Hello from Straffordville, Ont. Canada.

[Lucitity]

From were you ask? A little town I don't even think is on the map in Ontario Canada. I've been keeping freshwater fish for as long as I can remember. Good thing my memory isn't going yet. I mostly have kept live breeders since I like putting a couple together and seeing what colours I get. A few years ago I moved in with a woman who loved Cichilds. I had seen them, but never thought twice about them. Well we've bred them and such. We even had success breeding Betta's. Now I'm back on my own, my kids wanted some fish so I visited my parents basement and pulled out my tanks from storage. Too bad my apartment isn't all so I can only put up a couple. I gave them my 35 gallon. They went and picked out their fish, and I get to look after them. ;) They choose tiger barbs, guppies, tetra's (I have no idea what kinds) neons, glass fish, a shark, and I had to throw in a couple of angels just because I like them. It's been 2 weeks, and most of the fish have died. Why?!?! It's the curse of the tank. I have never had much luck with that tank. The kids will heartbroken when they come tomorrow, but we'll just have to go and buy the some more. Once I get everything situated here, I'm going to pull the 55 out and setup a saltwater tank. It'll be my first attempt at it, so any suggestions, advice, tip, or whatevers would be greatly appreshated. (I know, I can't spell) If you want any tips on breeding Betta's let me know and I'll send you the journal I made up with all my failures and successes.

Best Regards,
Luci.

[sergo]

welcome aboard. sorry to hear about your fish but i must ask if you cycled your tank. this is an awesome board and has features unlike any other that i have seen so i hope you make yourself at home and don't worry about anything as there are some very knowledgable people here, and friendly too.

[Rue]

Tank is overstocked with the wrong mix of fish...

[SkarloeysMom]

Welcome to the AC forum! Sorry to hear you're kid's fish are dying. What are your water parameters?

[gm72]

Umm, welcome aboard, but your stocking is so far off from being acceptable, we'll need to start over here. Sorry to say it has nothing to do with the tank.

[Lucitity]

Holy smokes. Replies so quickly. My thanks to all.

Sergo Said, "welcome aboard. sorry to hear about your fish but i must ask if you cycled your tank. this is an awesome board and has features unlike any other that i have seen so i hope you make yourself at home and don't worry about anything as there are some very knowledgable people here, and friendly too."

I let it cycle for 2 weeks. Kids and I set it up before they went back to their Mom's then waited til they came back 2 weeks later to put the fish in. I did however put a Betta in about 3 days after setting it up.

SkarloeysMom Said, "What are your water parameters? "
Really, I have no idea. Temp is 78F and the water here is harder then rock. (So I stole the water from my Dad's place while he was sleeping. 10 trips with a 5 gal. pail. He's got a water softener.)

Rue Said, "Tank is overstocked with the wrong mix of fish... "
Yupper, I tried tell the kids that, but you can't tell a 8 and 10 year old anything. lol. At least I'm good friends with the owner of the LFS. He'll give me different fish tomorrow for the ones I lost. Honestly, I wanted all angels or all live breeeder. (Guppies, Platies and swords.) My betta will be coming out this week as I have been asked to try and breed them again. LFS liked the ones I gave him last time.

[gm72]

You don't know what your water parameters are, you aren't willing to tell your children that their stocking choices are unacceptable. A betta is not usually accepted as being a good fish cycling animal. Ooooookay.

So can we at least start with a water test of the water from the source? Maybe we can use this opportunity to teach some up-and-coming aquarists the rules? Sounds like a potential golden opportunity to me!

[Lucitity]

You don't know what your water parameters are, you aren't willing to tell your children that their stocking choices are unacceptable. A betta is not usually accepted as being a good fish cycling animal. Ooooookay.

So can we at least start with a water test of the water from the source? Maybe we can use this opportunity to teach some up-and-coming aquarists the rules? Sounds like a potential golden opportunity to me!

Thank you for your reply. :) In the 25+ years of having aquariums, I have never worried about water parameters, and never had any problems with it. I have taken water into LFS and had it tested and have been told it is fine. Both on town water where I use to live for 5 years, and here on well water. It's just this tank. I have it doesn't matter what I put in it, I usually end up loosing half the fish I put in it. Cichlids and angels are the only fish that I have never had die on me. I have tried all guppies, all platies, all swords, and all mollies (With and without salt.) This is also the first time I actually put a fish in while I was cycling. Usually I leave it running for a couple weeks. Then throw the fish in. What would you suggest I put in here that my kids will like. Here's a list of what they picked, and what is left.

