Moutain Dew

What I did wrong with both my tanks, was listen to the people at the pet store!!!

The first tank I let sit empty for a couple of weeks before adding fish it was only a 5gal tank, thought I was doing everything right, took the filter out and rinsed it all off, however my mistake was rinsing it off under tap water, I killed off all the good bacteria, so now that tank is going through a small bloom, but now I know what I am dealing with I have done partial changes, added prime and stability to the tank and will continue to do so.

With my large tank, I set it up and was told I could add fish, so one week after having it set up I added two cichlids, everything was fine and dandy a week later I added the other fish, things were not so fine and dandy well they were for a week. At which point my tank was 3 weeks old on the fourth week it went into a wonderful bloom...NOT, anyway I have since been told that I should of waited six to even 8 weeks before adding fish...

I am trying to complete a fishless cycle with a new tank I have purchased so that when one of my tanks pukes up I have some place safe for my fish...

All mistakes that have been made were made due to being new to the fish world and simply not knowing, and not having adequate advise.

I have since joined this group hoping that I don't have any more newbie lapses and when something arrises I can look for help.

I have had so many people suggest different filters and when I went to purchase the filstar filter I was told not to buy that filter but to purchase an aqua clear, now was I wrong to do that, shoot you know what I have no idea, so now my tank has the fluval 205 and the aquaclear 70 running on it, with an airstone, my tank is clearing up. I have tested the levels and I am still having problems with the ammonia, so I am continuing to do partial water changes and adding prime and stability. I add the prime when I complete the water change and following morning add stability, we have just completed about a 30% water change last night, would not of done such a large one, but we had to move the tank a smidge away from the wall so we could put the new filter in. Tonight we will just remove 2.5 gal of water and replace with new water. so just a small change, that will let the good bacteria grow.

Because I am new to fish I was not aware that you had to let the tank cycle before adding fish, now that my tank has or is going through this bloom once it is done I believe it will be safe to add the fish I was hoping to add.

So lesson learned and I am trying to do better by my fish.

Lana

On the bright side....

Thanx to this very reason you can find excellent deals on Fish tanks on kijji and similiar sites

Not to sound mean or anything....BUT

Do you and your friend seem to be having the same problems? I believe her name is Lana?

It sounds to me as you have taken on too much to fast. I am not sure about how long your tank has been running.

But if it is under 2 months and you keep adding fish and changing filters and adding more fish you are going to probably lose all your fish.

I have seen many good people give you the same answers and You are still looking to add more fish.

I could be very wrong but maybe you should take a step back and learn the balance your aquarium needs to stay healthy, master that then start adding to

your fish collection. As it will become a very expensive and not very fun experience for yourself and your fish.

There are many good articles on here about the nitrogen cycle which incorporates the neccesity of your filter biological/ mechanical / chemical.

1 Biological filtration is the most important aquarium filtration type because it deals with the growing of the good bacteria in your filter. The good bacteria is the bacteria that converts ammonia to nitrite and then converts nitrite into nitrate. This establishment of bacteria is essential to your success with keeping tropical fish. For more information please read about the Nitrogen Cycle.( http://www.fishlore.com/NitrogenCycle.htm )

2 Mechanical Filtration

Mechanical filtration removes the free floating particles from the aquarium water. The siphoning action of a power filter that hangs on the back of an aquarium does a decent job of this type of filtration.

3 Chemical Filtration

Chemical filtration involves removing the dissolved wastes from the aquarium water. Often times this is accomplished through the use of activated carbon in the aquarium filter. Activated carbon can also help to reduce odors. Many people dislike using carbon in their tanks due to the fact that the carbon is useful for only a short period and then must be replaced. If it doesn't get replaced in a timely manner the very wastes that it removed can be released from the carbon back into the aquarium.

I use to wash my filter material under tap water and lose fish constantly because my tank kept cycling and my fish kept going through a cycling tank, until I took the time and started reading and undertanding the environment my fish needed to survive.

Just a thought sorry about the rambling...

I know for a fact that Prime is a good product to use but Seachem also has another product i used to cycle my 40 gallon tank. Funny enough it's called Cycle. It does a wonderfull job of speeding the cycle. I don't think my ammonia got over 2ppm unless i tested just before or after the spike. It was fully cycled in a week. Do as the experts (not me) suggest though. I just thought i'd let you know my experience with prime and Cycle.

