Hi I am very very new to this hobby. I bought a 29 gallon top fin tank last week. I washed everything without detergents and set it up I put in the chemicals that came with it and waited a few hours before adding fish. I added zebra danios as I read they are hardy. Everything died. I went to the pet store had the water tested and they said it was fine. I was told to go ahead and add more fish and did so according to their instructions, and again everything died . Well after the 3rd round I was afraid they were going to tell me to stop and just go get sushi if I wanted fish. I felt like crying. So I broke it all down cleaned it all again with extremely hot water let it dry and rinsed again with cold water then set it back up. This was on Friday.i added the chemicals which is a dechlorinater, bacteria supplement, and water conditioner. I have added no fish I was to scared. Today is Sunday and the water is starting to look slightly cloudy. Not to bad but you do see a difference. My heat has been at a steady 76 f. My questions are these. 1. How high of a setting should my filter be set. 2. When will it be safe to add fish. I will be getting a test kit today as I don't trust the people I went to before. I don't want to murder any more it's making me sad.
Very Confused
- Thread starter MandyL
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KieranBoyne
Moved On
You cleaned with detergents? That's why. The chemicals in detergent are fish killers. So.... I'm sure someone else will help more than i can. Never wash anything with detergents.
Meeresstille
Fish Addict
Sorry your start in this hobby has been such a dramatic one! Don't follow the advice of your LFS (shop) before doing a little research on your own.
Have you had a look at the resource centre here: http
/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/277264-beginners-resource-center/
It will help you understand what needs to happen chemically in your tank before it is safe to add fish.
When you added your fish did you acclimate them to your tank and how did you do that?
Have you had a look at the resource centre here: http
/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/277264-beginners-resource-center/It will help you understand what needs to happen chemically in your tank before it is safe to add fish.
When you added your fish did you acclimate them to your tank and how did you do that?
Lillefishy
Fish Addict
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Have a read of this http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/421488-cycling-your-new-fresh-water-tank-read-this-first/
It will explain why you need to cycle your filter before adding fish, unfortunately Lfs never tell you that.
/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/421488-cycling-your-new-fresh-water-tank-read-this-first/It will explain why you need to cycle your filter before adding fish, unfortunately Lfs never tell you that.
I acclimated my fish like this. I put the bag in the water let it sit for 5 minutes then I took some of the water out of the bag and added a little of my water. I did this 3 times for a total of 15 minutes then took the fish out of the bag and added it to my tank. I did not put the water from the bag in the tank.
I have read the articles you both posted. I am getting a test kit today. However I understand how the cycle works but don't understand at what point or how long to wait to add fish. I mean understand the ammonia and ph levels need to be at certain levels but if they are right right now can I add fish or do I wait to see if it spikes. If I add them and it spikes could I risk killing them.
Sorry I'm confusing myself because I'm frustrated. Maybe I'm not understanding things correctly.
I have read the articles you both posted. I am getting a test kit today. However I understand how the cycle works but don't understand at what point or how long to wait to add fish. I mean understand the ammonia and ph levels need to be at certain levels but if they are right right now can I add fish or do I wait to see if it spikes. If I add them and it spikes could I risk killing them.
Sorry I'm confusing myself because I'm frustrated. Maybe I'm not understanding things correctly.
Lillefishy
Fish Addict
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Your water levels are right now because there are no fish in producing ammonia, fish constantly produce waste & you need to build up the good bacteria which deal with that waste in your filter before adding fish.
KirkyArcher
Fish Addict
You will be keen to add fish as most new fish keepers are
However to effectively process the waste the fish produce your tank needs to be "cycled" see the resource pages previously mentioned, however you can do a fish in cycle that is frowned upon in this forum, but if you follow that path the trick is to just introduce one or two small fish at a time roughly at three weeks intervals and do regular weekly water changes of about 30-40% at least once every week.
EllieJellyEllie
Fish Addict
Get a liquid test kit such at the API Freshwater Master Test Kit. The strips are inaccurate.MandyL said:
It is hard to wait for fish but so worthwhile to do a fish-less cycle. I kept bringing my water to the LFS and they kept telling me I had ammonia and couldn't add fish, but not what to do about it. It was only when I started lurking here that I found out about cycling and what it meant. So I followed the instructions here and I must say it was difficult to wait 5 weeks but I felt better knowing I wasn't putting fish at risk.