5 Neons - 1 left, 4 Tiger Barbs - 2 left, 1 Shark - dead, 2 Glass Fish - still alive, 3 Tetra's of some kind. (have a neon white on the tips of their fins) - still alive, 3 Fantail guppies - 1 left, 2 angels - both alive, and a betta. Please let me know, as we're going to be going to get more tomorrow. (At least I didn't let them get oscars and other cichlids like they wanted.) lol

[Drumachine09]

What do you define as cycliing?

[Lucitity]

What do you define as cycliing?

Here's how I start a tank. I wash it and everything going into it with vinegar and water. I rinse it out really well. I fill it with water. I fill my HOB filter with water from LFS, I let it sit for a day or two so the bacteria can get it's self established in my filter. I have my heater set to 78F. Once the water temp. has reached 78, and the filter has time to 'breed' I start the filter. I let the filter run with an empty tank for a week at least, then I add my fish. I add a couple at first, then the rest a week later.

[Rue]

Well, I think you're going to have to reconsider how you keep your tanks. Do a lot of googling...this site is excellent...but there are other great sites as well...

Take the kids to the library and spend a day researching tank set-ups. I find that the more kids know the more they want to do things 'right' and the less likely they are to be impulsive and concerned only about 'self-gratification'.

I have 3 kids...the youngest is 12.

In the meantime...the nitrifying bacteria you need don't live in the water column...they live in on aerobic surfaces in the filters (sponges, bioballs) and also on the surface of the gravel and other decorations...

A tank left to its own devices will cycle in about 6 weeks. We can speed up that process by seeding the tank, but it will still take time. The number one mistake made is to be impatient and rush the process. Once the tank has cycled you shouldn't add too many fish at once so that the tank can adjust to the new ammonia levels. Six is the max. you should add...but that needs to be adjusted given the size of the tank and the size of the fish.

ex. Add less large fish...add less fish to a smaller tank.

Kids like bright colours. I'd stick with a livebearer tank...maybe some corys on the bottom. Add some plants and you've got yourself a beautiful and lively tank.

[gm72]

You understand of course that what you describe is not cycling? The bacteria have to have a source of ammonia to stay alive.

[gm72]

Sorry for the double post here, but just wanted to be clear that my prior comments were not directed at Rue. You slipped a reply in there!

Rue has, again, great info.

[Rue]

...flatterer...

[gm72]

Just didn't want any confusion regarding to whom my comments pertained. The library idea is a great one.

[Lucitity]

My thanks to all for your knowledge. I guess what I thought was cycling wasn't. I must have been lucky 95% of the time. :) My boys and the library!?!?! I could kill 2 birds with one stone since they can read what they need (I mean I can read it to them) and they get to see their Grandma. Extra bonus, it's right across the road from me. My thanks again. At this point, all they have left are 2 angels and the betta. :( Good thing Lyle @ the fish store said he'd give me a credit for them.

[crackatinny]

Welcome to AC,

Don't feel bad, you are not alone, cycling problems are one of the biggest mistakes for beginners, and we have all been begginers.

[Nick_Pavlovski]

Welcome to AC,

Don't feel bad, you are not alone, cycling problems are one of the biggest mistakes for beginners, and we have all been begginers.

With a little modification, that becomes a great motto:
"Beginners will make a few mistakes, and we have all been beginners".

[genitor]

Hi, welcome to the forum.
Download the free e-book from the menu to the left. It has a lot of useful info to get you started.

[Lucitity]

Hi, welcome to the forum.
Download the free e-book from the menu to the left. It has a lot of useful info to get you started.

I did that last night. I tried to get my kids to sit I read it to them....but the X-Box was more important to them. I got as far as Adding Fish. They didn't seem to heart broken that almost all ther fish were dead. Guess I'll not bother getting them any more, and go with what I want. :)

[gm72]

Go with what you want as sure as it is acceptable stocking practice. Great that you were so trying to involve your kids. Very good.