worst week EVER!!!
- Thread starter baglel10
- Start date
Where the fish that died in the same tank as the one you used an "Aqua Clear" product in? Because chemicals are never the answer 99% of the time. Don't get me wrong, if your fish have a disease treat it accordingly. But if your having water quality issues never go out and buy a "wonder" product. Just remember water changes, water changes, water changes!baglel10 said:3 of my fish have died within the past week 1 jumped out the rest found deadale:
idk whats wrong very sad now
A
Anonymous
Guest
Got to agree with Mikey here. You have been having a lot of problems. Best to just start over and do it right.
If you take Mikey's idea and start over make sure you cycle your tank before you put fish in. It takes a couple of weeks. Maybe shorter if you get some good established beneficial bacteria. Here is a step by step on how to cycle:
Every new tank, with new filtration, has to be cycled to be safe for aquatic life. What is meant by "cycled"?
"Cycled" is a reference to the Nitrogen cycle. This is the bio filtration that happens in our filters.
In short,
"Ammonia" (toxic fish waste) is converted by bacteria into
"Nitrite" (toxic as well) then converted by a second type of bacteria into
"Nitrate"(basicaly harmless in low concentrations) that gasses off in the Aquarium.
This read is not for the advanced water chemist, this read is directed to
those fishkeepers that do not know what the nitrogen cycle is, and have had problems with keeping fish alive and well in their new tanks and with new filtration...
OK to start off there are a few things that you are going to have to have PERIOD...
1)Water test kit (Ammonia,Nitrite,Nitrate)
2)patience
3)Commitment to cycle the tank completely
4)Pure household Ammonia (clear w/no soaps or fragrance)
a)shake bottle- if there are bubbles - no good
if it looks like water - way good
5)Aquarium needing cycling with the water set to 85 degrees F.
6)Filtration, installed and working properly.
First thing, first...
Bacteria thrives in water over 80 degrees F.
Make sure to set the temp to 85 degrees F.
Once you determine how much water you have in the system, de-chlorinated the water with a de-chlorinator that does not contain anything that says "eliminates ammonia etc." I use stresscoat and I know that works.
Now, you'll add 5 DROPS of Ammonia per 10 gallons, no more no less. Pick a time of day that you'll be able to take readings, everyday, for a couple of weeks.
Do this everyday until you see a measurable amount of Nitrites.
When you have a Nitrite reading, this means you have started the nitrogen cycle and are effectively growing the Beneficial Bacteria, that converts the Ammonia into Nitrite. We are half way there.
Now you will lower the amount of Ammonia to 3 drops per 10 gallons per day. You will do this until you get a reading of
0 Ammonia and 0 Nitrites. ZERO means ZERO, no matter how long it takes to get there. You are now building the Bacteria that converts the Nitrite into Nitrate.
Ok, so now we are adding 3 drops per 10 gallons of water daily.
We are getting a reading of Zero Ammonia / Zero Nitrite and we have a Nitrate reading of 20-40 ppm. You are almost there.
You need to do a 50% waterchange with de-chlorinated water and adjust your temperature. Now is the time to get your fish. Acclimate them and get them in your properly cycled tank...enjoy them as they will be enjoying your correct water parameters...
Every new tank, with new filtration, has to be cycled to be safe for aquatic life. What is meant by "cycled"?
"Cycled" is a reference to the Nitrogen cycle. This is the bio filtration that happens in our filters.
In short,
"Ammonia" (toxic fish waste) is converted by bacteria into
"Nitrite" (toxic as well) then converted by a second type of bacteria into
"Nitrate"(basicaly harmless in low concentrations) that gasses off in the Aquarium.
This read is not for the advanced water chemist, this read is directed to
those fishkeepers that do not know what the nitrogen cycle is, and have had problems with keeping fish alive and well in their new tanks and with new filtration...
OK to start off there are a few things that you are going to have to have PERIOD...
1)Water test kit (Ammonia,Nitrite,Nitrate)
2)patience
3)Commitment to cycle the tank completely
4)Pure household Ammonia (clear w/no soaps or fragrance)
a)shake bottle- if there are bubbles - no good
if it looks like water - way good
5)Aquarium needing cycling with the water set to 85 degrees F.
6)Filtration, installed and working properly.
First thing, first...
Bacteria thrives in water over 80 degrees F.
Make sure to set the temp to 85 degrees F.
Once you determine how much water you have in the system, de-chlorinated the water with a de-chlorinator that does not contain anything that says "eliminates ammonia etc." I use stresscoat and I know that works.
Now, you'll add 5 DROPS of Ammonia per 10 gallons, no more no less. Pick a time of day that you'll be able to take readings, everyday, for a couple of weeks.
Do this everyday until you see a measurable amount of Nitrites.
When you have a Nitrite reading, this means you have started the nitrogen cycle and are effectively growing the Beneficial Bacteria, that converts the Ammonia into Nitrite. We are half way there.
Now you will lower the amount of Ammonia to 3 drops per 10 gallons per day. You will do this until you get a reading of
0 Ammonia and 0 Nitrites. ZERO means ZERO, no matter how long it takes to get there. You are now building the Bacteria that converts the Nitrite into Nitrate.
Ok, so now we are adding 3 drops per 10 gallons of water daily.
We are getting a reading of Zero Ammonia / Zero Nitrite and we have a Nitrate reading of 20-40 ppm. You are almost there.
