# tew tank update



## baileysup (Nov 25, 2009)

i bought the fourth espie today (he's the last of the batch of his brothers. left him behind last time, for some reason), so it's a beta and 4 espies. i read 2 ppm ammonia, and did a 50 % water change which obviously dropped it to 1 ppm. still at 10 ppm nitrates. i will test tomorrow and see what the water is like. i think i should only have to do a water change every other day, but i'll change 2 consecutive days if necessary. i should be cycled in about 2 weeks, says my lfs. all the fish are happy.


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## funlad3 (Oct 9, 2010)

Try a 20% every other day. You'll keep more of the bacteria, so your cycle will end sooner and your levels will remain manageable.


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## baileysup (Nov 25, 2009)

wouldn't a 20% water change every other day raise my ammonia levels to the point of killing my fish? my nitrites are .25 right now. my nitrates at 10 ppm. i've been doing a 50% every other day to keep the ammonia levels at a manageable level (just added 1 more fish). i'm sorry but i don't want the ammonia levels too high, and must do water changes accordingly.


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## funlad3 (Oct 9, 2010)

If the tank were cycled, I'd agree. But, as new bacteria are growing in the water, you're siphoning 50% out every other day. By lessening the amount of water that you change, more of these bacteria are able to attach themselves to your gravel, decorations and filter, making your levels decrease more rapidly and your cycle last a shorter period of time. There are many ways to do this though! Listen to some other opinions too! ;-)


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## baileysup (Nov 25, 2009)

WHAT IS MANAGEABLE? so how high would you let your ammonia/nitrite levels get with fish in the tank? i understand. i will try 35% every other day. thanks


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## chronoboy (Jan 17, 2011)

well i might do a 20% water change everyday till levels are at 0ppm, but at the same time i dont know what size your tank is and what kind of filter you are useing, but i agree with funlad i think the bacteria would grow faster by smaller water changes just might make it everyday though since you got fish in thier and even 2ppm is pretty toxic to them, but im no expert ethier, some of my fish keeping practices ive been doing for years i found out was wrong just by asking or reading about it on this site.

i am curiouse to hear thoughts on this cause ive always cycled with fish but not right away i wait a week or two after the tanks been running before i add a few feeder goldfish in there to be the dirty little fish they are, but in turn for thier help they get to live in a big pond once they served thier purpose, untill those damn racoons get them.


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## baileysup (Nov 25, 2009)

it's a 10 gallon, so that you know. i'm running a HOB Aqua Tec filter. and as far as waiting to add fish, the lfs gave me the "BROWN GOO", which accelerated the cycling process. they said i could add fish the same day. my fish are doing fine. they are happy, but you are right. i think i need to do a smaller water change every day. this will speed up cycling. thanks. "10 GALLON"


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## chronoboy (Jan 17, 2011)

Ya im lerry of those quick starts I used it before when I was moving and had to transport my oscars and didnt have time to let the water cycle, I set the tank up added the quick start and let it run for about 12 hours but couldnt wait any longer cause my oscars had been in a 35g tubberware tote for 2 days already with a make shift filtration setup and lets just say it was tight for 3 7" oscars and a 12" pleco in thier so right as I threw the fish in, I got a good reading but two days later I had thier buddy a 6" silver dollar just die on me so I tested the water and everything was haywire, Course oscars are dirty fish so im sure they didnt help, If oscars and plecos wherent so hardy of fish they probaly wouldnt of made it, Even with the quick start it took prob almost three weeks before i got good stable readings.

So long story short whenever I setup a tank I use safestart as a biological booster but I still wait a week or two before i add a fish, just to be safe.


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## baileysup (Nov 25, 2009)

the stuff my lfs gave me was just beneficial bacteria to help the cycling process. it was not really a quick-start, but a natural bacteria (from a fish tank. not a bottle, and i put the fish in at the same time). OMGoodness. a silver dollar that size? WOW. im sorry to hear that for sure. i'm sorry for your loss. if i lost a fish like that it would suck. it would suck bad. i'm sorry for your loss. that sucks!


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## chronoboy (Jan 17, 2011)

ya it was prob almost 4 years old had it along time beside my oscars and pleco and lefteye the gold fish he was the longest fish i ever kept.


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## baileysup (Nov 25, 2009)

tested the water today, and ammonia was at 1 ppm. i'm going to do a smaller water change of about 20% today, and will post ammonia levels later. i just don't want the ammonia to get too high. i'll see what these 20% water changes do to the levels.


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## chronoboy (Jan 17, 2011)

awsome and good luck, just remeber somtimes with new tanks you will get ammonia spikes before thier done cycling so since you got fish in thier just remeber to test everyday, and if that brown goo works for you i might have to try it cause it always takes me over a month before a new tanks gives me stable good reading's.


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## baileysup (Nov 25, 2009)

just did a 20% water change. i'll test the water in an hour (3:00 pm).


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## baileysup (Nov 25, 2009)

my ammonia is still at 1 ppm after a 20% water change. what should i do please?


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## baileysup (Nov 25, 2009)

did another 20% water change today, and tested before and after. my ammonia was 1 ppm before the change, and 1 ppm after the change. it's funny how i'm reading the same ammonia levels before and after the water change. oh well. i guess ill stay with 20% every day for now, and hopefully the ammonia wont get too high, and will remain at 1 ppm until the tank is cycled. also my nitrites were below .25 ppm. which i think is good. later


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