Good luck

Lisa

p.s. i was recommended Cycle when my 30 gal was takeing months to cycle by a number of people.

I think you meant stability not cycle....?

Store is not shut down just phone numbers have changed Store #780-462-8211

Cell# 780-231-3754

Store full of stock and sale on all week during capital Ex.

Corals fish everything

Do you have fresh or just salt?

do you put the output of the canister filters under the water line?

Just takes a few minutes for that fish to be gone in a tank with Mbunas

Not a matter of if.. More a matter of when

really? hummm then i guess i'll have to find another tank for the fish, or sell it?!?!?! because i have another tank with a silver gourami and some guppies and gold fish, but he keeps on beating up on the silver Gourami and the other fish. In the cichlid tank, there hasn't been any aggression towards each other?

Is there just 1 electric yellow in the tank? and no other cichlids?

Just takes a few minutes for that fish to be gone in a tank with Mbunas

Not a matter of if.. More a matter of when

Running a Rena XP2, Bulb is about 5 months old, Metal Halide,Calcium and KH is at appropriate levels, PH a little low around 8.1, acouple turbos,a nessarius, hermits, got a powersweep in tank also along with XP2, Feed once a day, I probly do feed more than I should, with mysis and brine. The skimmer I have is plenty large enough for this size tank I think plus it has a surface basket to help.

I am coming to realize how important flow of water is to algae growth... Guess just think of a still water swamp compared to a fast moving stream

I received these two plecos from tank purchases..

Are they both the common 1 foot Variety?

#2

http://i342.photobucket.com/albums/o430/fe...25/DSC00256.jpg

I received these two plecos from tank purchases..

Are they both the common 1 foot Variety?

go snorkelling

What was the reasoning for only one type of rock?

isn't the 925/hr without filter media?

yes most filters are rated with no media in them at all so they have a better flow rate on the box.

Noticed a good price at pj's in there flyer on FX 5's if anyone needs one

I use my pressure washer and stick it in the bucket clean it up real good

Is the Auction at the sands hotel on monday?

not the lil hall on the west end?

Have not seen any new arrivals posted lately?

Has anyone been in to the store this past weekend?

It is somewhat of a drive, just curious to what kind of stock situation they have at the moment.

thanx

any red "threads" hanging out!? The first thing that popped in my head was camallanus. I had an apisto that had camallanus and started like that and worms started coming out. Keep an eye on it. If it is camallanuse...use some levamisole hcl.

Js

Looks exactly like callamanus to me too watch for red worms hanging out

I usually use Eheim ehfisubstrat in all three of the middle trays, or possibly the fluval media in one, with a sponge on top of each tray. This last time I used ehfisubstrate in the top two, and the eheim sponges in the bottom one. I don't know what sort of difference a different order would make.

I have a ton of biomax Is there that much of a difference?

What are you generally use for your middle 3 chambers?

and in what order"?

Not at all your pictures and input are appreciated... carry on with the great posts!

Jorg I think there was a comma missing in jerry's reply

maybe reread it he said NOT AT ALL< Your pictures and input are appreciated... carry on with the great posts!

I think you read it as ""Not all your pictures and input are appreciated""

How long does it usually take for Rusties and Electric Yellows to reach full size?

From fry to fully matured..... approximately

Your question is hard to answer---tank size ---type of filtration--type of food--temperature---water changes---genetics---etc. there are too many variables to give you an exact time frame

75 gallon rena xp3 and aquaclear 200 nls cichlid 1mm sinking pellet 80 degrees once a week... = about 7 mos in general?

my electric yellows are from leon who in turn I think received his from african fever? so genetics should be fine..

One of the fish has stayed extremely small though kinda Neat lil guy

Just curious as a saw an electric yellow in a LFS and it was double the size of mine

which i have had since august

How long does it usually take for Rusties and Electric Yellows to reach full size?

From fry to fully matured..... approximately

You can get a waterbed drain kit from walmart... Rv quality water house from canadian tire with your old gravel vacuum end and maybe a couple of connectors probably for 40 - 50 max..