You need to do a 50% waterchange with de-chlorinated water and adjust your temperature. Now is the time to get your fish. Acclimate them and get them in your properly cycled tank...enjoy them as they will be enjoying your correct water parameters...
i took al of your guys edvice im restarting what i did is had some crapy stuff and a 10 gal tank put all the nasty watter into the 10 gal then put fish in there then i took my gravel and washed it good cleened the glass no saop put all the stuff back in and they are still in the crapyy water i did a small water change thow for them so now im going to wait wish my fish luck they should be fine in the 10 gal they are not that big yet and its only a week :cry:
:king:
:king:
sidekicking
New Member
Do you know what you were doing wrong in the first place??
A
Anonymous
Guest
This is why I fight algae with Nerite snails only. No chemicals.
A
Anonymous
Guest
nerites dont work for me, my apples on teh other hand go crazy!
baglel10 said:
Obviously you are not reading our advice! I remember posting, "whatever you do don't use chemicals". Where you went wrong is using an algae killing "wonder" product. What you should have done is reduce feeding, cut your lights, and water changes, water changes, and water changes! NO CHEMICALS DUDE!
iceburg... I immediatly posted after you it was ok to use chemicals... lol.... so he did follow advice. Just not yours. Especially if your telling him to do water changes on a not so established tank. The trick with using some of those chemicals in your tank especially small tanks 20gal and under, is you have to barely add drops at a time... then wait a day.
Live and learn.... think you need a bigger tank though.... I had a heck of a time with a 10gal tank, and I would consider myself a moderate to advanced fish keeper too.
Live and learn.... think you need a bigger tank though.... I had a heck of a time with a 10gal tank, and I would consider myself a moderate to advanced fish keeper too.
I still have to strongly disagree with your advice to use chemicals. I think as an administrator you have a responsible to tell the kid not to use chemicals. He simply didn’t' need to use them. He could have easily solved his problem without using chemicals and following everyone’s (non-chemical using) advice. 99% of problems not including diseases can be solved without chemicals. We can all agree that he needs to learn better husbandry skills.
Bagel, I highly recommend that you start over from scratch and pick up The Simple Guide to Freshwater Aquariums (Second Edition) by David E. Boruchowitz. This is your new bible, follow the book to the letter T! Get yourself either a 29gal or a 55gal and follow his advice. It's full proof and guarantees success! You will thank me later.
Bagel, I highly recommend that you start over from scratch and pick up The Simple Guide to Freshwater Aquariums (Second Edition) by David E. Boruchowitz. This is your new bible, follow the book to the letter T! Get yourself either a 29gal or a 55gal and follow his advice. It's full proof and guarantees success! You will thank me later.
i did all of them i cut down on feeding i turn the lights off for whole days and did water changes and it barly helpIceBerg said:
and betty my fish add up to be 11 icnhes in 4 fish so they should be fine its not that long
ill try to get the cammra from my bro to show you what the botle says it said nothing of how much to put in :king:
iceberg.... Everyone has different tech. for there aquariums.... Some are complete naturalist, will not add a fake plant to there tank.... do not use carbon.... do not use any good filter media out there.... wont use chlorine removers (rather let there water age in a giant drum)..... simply because they feel it can all be done naturally.
Now, Some (like myself) have used chemicals for tanks in the past, and would use them again if I have tried everything else possible to fix a problem... rather than keep doing the same thing for weeks or months on end to find no resolution, and possibly loose fish. Example: I purchased some african cichlid sand at the pet shop, this sand is known to cloud up even after bein washed repeatedly, they give you a small packet of water clarifier (some kind of magnet that pulls sand down)..... I didnt use it for two days, to see if the cloudiness would go by itself.... after getting sick of waiting I dropped in the stuff, worked like a charm... Seriously, within 3 hours my water sparkled, and I did not loose one fish. I wish i knew the name of the stuff they gave me, I would recommend it to everyone, but unfortunely I dont.
I applaud you and your more natural tech. But if someone asks for everyones opinion on what they should do to fix a problem, that means we offer our tech to the person, not demand they "not use chemicals". And I am glad you disagree with my tech. but I will recommend products that have worked for me being an admin or not, I just recommend extreme caution when using chemicals in your tank.
Now, Some (like myself) have used chemicals for tanks in the past, and would use them again if I have tried everything else possible to fix a problem... rather than keep doing the same thing for weeks or months on end to find no resolution, and possibly loose fish. Example: I purchased some african cichlid sand at the pet shop, this sand is known to cloud up even after bein washed repeatedly, they give you a small packet of water clarifier (some kind of magnet that pulls sand down)..... I didnt use it for two days, to see if the cloudiness would go by itself.... after getting sick of waiting I dropped in the stuff, worked like a charm... Seriously, within 3 hours my water sparkled, and I did not loose one fish. I wish i knew the name of the stuff they gave me, I would recommend it to everyone, but unfortunely I dont.
I applaud you and your more natural tech. But if someone asks for everyones opinion on what they should do to fix a problem, that means we offer our tech to the person, not demand they "not use chemicals". And I am glad you disagree with my tech. but I will recommend products that have worked for me being an admin or not, I just recommend extreme caution when using chemicals in your tank.
In my opinion all people need is a little more patience and not jump to using chemicals. Come on Sandman, you lost your patience after only 48hrs? You could have easily gave it a week to let gravity do all the work for you. Don't get me wrong, there are a lot of good applications for chemicals in our hobby. But the kid having an “algae bloom” problem isn’t one of them. I'm absolutely positive if he would have kept with the program for only a month his fish would still be alive today.
The word for the day Bagel is PATIENCE!!!
The word for the day Bagel is PATIENCE!!!