Air pump help needed - Page 2

Loman · 10-09-2006, 10:05 PM

BBallsosh,

Let me start this post with a slight disclaimer. We have all developed certain opinions around this hobby based on our personal experience. There are a wide range of potential courses available to you and I am sure if you ask enough people you would hear most of them

. That said I would probably try to ride this out a bit. I do think the sticky post that Jay mentioned would provide you with a great deal of important information that you want and need. I would still get a water test kit so you can see the water conditions more clearly. I would focus on the ones associated with the nitrogen cycle which are ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate. Your tank will cycle - despite most anything you do help or hinder that

. If you look at these readings and see a big jump in ammonia or nitrites then I would think you would want to change out a lot of water 5 (to maybe 8) gallons. By removing the water and replacing it with fresh water it will remove the toxins and dilute the ones remaining in the water. Gold fish can be really hardy. They are usually kept in a bowl where people dump the water out clean everything and dump them back in, so I think you may be alright. It looked like a blue graummie as well which can be hardy but maybe not quite as resilient. IMO if you watch the water conditions you may be okay.

I should add that most people do start this way. They want a tank so they get one some decorations and what not, throw some fish into and see what happens. Not exactly the easiest way to start but it gets the educational process going and can work out more or less okay

Jay · 10-09-2006, 10:44 PM

Quote:

I should add that most people do start this way. They want a tank so they get one some decorations and what not, throw some fish into and see what happens. Not exactly the easiest way to start but it gets the educational process going and can work out more or less okay

That's for sure, and now that you have started, we want you to know what is going to happen and why. The course you chose is going to require a lot more effort, up front, to be successful, but hey that builds character

I agree with the liquid reagent test kits, IMO they are much more reliable than the dip strips. I would never make a major decision based on the results of a dip strip, but that's just my opinion.

Regards,
Jay

bigsloe · 10-10-2006, 10:37 AM

no you should definately get a kit and you should definately cycle the tank it can take from 4-8 weeks just because they didnt die yet doesnt mean there arent problems ahead maybe the amonia levels havent gotten to that toxic level just do what everyone else said get the kit and dont add any more fish until the amonia levels are gone and there are no nitrites and low nitrates just dont add more fish until the bacteria you grow can support it your on your way its only this rough in the very beginning

Tommy Gun · 10-10-2006, 05:45 PM

I agree that you most likely arent seeing any problems yet, but this does not mean you will not see them sooner or later.

The problem with leaving your fish in the tank is when they die, there is a sudden loss of food (wastes) for your growing bacteria colony. This means that many will die off and you will be back to where you started. Most people would then add more fish, thus adding more wastes and food, but these fish die and an endless roller coaster ride begins in your tank.

The usual tactic of feeding your tank without fish is also going to cause problems with your tank if you keep fish in it. Lets say in a week one of your fish dies. The loss of wastes (bacteria food) could be made up by over feeding the fish that you still have, but this will make things less healthy for the living fish and bring them to a quicker demise.

IMO, if you had your fish for four weeks, then I might ride it out, but in this case, it just isnt fair to your fish to put them through this. Obviously you didnt know at the time, and someone should have let you know what processes you should have taken while at the pet store, so you should not blame yourself or get frustrated.

So, sorry to disagree with some of you on this situation, but like i said, there has been not enough time passed yet to even think this tank may work itself out with the fish being able to survive. I am not saying that it isnt possible, anything really is, but with only a 10 gallon tank, water chemistry can change quicker than in a larger tank and the concentrations of ammonia and nitrites will be higher with less water to dilute them.

If you plan to ride it out, then I would start changing out water every day at about 50% or so. Make sure that you use a dechlorinator solution to condition your water and I would suggest getting a product like Bact-seed and Bact-feed or Cycle to help put the bacteria in the tank faster than it can multiply on its own. My opinion on doing this however is that it becomes expensive since you will have to add bacteria with every water change to replenish what you are taking out, and you could again find yourself in a never ending period of water changes.

penna32 · 03-06-2007, 10:25 PM

i have never tried this, but check your lfs for a product, i forget what its called, but it helps the cycling go quicker, and help prevent fish deaths

http://www.petco.com/Shop/petco_Prod...yID_13403.aspx
theres a link to a product at petco, they have similar ones too

i would suggest getting this, and adding some to your tank, it might save the lives of the fish in now, if you dont plan on giving them back to the lfs