New Tank, Fish Keep Dying

[mav82uk]

Sorry if this has already been asked but couldn't find it and i'm getting pretty annoyed and frustrated with the situation

My tank has been running for over a month now and i ran it without fish for two weeks.

I have a 90l tank
1 ornament
and several real plants (not sure of names)

after two weeks (books recommended this was ok) we added 4 zebra danios as the shop said that they were quite hardy so good for new tanks. Within the first 8 days of us having them in we have lost 3 and the last one does not look healthy so i have tried to isolate him in the tank from the other two fish we have.

The other two fish are orange sword tails (not sure of real name). we got those 1 week ago (3 weeks after tank running). we also lost one of those within the fist week.

we have tested the water using test strips and it all seems within the normal paramiters (Nitrate 0 PH normal Nitrites 0 and no amonia) the only thing that is high was the water hardness but the shop said all there fish are in hard water because the area we live is a hard water area.

we went fish shop and they tested the water and said our nitrate levels were only slightly too high, he dod say it shouldn't be a major problem but we've done water changes etc. but fish still do not look healthy.

i know i have been quite vague but i would like to know if there is anything i could've done to make sure that my fish tank is of good quality or i could do anything else to make my water right.

 

[Geoff1991]

Im new as well so someone else will have to help, but what i can say is... You are now in the same boat as me doing a fish-in cycle. Also, test strips aren't very good, use a liquid test kit. And most shops will tell you anything (including that your waters fine) in order to get you to buy more fish.

 

[mav82uk]

Im new as well so someone else will have to help, but what i can say is... You are now in the same boat as me doing a fish-in cycle. Also, test strips aren't very good, use a liquid test kit. And most shops will tell you anything (including that your waters fine) in order to get you to buy more fish.

The guy in the shop did say to change water and reduce feeding then come back next week and he'd test it again and see of its ok for more fish.

What is the fish in cycle......mines more like fish in, fish die, fish in, fish die!!!

what would be a good test kit? an how much?

 

[Geoff1991]

API master test kit is pretty good.

Also, don't add any more fish.

Have you got any fish in there currently? One thing ive learned is avoid a fish-in cycle at all costs. Ignore the guy at the shop and ask your questions here. Thats what I've done and my tanks almost cycled.

 

[mav82uk]

API master test kit is pretty good.

Also, don't add any more fish.

Have you got any fish in there currently? One thing ive learned is avoid a fish-in cycle at all costs. Ignore the guy at the shop and ask your questions here. Thats what I've done and my tanks almost cycled.

got one poorly zebra danio and 2 orange sword tails (least think thats what they are) 1 male 1 female. what is a fish in cycle?

 

[Geoff1991]

Well basically. I only know because im doing one at the moment. Its where you grow bacteria that deals with ammonia and nitrite on the filter media. You can do this with or without fish, its recommended that its done without fish but most people like me and you found this site after theyd bought their fish.

First you need to spend about £20 on the API master test kit

Then you need to either take the fish back and learn about fishless cycling, or keep the fish and do a fish in cycle. This is where you keep testing the water and do large water changes whenever there are nitrites and ammonia present.

 

[mav82uk]

Well basically. I only know because im doing one at the moment. Its where you grow bacteria that deals with ammonia and nitrite on the filter media. You can do this with or without fish, its recommended that its done without fish but most people like me and you found this site after theyd bought their fish.

First you need to spend about £20 on the API master test kit

Then you need to either take the fish back and learn about fishless cycling, or keep the fish and do a fish in cycle. This is where you keep testing the water and do large water changes whenever there are nitrites and ammonia present.

Ok thanks for the advice......

So here's were i think i am....tank is 4 weeks old. According to the test in the shop (liquid test) the amonia was 0 and the nitrate was only on the first colour (think the number next to it was 0.3) if that is right then thats were i'm at.

so this is what i believe i should do.....buyt liquid test kit. change water regularly till nitrate hits 0 then i'm good to buy fish???

 

[Geoff1991]

Nope, forget buying more fish all together for now.

This will take a few weeks. You could be doing 50% water changes up to 3 times a day for the next few weeks.

Keep testing and changing and when you ammonia and nitrites have been 0 for 1 week straight (without you changing the water), that is when you can slowly start to stock up your tank. Adding a few fish each week or so.

Of course, you have another option which is what I've done. Get some mature filter media from an established tank and put it in your filter. This should kick start your cycle and could be done within the next couple of days.

 

[fatheadminnow]

Strip test kits are no good and extremely inaccurate.

Never trust your LFS (Local fish shop) for testing your waters parameters, as your LFS use strip test kits.

You must get a good liquid base test kit like already mentioned, the API Freshwater Master Test Kit is a very good test kit to use.

I guarantee that you have high levels of Ammonia and/or Nitrite in your tank right now!

Read this link about how to do a proper fish-in cycle.

http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=224306

Than come back with any questions you have, we are willing to help!

-FHM

 

[mav82uk]

Strip test kits are no good and extremely inaccurate.

Never trust your LFS (Local fish shop) for testing your waters parameters, as your LFS use strip test kits.

You must get a good liquid base test kit like already mentioned, the API Freshwater Master Test Kit is a very good test kit to use.

I guarantee that you have high levels of Ammonia and/or Nitrite in your tank right now!

Read this link about how to do a proper fish-in cycle.

[URL="http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=224306"]http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=224306[/URL]

Than come back with any questions you have, we are willing to help!

-FHM

Thanks for the advice but i was stood next to the guy when he did the test with liquids and he showed me the readings....unless he did something very slight of hand to trick me into thinking my water is better than what it was then the results of the test were what i said before....

i will buy a api kit tomorrow and start doing water changes and see how that goes.

i will also read the link

 

[Geoff1991]

Yeah... i was told the same load of crap.

Don't rely on test strips. Remember, it is rare to find people in a shop that will turn you away and tell you to go cycle your tank first. They are there to sell and that's what they do. I also learned this the hard way... Makes me wish i found this forum first...

 

[mav82uk]

Yeah... i was told the same load of crap.

Don't rely on test strips. Remember, it is rare to find people in a shop that will turn you away and tell you to go cycle your tank first. They are there to sell and that's what they do. I also learned this the hard way... Makes me wish i found this forum first...

to be fair to LFS's when e bought tank they did say that we needed to cycle the tank and he did send us away on wed to sort tank bfore adding new fish. so they are not too bad. just so many confusing things about what the levels should be. could someone clarify this please?

The PH of my water is around the 6-7 mark i think
GH and KH are quite high in may area

what should the others be?

 

[kbekll]

i have done 2 fish in cycles to date and never lost a single fish

was the same way shop told me it was a waste of time and this was the correct way to do things lol


but i kept an eye on every stat and was always changing the water

have done 3 fishless cycles now but i have now started using the old media from existing tanks then adding ammonia and within 1 week tank is ready

 

[mav82uk]

i have done 2 fish in cycles to date and never lost a single fish

was the same way shop told me it was a waste of time and this was the correct way to do things lol


but i kept an eye on every stat and was always changing the water

have done 3 fishless cycles now but i have now started using the old media from existing tanks then adding ammonia and within 1 week tank is ready

whats this adding ammonia all about......is this essential?

 

[Geoff1991]

You need it when you cycle without fish.

http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=113861

Give that a read.