Newbie Nees Help Plz

[missymermaid]

hi guys,

i have just recently set up a tropical tank of 18 gall everything was fine until i put fish in the water then it all went murky and i cant seem 2 get it to stay clear i have already done a 30% water change left it a week then did it again but it hasnt helped.

also 1 of my fish is really shy i think or sommat is wrong,
i bought a lovely black and white king tiger plec about 2 day ago and it hides away all the time and i am not sure if its comig out to eat, its about 2 inch long,

i hope someone can help me out as my tank looks a mess bacause of murky water and you cant see to the back

please help me

 

[catxx]

sounds like that could be an algae bloom, happens with most new tanks.
can you do a water test and tell us the stats? how long was the tank running before you put fish in?

 

[missymermaid]

sounds like that could be an algae bloom, happens with most new tanks.
can you do a water test and tell us the stats? how long was the tank running before you put fish in?

i set the tank up and left it about 2 weeks before i put fish in and this might sound silly but how do i do water stats lol

 

[catxx]

put some water in a bag and take it to your LFS is probably the cheapest way!
and while you're there you could invest in some test kits (for ph, ammonia, nitrates, nitrites etc)

 

[missymermaid]

put some water in a bag and take it to your LFS is probably the cheapest way!
and while you're there you could invest in some test kits (for ph, ammonia, nitrates, nitrites etc)

ok iw ill do that then get back to you tomorrow thank you for your help and do you have any idea about the plec plz

 

[catxx]

won't be able to tell until we know those water stats, they could be the cause of many symptoms.

a lot of plecs are shy anyway, some are nocturnal, i don't know about that particular type.

here you go, i found this link:
http/www.timstropicals.com/Inventory/Cat...erPlecoInfo.asp

 

[Bloo]

to the forum jo-jo !

Congratulations on your new tank It certainly sounds like an algae bloom, but that's one thing I wouldn't be overly concerned about as it often appears in new tanks. This clears with daily water changes of around 20%.

What does concern me a little though is that you appear not to have done any water change for a week and you have new fish in a brand new tank. I'm not sure if you understand about water chemistry and the effects of ammonia and nitrite on fish ?

This article will help you to understand "New Tank Syndrome" as well as the Nitrogen cycle.

You need to ensure and check that your ammonia and nitrite levels stay as close to zero as possible, while your filter builds up the necessary beneficial bacteria to sustain life for your fish. And ultimately those levels should remain at a constant zero.
The only way to drop these levels, is by daily 20% water changes. It will take your tank roughly around 6 weeks to cycle (but can take longer - and if you're lucky, shorter too).

Plecs are mostly nocturnal and extremely shy. Many plecs are rarely spotted during the day - and with great difficulty at night. This is normal and nothing to worry about.

Hope that helps a bit for now

Edit: to post in other sections of the forums, you will need to activate your account. You can do so by checking your email (that you used to register) and clicking on the link. If you have a junk mail filter, you will need to check your junk mail box.

 

[missymermaid]

won't be able to tell until we know those water stats, they could be the cause of many symptoms.

a lot of plecs are shy anyway, some are nocturnal, i don't know about that particular type.

here you go, i found this link:
http/www.timstropicals.com/Inventory/Cat...erPlecoInfo.asp

thank you i will look and get back 2 ya with them stats asap thankyou for your help

 

[missymermaid]

so would it be an idea to do the stats at the start and carry on doing the 20% water changes until the starts reach there proper place and wat is the numbers the stats r suppose to be at as i have never done stats before

 

[Bloo]

sounds like a good idea to me

Ultimately your Nitrite and Ammonia levels should always remain at zero. Even 0.25 is not healthy and stresses fish.

Nitrate should usually be anything between 5 - 60ppm.
pH generally anything between 6 - 8.

 

[missymermaid]

ok will do that and see how it goes thank you and i will get back 2 u hopefully with a nice looking tank i think i jumped into the deep end without learning how to swim first lol

 

[blitztidus]

Lots of us started like that. anyways to TFF

 

[marvandgoldie]

I have a zebra plec and a Royal Tiger Plec. When I first got these fish I was the same they are very rarely out during the day. Do you have any driftwood in your tank as I have been told that this is good for their digestion systems.

Also welcome to the site!!

 

[missymermaid]

thank you for the nice welcome and the advice i dont have driftwood in tank but if its good 4 them i will have. can u explain to me what i have 2 do 2 clean it before i put it in tank plz

 

[catxx]

to get bogwood ready, you will want to soak it in hot (but not boiling) water for a few days, this just helps get rid of the tannins in the wood which would otherwise stain your tank water a nice piss-wee yellow! hehehe.