4 years ago after much thought but not enough research, I decided to purchase an aquarium. I had decided that I wanted convicts because I thoroughly enjoyed watching those a friend had. I had read somewhere that a smaller tank is more difficult to keep stable therefore I decided a larger tank was the way to go.
Thus, I purchased my 50G, Whisper filter, heater, gravel, air pump, bubble wand, air stone, and a really cool rock. I was told that I needed to run the tank for 24 hours before I put any fish in it. We agreed that they would hold 9 half-inch convicts for me so that I could pick them up the next weekend. Therefore, my tank actually ran a week without fish in it but no additive either.
When I picked up the convicts, I asked if it was okay to put all 9 in the tank and was told it was since not all of them would survive anyway. Not knowing any better, I assumed that this was basically natural selection. No one told me it was because they would put too much load on the filtration system and that they would be damaged by the toxicity of high ammonia levels.
Anyway, I got home, floated the babies to acclimate them to the water temp, and then released them into the tank. I was fun watching them explore and enjoy all the room they had in the tank. Later I fed them and went to sleep. I wake up next morning excited to see how the fishies are doing and the water is cloudy. I go to the fish store where I purchased everything and asked what to do about cloudy water. One person told me to get a clarifier another took me aside and said it depends on why it is cloudy. “How is the tank’s ammonia level?” First time I heard of it. Found out I need to test the ammonia levels. So purchased an ammonia test kit – not a dip stick)
When I tested the water, I found that yup, the ammonia level was up there. Did a water change first 50%, then filled it up, then 30%, filled it back up, then 50% again. Tested the water, 0 ammonia water is clear. Go to bed. Water almost looks foggy when I get up. Okay test the ammonia yup up there again. Change the water same way again. Test the water 0 ammonia. Go to bed this time by the time I get up, the water is milky. At this point, I start searching online for help. Found a forum where some people just commented on my ineffectiveness and how I would be lucky if none of the fish died and not to expect any that lived to last long. One person was kind enough to pm me and helped me out a great deal. Told me to try not changing the water that much, get ammonia neutralizer to allow the bacteria that would take care of the ammonia to grow and then to watch out because once there was no more ammonia I should expect a nitrite spike. Additionally, it was through this person that I learned that I needed to neutralize the chlorine in the water – first I heard of it.
It took almost three months to cycle this way and I managed to save all 9 convicts. I kept 4 pinks and 1 pair, giving three away to a friend. At this time, I told my husband that we couldn’t keep all of them in the same tank because I wanted to get a severum and a parrot. Therefore, he purchased another tank, 40G tall. I cycled this one with “Cycle” and it went much smoother than my first. Having learned much from my first experience, I eased the pinks in there one by one with about a week in between monitoring the water parameters until they were optimal before I put in another one.
I eventually gave away all but the 4 pinks and it wasn’t until this year that they started to go, one at a time. I cried over each one knowing that it was my fault that they didn’t live long healthy lives.
I hope this answers anyone that asks, “Why cycle?”
Thus, I purchased my 50G, Whisper filter, heater, gravel, air pump, bubble wand, air stone, and a really cool rock. I was told that I needed to run the tank for 24 hours before I put any fish in it. We agreed that they would hold 9 half-inch convicts for me so that I could pick them up the next weekend. Therefore, my tank actually ran a week without fish in it but no additive either.
When I picked up the convicts, I asked if it was okay to put all 9 in the tank and was told it was since not all of them would survive anyway. Not knowing any better, I assumed that this was basically natural selection. No one told me it was because they would put too much load on the filtration system and that they would be damaged by the toxicity of high ammonia levels.
Anyway, I got home, floated the babies to acclimate them to the water temp, and then released them into the tank. I was fun watching them explore and enjoy all the room they had in the tank. Later I fed them and went to sleep. I wake up next morning excited to see how the fishies are doing and the water is cloudy. I go to the fish store where I purchased everything and asked what to do about cloudy water. One person told me to get a clarifier another took me aside and said it depends on why it is cloudy. “How is the tank’s ammonia level?” First time I heard of it. Found out I need to test the ammonia levels. So purchased an ammonia test kit – not a dip stick)
When I tested the water, I found that yup, the ammonia level was up there. Did a water change first 50%, then filled it up, then 30%, filled it back up, then 50% again. Tested the water, 0 ammonia water is clear. Go to bed. Water almost looks foggy when I get up. Okay test the ammonia yup up there again. Change the water same way again. Test the water 0 ammonia. Go to bed this time by the time I get up, the water is milky. At this point, I start searching online for help. Found a forum where some people just commented on my ineffectiveness and how I would be lucky if none of the fish died and not to expect any that lived to last long. One person was kind enough to pm me and helped me out a great deal. Told me to try not changing the water that much, get ammonia neutralizer to allow the bacteria that would take care of the ammonia to grow and then to watch out because once there was no more ammonia I should expect a nitrite spike. Additionally, it was through this person that I learned that I needed to neutralize the chlorine in the water – first I heard of it.
It took almost three months to cycle this way and I managed to save all 9 convicts. I kept 4 pinks and 1 pair, giving three away to a friend. At this time, I told my husband that we couldn’t keep all of them in the same tank because I wanted to get a severum and a parrot. Therefore, he purchased another tank, 40G tall. I cycled this one with “Cycle” and it went much smoother than my first. Having learned much from my first experience, I eased the pinks in there one by one with about a week in between monitoring the water parameters until they were optimal before I put in another one.
I eventually gave away all but the 4 pinks and it wasn’t until this year that they started to go, one at a time. I cried over each one knowing that it was my fault that they didn’t live long healthy lives.
I hope this answers anyone that asks, “Why cycle?”
