Newbie 1st attempt..

[Cyberkinetic]

Did water tests this morning and results are:
Ammonia: 0.25 ppm (dropped from 0.5-1 ppm from yesterday)
Nitrite: 0.25 ppm (dropped from 2 ppm from yesterday)
Nitrate: 5 ppm (same)

Seemed to be strange, as I expected with nitrite falling, i should get more nitrate? No?

Actually looking at the parameters, I am thinking, worse case, by friday, will start to move my fish over to this tank provided the ammonia and nitrite does not go up in the next 2 days. Probably not going to wait for them to go complete zero.

[Bieffe]

May I know what test kit u using?? I got a JBL 6in1 test kit. Sucks! As they cannot type properly in the instructions if they mean KH or GH or CH.

[Cyberkinetic]

Am using API freshwater master kit. Tests includes for PH, higher PH, ammonia, nitrite, nitrate.

May I know what test kit u using?? I got a JBL 6in1 test kit. Sucks! As they cannot type properly in the instructions if they mean KH or GH or CH.

[Bieffe]

25 strips for about $25+? Didn't see that at Seaview today. Will return to look for again. Now battling fin rot for the rest of my fishes. Really don't get it. LFS conditions so crowded the fish don't die. Even the water they gave me is yellow with wastes inside.
All nice nice get 6 come home place them in my tank after floating bag in water for 20+min all die 2-3 days later. Not cycling problem as there are fishes there already.
Anyway I added medication to tank. Doing test of chemical levels accurate now?

[Bieffe]

Also after so much discussion what should I do when I get new fish? I really very scared. Assuming they all survive this 2nd round of infection.
I am more stressed than ever.....who said fish reduce stress.

[Cyberkinetic]

It's not in strips format. Comes with test tubes where you add the tank water and drops%2pfrom the test kit to mix.

What medication are you using? Is it the right type for the problem you having? Suggest you take photos and show it to the experts here.

25 strips for about $25+? Didn't see that at Seaview today. Will return to look for again. Now battling fin rot for the rest of my fishes. Really don't get it. LFS conditions so crowded the fish don't die. Even the water they gave me is yellow with wastes inside.
All nice nice get 6 come home 0lace them in my tank after floating bag in water for 20+min all die 2-3 days later. Not cycling problem as there are fishes there already.
Anyway I added medication to tank. Doing test of chemical levels accurate now?

[Bieffe]

Wrote a lot then web page refresh all gone.
Anyway mine test kit is strips so Colour not accurate. I will get ur API master kit to try soon.
Medication used so far
Aqumedi basic anti fungus
-did 2 courses and fin rot stopped. 1 course only I noticed condition got better.
Aqua pharm stage 3 for fin rot and ulcers
-no good after 1 course fin rot continues with fish lost
Aqumedi Befuran
-running 1st course now, seems got effect. Package say within 24hrs should have improvement.
All I treated whole tank cos almost every fish got it.

Befuran shows some improvement as such I took out 2 worst looking and transferred to hospital tank. These 2 has salt and I gave 1 course of aqumedi basic anti fugus. Also with air.

Both water I tested the cl2 is 0. Thought pH abt 6-7. But both shows some minerals lacking.

[Cyberkinetic]

Noticed you mentioned several medication used so far. Just wondering if you have treated them within the same tank, did you do water changes? Else the water will just keep getting more and more concentrated with the various medication.

Anyway good luck.

[Bieffe]

Noticed you mentioned several medication used so far. Just wondering if you have treated them within the same tank, did you do water changes? Else the water will just keep getting more and more concentrated with the various medication.

Anyway good luck.

Yes I did. Almost every alternate day I will do 25% WC. Then medication dose again. Later I will do another 25% WC. I will give 2nd dose of BeFuran. Dunno should I do 50% WC should be better for the fishes right? Fresh water. Will not upset the good bacteria ya?

