Bill M.
06-19-2007, 02:18 AM
Well, I caught it, MTS....hehe.... I have a 10 gal. and just bought a 29. I have a few questions, and I knew this forum is a great source of info, so here I go....sorry for the book, but please read and give feedback!
When I first entered high school, 3 years ago, now a senior, whoo, I bought the Walmart special ten gallon starter kit. It was an amazing deal, and the tank, heater, filter, etc, preformed amazingly. It has kept 4 of my fish that I started with (looked at the reciept, bought em on 7/30/2004) alive to this very day. I recently got a job as a lifeguard, and have money to spend on myself. I decided to fix up my tank, maybe get a few new fish. Origonally in the tank were 2 black skirt tetras, 2 serape tetras, a guppy, a sunburt wag platy, a zebra danio, and a pleco. I took out all but 2 of my faux plants, and replaced them with frill and comboda plants. I bought a small school of neon tetra (5), a partner (1 each) for my danio and my guppy. I know all you experianced aquarists are thinking what a moron I am for having so many fish. I did weekly 25% water changes, and monotered the ammonia and nitrate and nitrite levels weekly by having petsmart test the water. Everything seemed balanced, so my mom bought me 2 drawf gouramis for my birthday. Three days after the gouramis, it was time to get my water tested, and it came out my ammonia and pH was understandably high, at .25ppm and 8.0 respectivly . I did a water change, and shortly everything was fine again, so I thought. Throughout the week, starting on monday and progressing through yesterday ( 6/17/07) 2 neons died, the new guppy died, and one gourami died. I think these fish were sick from the get-go, as the neons never schooled with the others, they were always by themselves, the guppy and the gourami were both very lethergic *sp?* I figured my water chems were messed up, so I took them to petsmart lastnight, as well as my dead babies :(. All my chems were within normal peramiters, except for nitrates, they were at 40. When the first neon died, I thought he had developed ich. I saw the tell tale white salt like crystals on his body before he died. After he died, I netted him and put him in a plastic bag so i could examine him and store him in the freezer untill I could make it to petsmart. There was no sign of these dots I had seen, so I thought it wasnt the same fish. I looked at the others, and non had the spots. Maybe I was just seeing things.... but anyways, I was worried that the fish would develop ich. This was last week, and as of today, nothing has developed. I think I am safe, as if ich was in my tank, it shoud have shown by now. So there are my problems with my ten gallon. I recently purchased a 29 gallon, it is set up, and cycling with 2 live plants, gravel, filter, heater, and bubble stone. I have asked questions on cycling at yahooask.com, and all I get is "Do a fishless cycle." I am sure all of you know what that is, and it requires adding pure ammonia to my tank. I dont want to do that, I am just not comfortable with it. I have been told its a good idea to take a few scoops of my gravel from the 10 g. and put it into the 29 g. to jumpstart the cycle. I would do this, but I am fearfull that ich is in my tank. I am soon to put the two danios in the 29, but I dont want the ammonia spike to be fatal. What do you all think about this? Again sorry for the book, but I have alot of questions, and I want a quality answer, and I know Ill get one here! Thanks!~ Bill
When I first entered high school, 3 years ago, now a senior, whoo, I bought the Walmart special ten gallon starter kit. It was an amazing deal, and the tank, heater, filter, etc, preformed amazingly. It has kept 4 of my fish that I started with (looked at the reciept, bought em on 7/30/2004) alive to this very day. I recently got a job as a lifeguard, and have money to spend on myself. I decided to fix up my tank, maybe get a few new fish. Origonally in the tank were 2 black skirt tetras, 2 serape tetras, a guppy, a sunburt wag platy, a zebra danio, and a pleco. I took out all but 2 of my faux plants, and replaced them with frill and comboda plants. I bought a small school of neon tetra (5), a partner (1 each) for my danio and my guppy. I know all you experianced aquarists are thinking what a moron I am for having so many fish. I did weekly 25% water changes, and monotered the ammonia and nitrate and nitrite levels weekly by having petsmart test the water. Everything seemed balanced, so my mom bought me 2 drawf gouramis for my birthday. Three days after the gouramis, it was time to get my water tested, and it came out my ammonia and pH was understandably high, at .25ppm and 8.0 respectivly . I did a water change, and shortly everything was fine again, so I thought. Throughout the week, starting on monday and progressing through yesterday ( 6/17/07) 2 neons died, the new guppy died, and one gourami died. I think these fish were sick from the get-go, as the neons never schooled with the others, they were always by themselves, the guppy and the gourami were both very lethergic *sp?* I figured my water chems were messed up, so I took them to petsmart lastnight, as well as my dead babies :(. All my chems were within normal peramiters, except for nitrates, they were at 40. When the first neon died, I thought he had developed ich. I saw the tell tale white salt like crystals on his body before he died. After he died, I netted him and put him in a plastic bag so i could examine him and store him in the freezer untill I could make it to petsmart. There was no sign of these dots I had seen, so I thought it wasnt the same fish. I looked at the others, and non had the spots. Maybe I was just seeing things.... but anyways, I was worried that the fish would develop ich. This was last week, and as of today, nothing has developed. I think I am safe, as if ich was in my tank, it shoud have shown by now. So there are my problems with my ten gallon. I recently purchased a 29 gallon, it is set up, and cycling with 2 live plants, gravel, filter, heater, and bubble stone. I have asked questions on cycling at yahooask.com, and all I get is "Do a fishless cycle." I am sure all of you know what that is, and it requires adding pure ammonia to my tank. I dont want to do that, I am just not comfortable with it. I have been told its a good idea to take a few scoops of my gravel from the 10 g. and put it into the 29 g. to jumpstart the cycle. I would do this, but I am fearfull that ich is in my tank. I am soon to put the two danios in the 29, but I dont want the ammonia spike to be fatal. What do you all think about this? Again sorry for the book, but I have alot of questions, and I want a quality answer, and I know Ill get one here! Thanks!~ Bill