As EllieJellieEllie says above, get the API Master Test Kit. I had strips at first and they were very difficult to read.
As EllieJellieEllie says above, get the API Master Test Kit. I had strips at first and they were very difficult to read.
Meeresstille
Fish Addict
Adding your fish before your tank was cycled did not kill your fish in such a short amount of time. I think the fish were either very sick, your pH differs greatly from your LFS 's or there is a toxin in your water.
Could you find a water quality report of you city's water online? I know some places do have levels of Ammonia, Nitrite or Nitrate coming from the tap. If you're on well water you may want to find out if there are any metals in the water. Did you make sure you did not use any cloths, sponges, towels or the like that may have any soap residue? Some sponges are treated with chemicals before being wrapped and sold, these chemicals could contaminate your tank.
If it is a pH issue, then you need to give your fish more time to acclimate. I have that problem if I go to one of my neighbouring cities, their water comes from a different source and I then do a drip acclimation. (empty fish into a bucket that is only to be used for your fish, run airline tubing from tank to bucket, put a knot into the airline tubing so you can adjust the drip, begin suction in the airline tubing, cover the bucket to keep the fish calm, and give them at least one hour to acclimate)
You may also want to check if the dechlorinator, bacteria starter (which are questionable in their effectiveness) and water conditioner are perhaps out of date.
If you know anyone who has an aquarium, you could ask if they are willing to give you a small amount of their cycled filter media. Adding this media to yours would give your tank a head start.
Could you find a water quality report of you city's water online? I know some places do have levels of Ammonia, Nitrite or Nitrate coming from the tap. If you're on well water you may want to find out if there are any metals in the water. Did you make sure you did not use any cloths, sponges, towels or the like that may have any soap residue? Some sponges are treated with chemicals before being wrapped and sold, these chemicals could contaminate your tank.
If it is a pH issue, then you need to give your fish more time to acclimate. I have that problem if I go to one of my neighbouring cities, their water comes from a different source and I then do a drip acclimation. (empty fish into a bucket that is only to be used for your fish, run airline tubing from tank to bucket, put a knot into the airline tubing so you can adjust the drip, begin suction in the airline tubing, cover the bucket to keep the fish calm, and give them at least one hour to acclimate)
You may also want to check if the dechlorinator, bacteria starter (which are questionable in their effectiveness) and water conditioner are perhaps out of date.
If you know anyone who has an aquarium, you could ask if they are willing to give you a small amount of their cycled filter media. Adding this media to yours would give your tank a head start.
Just got home and I did by the API freshwater master test kit. So that's funny you said that cause I was debating in the store to get it or strips, the strips being a lot less expensive, but I said no I want to do this right and got the master kit. Let me tell you I feel like a mad scientist sitting at my table with all these tubes and vials lol. Ok so here are my results
I waited the required 5 minutes when directed.
P.h 7.6
High range p.h 8.2
Ammonia. 0ppm
Nitrite 0ppm
Nitrate 0ppm
Oh and I live in a duplex that uses a community well but they add chlorine to it once a month. I did put in dechlorinater though.
I waited the required 5 minutes when directed.
P.h 7.6
High range p.h 8.2
Ammonia. 0ppm
Nitrite 0ppm
Nitrate 0ppm
Oh and I live in a duplex that uses a community well but they add chlorine to it once a month. I did put in dechlorinater though.
Fish keepin is very scientific, everything you do will have a major impact on on your very own fishy underwater world.
Please consider doing a fishless cycle and not adding in any more hardy fish to cycle your tank. These poor babies do suffer and if they live they won't live long.
The purpose of the hardy fish is to add ammonia
Here's a link that I think you should readhttp/www.fishkeeping.co.uk/articles_51/fishless-cycling-article.htm
My brother knows someone who works in a fish store, and he basically said that they are profit not fish! What a tool!
Remember to add a tap safe treatment every time you do a water change which should be once a week at least 20%.
Please consider doing a fishless cycle and not adding in any more hardy fish to cycle your tank. These poor babies do suffer and if they live they won't live long.
The purpose of the hardy fish is to add ammonia
Here's a link that I think you should readhttp
/www.fishkeeping.co.uk/articles_51/fishless-cycling-article.htmMy brother knows someone who works in a fish store, and he basically said that they are profit not fish! What a tool!
Remember to add a tap safe treatment every time you do a water change which should be once a week at least 20%.
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