Somthingfishy
New Member
Ok here is my post from emergency section, someone suggested I move it here. Let me add tho that I lost my dragon fish soon after the 1st post 
Also I have found someone who is going to give me their filter media an some gravel from established healthy 125gln tank. Any advice to get the most benifit from this is VERY welcomed. Below is added what tanks I have available to me - what fish I have - I'm open to move them around and stock them accordly per an experienced persons advice here. I'd like to get all the tanks fully cycled with as less stress to all the fish as possible. Please offer any an all input on who to tank mate with who as to keep the bio load down. All the fish i have are pretty hardy as far as I know. Just dont want to over stress when I dont have to.
Ok here is the posted info from emergency section - Also my 30 gallon listed below is stable now - nitrites & nitrates still a bit high but not too bad - ph slightly low but I think it is because I used alot of bottled water (now i know that aint such a good idea). I should be getting a bio wheel I ordered any day now but CAN go to wal mart tomorrow to get filter for other 30 gallon if suggested.....
(edit)
Ok this is in the main tank
Tank size: 30 gallons
pH:7.6-8.0+
ammonia
nitrite:beyond 10.0
nitrate:80
kH:40-80
gH:300
tank temp:82
Bottled water -
nitrite:0
nitrate:0
kH:0
gH:0
ph:6.2-
Sink Water-
nitrite:0
nitrate:20
kH:80
gH:150+
ph:7.6
So far my dragon fish has been removed. noticed yesterday heavy breathing-this morning he was laying on the bottom - so he is a 12 gallon right now that was just put up yesterday. Not sure what else to do at the moment. Also 2 tigar barbs moved into 12 gallon tank as well / showing signs of swim blatter. Recently fed brine shrimp - only difference in food.
Volume and Frequency of water changes: About 10 - 20 % every second day / sometimes everyday depending on readings - trying to get tank cycled, sorry no one told me i needed to do this. By the time i learned, it was too late to go back.
Chemical Additives or Media in your tank: aqua salt
Tank inhabitants: (this is all my fish - below is all tanks - info on tank mate mix to reduce stress is encouraged)
1 rope fish(about 8 inches)
2 dino eels (2 inches and 1 1/2 inches)
1 Shark cat (2 inches)
4 African cichlids (1 inch each)
1 Aleage eater (1 inch)
1 mystery snail
2 ghost shrimp (think their still there)
Heres my big question - seems it takes time to danger a fish in a new tank that is not cycled. Cycling is better with less? Should I shift the fish around in diff tanks an work on cycling one of the 30 gallons? Keep fresh water changes till I get a stable tank?
Heres what I have to work with
1 - 65 gallon / cycling w 4 small African cichlids
2 - 30 gallon / one empty the other described above
1 - 12 gallon / just picked up yesterday - holding the 2 barbs and dragon fish
1 - 10 gallon / betta an 2 small frogs
1 - 5.5 gallon empty
supplies -
1 heater - 300 watt (65 gallon tank)
2 heaters for up to 30 gallons
2 HOB filters - one is the bigger one for the 65 gallon tank 2 media filter pads - other is smaller with one media pad in it - not sure of detailed info. - one bio wheel due in maybe tomorrow - can buy another large filter if suggested.
1 internal filter - 130 gph
1 12 galon tank has bio wheel filter system imbeded with the hood.
Ok this looks a little confusing to even me now, LoL as i have edited a little an added more to what was there .... so here is to sum it up in one section ---- heres what we got - someone please help me sort it out.
Tank inhabitants: (this is all my fish - below is all tanks - info on tank mate mix to reduce stress is encouraged)
1 rope fish(about 8 inches)
2 dino eels (2 inches and 1 1/2 inches)
1 Shark cat (2 inches)
4 African cichlids (1 inch each)
1 Aleage eater (1 inch)
1 mystery snail
2 ghost shrimp (think their still there)
Heres what I have to work with
1 - 65 gallon / cycling w 4 small African cichlids
2 - 30 gallon / one empty the other described above
1 - 12 gallon / just picked up yesterday - holding the 2 barbs and dragon fish
1 - 10 gallon / betta an 2 small frogs
1 - 5.5 gallon empty
supplies -
1 heater - 300 watt (65 gallon tank)
2 heaters for up to 30 gallons
2 HOB filters - one is the bigger one for the 65 gallon tank 3 media filter pads - other is smaller with one media pad in it - not sure of detailed info. - one bio wheel due in maybe tomorrow - can buy another large filter if suggested.
1 internal filter - 130 gph
1 12 galon tank has bio wheel filter system imbeded with the hood.
Any advice? I'm about to do a water change on the 30 gallon in stress - I dont know what else to do. I'm curious if i should be adding bottled water or conditioned sink water? Thats why i added dip tests on all - what would be best at this point? (changed water about 75% over 4 hr period of time yesterday - stable for now)
I've been keeping my 30 gallon as clean as i can - just trying to keep my fishy friends alive till I can get the tank cycled / or get the others going to get them cycled to start moving fish around to various tanks.
I feel terrible at this point - never really kept anything but goldfish - 1 african cichlid - black mores - frogs an shrimp in the past. Well, had no idea about cycling a tank! 3 fish stores knew I was just getting into all this (it all started w 65 gallon) and never said a word Kinda makes me sad - our only local fish store, the worker i spoke to, didnt even know what i was talking about when i talked about cycling, she thought i meant changing the water.
Hope I've added everything - thank you for any help.
