Ok starting the cycling with fish, now the ?s

[katrinka772]

We had our first loss this morning. We didn't get a water change done yesterday as we had a trip to the doctor and they decided that Austin has pnuemonia so I got preoccupied. I am not sure if missing one day of water change would cause a death.

The levels this morning were:

Nitrite .5
Ammonia 1.0

And as silly as it may sound the poor fish found its self some hollowed ground in my flower bed, but argue with a sick kid about what should happen to a fallen friend.

[Wild Turkey]

Yup 1.0 can do it

Agreed on the arguing. I still bury all my friends with fur in the yard when the time comes even though I think you arent supposed to.

[Fraoch]

I feel for ya, I lost two. Poor little guys...

Anyway this is pretty controversial but rather than lose a fish if you miss a water change you may want to try AmQuel+. It will (temporarily) detoxify both nitrite and ammonia, so if you know you'll miss a water change just put it in. Make sure the water is adequately oxygenated.

It's controversial, most of the time you don't want to use chemicals but if it saves you from losing a fish...

The disadvantages:

- don't use any other ammonia test but the API test, it won't read properly

- once you've put in the proper dose of AmQuel+, it gets used up. Any NEW nitrite and ammonia will be just as toxic and your tests will register the total nitrite/ammonia, both the de-toxified and toxic parts - you won't be able to tell the difference. So you still have to do water changes, eventually it'll become toxic again. It's just that it will protect the fish for a little while, a day or two.

Oh and keep dosing with SafeStart!

[Glub]

Make sure you measure your liquids in the vials from the BOTTOM of the meniscus. View your test tube at eye level (this is why they put that little white mark ALL around the test tube, so you can line it up evenly). See the little "bubble" looking line at the water's surface? Take the measurement from the lowest point on that line (which will actually be in the middle of the test tube, and not at the sides around the glass).

Many people make the mistake of measuring from the top point at the side of the glass. This is incorrect and will produce a measurement that's too low.

Allow all air bubbles to pop before reading the measurement. Do not attempt to shake the tube to pop the bubbles, you will only make more.

Since water has adhesive and cohesive properties, it will 'climb' up the sides of any container (ie. test tubes) it's stored in. For this reasons, it's standard practice to take all measurements from the lowest point of the meniscus which will be in the center of the water's surface.

Our water tests probably aren't that significantly sensitive to allow some room for error, but it's proper lab practice and will produce the most accurate results possible from your tests.

There's enough to know about keeping fish to fill a library. This is a good hobby. One of the hardest challenges for researchers is being able to keep their specimens alive long enough to conduct their studies, and to provide adequate conditions to trigger natural behaviour necessary for their studies. There is a LOT your son can learn if he's willing to do his research and take an active interest in the learning behind it all.

Also, java moss will help give your fish some relief from the crummy water conditions while you go through your cycle. It wont compensate, but it's better than nothing. While it is a live plant, it pretty much has the same requirements as silk or plastic plants and should do fine in your aquarium with what you have. It's dirt cheap, and really easy to find.

[katrinka772]

We are still going strong with the cycling it has been just over 2 weeks and only the one loss The ammonia reading is holding steady at 0.5 before water changes and we have been doing 40% changes.

My husband keeps insisting we change the filter medium (because the package says so) this is one fight I have choosen to keep up. I have read not to change the medium or we start all over? Please tell me I have understood that part right Although I question if we should pull the charcoal out of the filter he has now.

We have 'vaccummed' the top of the gravel to get some of the extra food out of the tank. We only did that once, last week.

Is there anything we should be doing? I was thinking about getting him an air tank. He wants a treasure chest in his tank, he thinks it would make his fishies happier to have a 'toy'.

[Fraoch]

My husband keeps insisting we change the filter medium (because the package says so) this is one fight I have choosen to keep up. I have read not to change the medium or we start all over? Please tell me I have understood that part right

DO NOT change the filter! That's where almost all of your bacteria is growing. You WILL be sent back to square one. Want proof?

http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/aqua...ad.php?t=39608

Although I question if we should pull the charcoal out of the filter he has now.

Keep it until you're cycled, then jam in some floss or a sponge in the filter basket, let it accumulate bacteria for 2-3 weeks, then remove the carbon, replacing it with the "seasoned" floss/sponge.

Don't remove the carbon now, it's providing growing sites for the bacteria.

We have 'vaccummed' the top of the gravel to get some of the extra food out of the tank. We only did that once, last week.

That's fine, you should do that to eliminate rotting food, which is a major source of ammonia. Just don't jab the vacuum right into the gravel, vacuum the top only.

Is there anything we should be doing? I was thinking about getting him an air tank. He wants a treasure chest in his tank, he thinks it would make his fishies happier to have a 'toy'.

Sure, aeration will help the fishes and the cycle. You may want to get a multiple "gang valve" and crack an unconnected valve open to control the air flow, you'll find most air pumps put out a lot of air and if you just blow it in without any control it's very disruptive, like putting a blender in the tank! By opening an unconnected valve you relieve the backpressure on the air pump and you also control the flow to the air stone. Also many of these valves have an internal check valve, meaning that if your air pump shuts off it won't be destroyed by water siphoning into it. Otherwise you should buy a separate check valve.

[robflanker]

DO NOT change the filter! That's where almost all of your bacteria is growing. You WILL be sent back to square one. Want proof?

http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/aqua...ad.php?t=39608

Thanks for throwing me under the bus Fraoch! haha

But yes, do not ever ever ever change the filter media unless you wish to have a never-ending cycle like I have going on right now.

[Fraoch]

Thanks for throwing me under the bus Fraoch! haha

Sorry Rob, I had hoped that you wouldn't be sent right back to the beginning, but it's starting to look like you have.

And no, it's not your fault, you were following instructions on the filter package. I almost did the same thing. But hopefully someone can learn from the experience.

[katrinka772]

But hopefully someone can learn from the experience.

Somebody has learned from your experience....... ME!!!!!!

[katrinka772]

Well finally it looks like we have a cycled tank, we have to test the nitrites/nitrates but the ammonia finally is zero!! We got the bubble stone going about two weeks ago although everyone seems to be out of gang values so he unplugs it when he feeds since we haven't been able to control the airflow.

We did the last water change Wednesday, he has been doing daily ammonia tests. He was so confused over the weekend because the levels were decreasing and he couldn't understand why. This is an interesting journey that we have been on and I am so glad that we have been taking it with our son.