
and this morning

Nitrite 0 nitrate 25 ammonia 0.1 and PH 8.5

 

[OldMan47]

Welcome to the forum Debware.
The ammonia that you have is more poisonous at the higher pH levels that you have than at very low pH levels.
The safestart is a bacterial additive that has shown no value except to line the pockets of the stores that sell it. You need to reduce the ammonia levels in your tank water to a value that you cannot easily measure. The only known way to do that in a new tank, other than having lots of plants use it as fertilizer, is by doing a water change. In your case, with the history of your tank, I would suggest that you start with an immediate 50% water change using water about the same temperature as what is in the tank. Don't forget to unplug the heater and don't forget to treat the new water with a dechlorinator. Right after the water change, you should see a significant visible improvement in the way your fish are swimming and acting in the tank. If you find that you have any ammonia return, you will need to do another large water change. Small changes just don't help much in my experience. Please read up on fish-in cycling in our beginner's resource center. There is a link to the fish-in article in my signature area too.

 

[chrisbassist]

+1

you may have been told those levels are "fine", but trust me the're not as far as your fish are concerned, the only thing they are fine with is when your test can't pick up ANY ammonia or nitrite.

it's all about learning, and i've picked up more than I ever thought there was to learn since joining here.

and the tablets are what i started with (not the same ones though) and i've found that the liquid ones are more reliable since i swapped, and even though they are a little more expensive, last A LOT longer than the tablets.

 

[debware87]

+1

you may have been told those levels are "fine", but trust me the're not as far as your fish are concerned, the only thing they are fine with is when your test can't pick up ANY ammonia or nitrite.

it's all about learning, and i've picked up more than I ever thought there was to learn since joining here.

and the tablets are what i started with (not the same ones though) and i've found that the liquid ones are more reliable since i swapped, and even though they are a little more expensive, last A LOT longer than the tablets.

Thanks Guys,

I have been told to be carefull with water changes where I live (bedfordshire) as we do have ammonia in the water and could do more harm than good, thats what the guy told me at the pet shop,, as I had done a 25% water change the day before i took the reults in,, at present i do have 6 plants in tank but as treating with anit white spot I have had to take the carbon filter out (the sponge is still in) and turned the heater up,, with this be ok to turn of heater or can I lay it at the bottom of the tank,, However I have turned it off before for the part water changes,

 

[debware87]

well today i have just brought the Tetra 6 in 1 test strips,, cant afford all the liquid in one go right now,, anyway will test now

results are.. CL 2 = 0, NO3 = 10, NO2 = 0, GH = 8d, KH = 6d, PH = 7.6,

should I still do a 50% water Change then add second treatment of anti white spot?

well I decided to do a 25% water change,. and now restested with the tetra strips,

and the results are CL 2 = 0 No3 = 10, No2 = 0 (GH = 8 KH= 7.2 have been told our water is very hard) PH 6.8 I do have a air bubbles in the tank and the temp on tank is 26 (just after water change) goes up to 27,, thermostate set at 24..

 

[debware87]

I lost a Mollie this morning but it was the one that did have white spot,, but it did look like it was getting better, no spots on it at all, and I found it being the air bubble stone