Question - could my ph spike have come from adding bottled water in the tank with water changes?
Also I have found someone who is going to give me their filter media an some gravel from established healthy 125gln tank. Any advice to get the most benifit from this is VERY welcomed. Below is added what tanks I have available to me - what fish I have - I'm open to move them around and stock them accordly per an experienced persons advice here. I'd like to get all the tanks fully cycled with as less stress to all the fish as possible. Please offer any an all input on who to tank mate with who as to keep the bio load down. All the fish i have are pretty hardy as far as I know. Just dont want to over stress when I dont have to. Ok here is the posted info from emergency section - Also my 30 gallon listed below is stable now - nitrites & nitrates still a bit high but not too bad - ph slightly low but I think it is because I used alot of bottled water (now i know that aint such a good idea). I should be getting a bio wheel I ordered any day now but CAN go to wal mart tomorrow to get filter for other 30 gallon if suggested.....
(edit)
Ok this is in the main tank
Tank size: 30 gallons
pH:7.6-8.0+
ammonia
nitrite:beyond 10.0
nitrate:80
kH:40-80
gH:300
tank temp:82
Bottled water -
nitrite:0
nitrate:0
kH:0
gH:0
ph:6.2-
Sink Water-
nitrite:0
nitrate:20
kH:80
gH:150+
ph:7.6
So far my dragon fish has been removed. noticed yesterday heavy breathing-this morning he was laying on the bottom - so he is a 12 gallon right now that was just put up yesterday. Not sure what else to do at the moment. Also 2 tigar barbs moved into 12 gallon tank as well / showing signs of swim blatter. Recently fed brine shrimp - only difference in food.
Volume and Frequency of water changes: About 10 - 20 % every second day / sometimes everyday depending on readings - trying to get tank cycled, sorry no one told me i needed to do this. By the time i learned, it was too late to go back.
Chemical Additives or Media in your tank: aqua salt
Tank inhabitants: (this is all my fish - below is all tanks - info on tank mate mix to reduce stress is encouraged)
1 rope fish(about 8 inches)
2 dino eels (2 inches and 1 1/2 inches)
1 Shark cat (2 inches)
4 African cichlids (1 inch each)
1 Aleage eater (1 inch)
1 mystery snail
2 ghost shrimp (think their still there)
Heres my big question - seems it takes time to danger a fish in a new tank that is not cycled. Cycling is better with less? Should I shift the fish around in diff tanks an work on cycling one of the 30 gallons? Keep fresh water changes till I get a stable tank?
Heres what I have to work with
1 - 65 gallon / cycling w 4 small African cichlids
2 - 30 gallon / one empty the other described above
1 - 12 gallon / just picked up yesterday - holding the 2 barbs and dragon fish
1 - 10 gallon / betta an 2 small frogs
1 - 5.5 gallon empty
supplies -
1 heater - 300 watt (65 gallon tank)
2 heaters for up to 30 gallons
2 HOB filters - one is the bigger one for the 65 gallon tank 2 media filter pads - other is smaller with one media pad in it - not sure of detailed info. - one bio wheel due in maybe tomorrow - can buy another large filter if suggested.
1 internal filter - 130 gph
1 12 galon tank has bio wheel filter system imbeded with the hood.
Ok this looks a little confusing to even me now, LoL as i have edited a little an added more to what was there .... so here is to sum it up in one section ---- heres what we got - someone please help me sort it out.
Tank inhabitants: (this is all my fish - below is all tanks - info on tank mate mix to reduce stress is encouraged)
1 rope fish(about 8 inches)
2 dino eels (2 inches and 1 1/2 inches)
1 Shark cat (2 inches)
4 African cichlids (1 inch each)
1 Aleage eater (1 inch)
1 mystery snail
2 ghost shrimp (think their still there)
Heres what I have to work with
1 - 65 gallon / cycling w 4 small African cichlids
2 - 30 gallon / one empty the other described above
1 - 12 gallon / just picked up yesterday - holding the 2 barbs and dragon fish
1 - 10 gallon / betta an 2 small frogs
1 - 5.5 gallon empty
supplies -
1 heater - 300 watt (65 gallon tank)
2 heaters for up to 30 gallons
2 HOB filters - one is the bigger one for the 65 gallon tank 3 media filter pads - other is smaller with one media pad in it - not sure of detailed info. - one bio wheel due in maybe tomorrow - can buy another large filter if suggested.
1 internal filter - 130 gph
1 12 galon tank has bio wheel filter system imbeded with the hood.
Any advice? I'm about to do a water change on the 30 gallon in stress - I dont know what else to do. I'm curious if i should be adding bottled water or conditioned sink water? Thats why i added dip tests on all - what would be best at this point? (changed water about 75% over 4 hr period of time yesterday - stable for now)
I've been keeping my 30 gallon as clean as i can - just trying to keep my fishy friends alive till I can get the tank cycled / or get the others going to get them cycled to start moving fish around to various tanks.
I feel terrible at this point - never really kept anything but goldfish - 1 african cichlid - black mores - frogs an shrimp in the past. Well, had no idea about cycling a tank! 3 fish stores knew I was just getting into all this (it all started w 65 gallon) and never said a word Kinda makes me sad - our only local fish store, the worker i spoke to, didnt even know what i was talking about when i talked about cycling, she thought i meant changing the water.
Hope I've added everything - thank you for any help.
Question - could my ph spike have come from adding bottled water in the tank with water changes?