[Bieffe]

Also notice that Aquaplus says 10ml treats 38L of tap water. When I did that the CL2 reading was 1.5 mg/l after adding about 100ml to 38L that I see the level go closer to 0!
Yes I agitated the water from 5mins to eventually 30mins using both hand stir and air stones.
How come like that ah? How much u people estimate?
Just did 40% WC and round 2 of BeFuran.
Tomolo don't work I will change Medi again....fishes please don't die on me.

[Cyberkinetic]

Did you just said you pour 100ml of Aquaplus anti-chlorine into your 38L tank??!!??!?
Man.. I'm no expert, but that sounds like severe overdose in any sense to me...

Also notice that Aquaplus says 10ml treats 38L of tap water. When I did that the CL2 reading was 1.5 mg/l after adding about 100ml to 38L that I see the level go closer to 0!
Yes I agitated the water from 5mins to eventually 30mins using both hand stir and air stones.
How come like that ah? How much u people estimate?
Just did 40% WC and round 2 of BeFuran.
Tomolo don't work I will change Medi again....fishes please don't die on me.

[felix_fx2]

Don't treat sick fish in the main tank. Isolate and treat. Quarantine please.

The bb you have will easily die and give ammonia spikes.

Test strips only give guage to certain extent. But their cheaper then buying 10 liquid test kits.

Anti chlorine can overdose by abit.

Please stop hijacking other people's thread to ask your tank issues.

Don't use sms lingo or short forms.
The next one I will take action.
This is a warning.

[Bieffe]

Dear moderator, aren't you too harsh with your warnings? In fact I'm using these SMS short cuts subconsciously. Rules are rules.
Yes the aqua plus was overdose. But according to dosage I still getting Cl2 readings. I very worry due to deaths so I add till my strips gives me 0.
Don't intend to hijack peoples thread but felt me and thread starter having about same issues.

Thanks for the advices. Forum should be fun and engaging. However too strict a rule just spoilts the fun.
My apologies for all my postings that have gone against the rules. Honestly I didn't even realise it and trying so hard to check before I post.

[Bieffe]

Don't treat sick fish in the main tank. Isolate and treat. Quarantine please.

The bb you have will easily die and give ammonia spikes.

Test strips only give guage to certain extent. But their cheaper then buying 10 liquid test kits.

Anti chlorine can overdose by abit.

Please stop hijacking other people's thread to ask your tank issues.

Don't use sms lingo or short forms.
The next one I will take action.
This is a warning.

What is bb please? I have quarantine the most sick of the fishes in another tank. However still treat main tank as some still showing signs of infection.

[felix_fx2]

BB = Beneficial bacteria.

There are known and shortforms which can be used.
We have other folks visiting AQ, they will not understand the locally used shortforms even when i and you understand. Example: What is "tml" and "oso"
Subconsciously or not after posting you still can edit them within a few minutes.
Subconsciously even myself also mistype but reading my own post after it is posted i always go and edit, that is for the benefit of all who visit AQ.

FYI, do read this. Will give you a better insight...
SMS and IM Lingo Rules


Cyberkinetic, should read this. IMHO it is actually ok.
Your keeping fish not shrimps , their more hardy hehe
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nitrogen_cycle

[Cyberkinetic]

Hi Felix_fx2,

this was one of the very first article I read on the nitrogen cycle. Actually what's confusing me is that I've also been reading that cycling a planted tank is different from a fish-only type of tank. Given that plants naturally consumes ammonia and nitrate for their needs and that is one significant difference which prevents the spikes from happening due to consumption by the plants. That doesn't mean the BB is sufficiently populated in the tank yet, however, coming back to the fundamental of why cycling is required is to have the "resources" to prevent ammonia and nitrite spikes which are deadly for the fish. So in a planted tank, if it is "sufficiently stocked" with plants, it is already "safe" to introduce fish.

But I have also read about people with new planted tanks that can achieve the zero ammonia and nitrites readings, so that's the main reason I'm trying to hold off putting in the fish and see if I can reach that stage as well. But to be honest, it's 4 weeks since I started, I think that's a pretty decent time I've given on cycling the tank. The last readings I got 2 days ago showed it is not perfect, but certainly not deadly for fish. Anyway, it's the ultimatum given by the missus to either close shop or start putting the fish in today. I've decided to start tonight, gradually over the weekend to stock up the tank.

First will be scrapping of the brown algae on the tank and followed by a 25% WC(the water while not murky with dirt, it is definitely not clear, more of a yellowish tint to it). Then the 2 ottos will go in(will likely get another 2, cos the amount of algae I have will probably stuff them for the next week or so), if no abnormality, the 5 rosy tetras will be next and eventually my 2 precious corys. Will likely be tank gazing for most of the weekend and I am also thinking of getting yamato shrimps next. But that is for another day. The target is to remove one small tank by this weekend and appease the missus. That's all I can hold on to for doing a "fishless" cycle. I'm also going to standby the airstone since I'm not sure if the oxygen content is sufficient at night for my fishes even though I had read and was advised the surface agitation by the Fluval C3 filter will introduce enough to the tank. Else, I suppose, it'll be another timer to turn on the airstone at night.

Interestingly, my 10G tank have a rich mix of creatures, the elusive snails which I know is definitely there, but hard to sight recently, the seed shrimps which is building up steadily, on the leaves of the plants and on the gravel, the nematodes which seemed to have decreased in the past few days as well. With all these living things, SURELY, it is not THAT BAD to house some fish!

Fingers crossed, good luck to me and most importantly, the fish.

[felix_fx2]

For shrimp keepers, cycling can take up to 6-8 weeks. Since there is little or no plants to take up no2-3 which is less deadly. But I won't elaborate on that since yours is a tank more plant inclined.

A personal recommendation, add fish minimum. Shrimps too.

If your tank is not densely planted. Surface contact is more then enough, if the fauna is hardy ones and it is just a minimum few using the o2 existing already in the waters.

Btw, air pump is alway handy to have. Even when it is idle and almost never in use. ( like mine lol). As when in doubt it is there.

[Cyberkinetic]

Thanks Felix_fx2,

I don't think my tank is too densely planted. But it's not too bare as well. There's quite a bit of stems in the foreground which are growing very well(snip them off last week and new leaves sprouted already and growing). Even the 6 stalks of strange "coconut tree-like" plants is sprouting a new shoot each. I thought these won't survive and use for short term decoration only.. haha... I am monitoring the melting of one stock of my crypts which is quite strange considering they have been doing very well as well.

The fishes which I am planning to introduce are now in a small little 2L tank which I have been doing 50% WC every alternate day. I think they will certainly appreciate the much BIGGER tank.. Actually to let them adjust to the 10gallon tank, I have been adding scoopful of water from the big tank over during each water change. It shouldn't be that foreign to them when I move them.

I have an airpump running now for my 10L tank and another spare(which is working but making a noticeable humming noise which irritates me so I kept it as spare). However if I were to use it for the 10gallon tank, I think I rather get one more small one and connect it to a timer such that it turns on at night and off in the day. I have already had a timer which connects to my lights and fan(which turns on in the day time and off after 6 or was it 7 hours? ).

I could certainly do with a little less stress from managing the tanks. Hopefully things go smooth this weekend for me. *Pray hard*

[wongce]

Hi TS,just wait patiently... Scrub algae, and use eye power...wish you all the best

[felix_fx2]

The most stressful things I have for my planted tanks is

1: very lazy to dose fertilizer.
2: even more lazy to do water change.
3: co2 tank empty die it's heavy

Every now and then, I see sick fish & I go alas! Please recover on your own don't die on me. I'm too lazy to go lfs.

The rest of the time should be enjoy fish