New fish/tank questions

StarStruck8

StarStruck8

AC Members
Jun 9, 2008
556
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Central NJ
Real Name
Lindsay
I introduced myself not even an hour ago, and already I am posting questions! I actually introduced myself for the sake of getting some answers/suggestions...:help:

I bought a 28 gallon bowfront a couple of weeks ago, and have been cycling it according to what I have read here. I have eco-complete substrate, small rocks/gravel for aquariums, and fake plants. I took filter media, gravel, and a decoration from my other tank and placed it in the new tank, then added water from my old tank to 'feed' the bacteria the fishy wastes. All was fine, until today when I added a molly to begin slowly adding fish. I acclimated her slowly to the tank water. I'm not planning on adding any more fish for a while until I am sure the bacteria colonies are sufficient for one fish. A couple of hours after I added her, my dad looked into the tank and told me she was staying near the top and not moving around much. Here are my questions:

I purchased decorative river stones from Target, and altough they weren't labelled as aquarium stones, I didn't see any kind of warnings/additives on the label. Does anyone know if stores coat decorative rocks with some kind of chemical that may be harmful to fish?

My brother suggested that I might need an air stone of some sort. How big of a tank requires extra oxygen circulation?

I was concerned about the chemicals that may/may not be on the rocks, so I treated a bucketful of water (about 2.5 gallons) and put the fish in there. She seems to be fine and is just hanging out, but how long can she stay in there? I am planning on going out and buying another tank tomorrow (no cycling I know, but I don't want to put her in the 5 gallon with my other mollies) if there are no answers. It won't be permanent, so I'm hoping it won't be too difficult to keep her happy in there until I figure out whats going on.

I have test strips that are not very accurate, but have ordered a freshwater master test kit online. My test strips tell me: GH 30ish ppm, KH 40ish ppm, pH 7.0, Nitrite 0, Nitrate 20. Its pretty much the same as my 5 gallon, and my fish in there are quite happy.

Sorry this is so long, but I wanted to give as much detail as possible. Thanks!
 
Fishy water is not enough to feed the bacteria, which means they most likely died out :/. When using filter media you add the filter media and a couple of hardy fish (mollies are sensitive fish) or ammonia and monitor the levels in the tank with an accurate test kit. How long has your other tank been set up?
 
I have been putting the water in there whenever I do a water change in my other tank (1-2 times a week since I don't like having so many fish in my little tank) and have sprinkled food in there as I read someone else did. I am hoping the liquid test kit comes soon...I didn't know how bad the strips were until recently. :headshake2:

I have had the other tank with fish for about 3 months now...I didn't know anything about cycling when I got them and they all made it through somehow. (Once again, I'm ashamed of my lack of knowledge).

I also didn't know that mollies were sensitive! Looks like all my research didn't get me very far...:(
 
Almost all the people in this hobby have been there and since you decided to research and help your fishies I don't think anybody judges you. Keep "feeding" the tank. When the liquid test kits arrive, test the water. If it tests at 0 ammonia 0 nitrites, add some pure ammonia and wait for around 4 hours. Retest the water and if it reads 0 ammonia 0 nitrites, then it is not a cycling issue. Check the nitrates before and after. If they read over 20 ppm, do a water change after you add the ammonia.
 
Welcome to AC !

From the behaviour of your fish, I'd say do a water change. Your test kit when it arrives will be your biggest friend in getting the new tank stabiisied.

Noticing you have an established tank - am I correct that it is a 5G ? This would not give you much material, but you could squeeze out your filter media into your new filter media and that should give it a bit of a boost - especially as you have only one fish in the new tank this would be helpful.

Just bear in mind that because you have only one fish, you will need to stock this tank very slowly and carefully, to avoid overloading the bacteria as they establish and causing spikes in ammonia/nitrite.

I don't know about the rocks - but the lack of any warning etc. would not really be definitive, as you wouldn't know how stuff can react when submerged in water etc. versus staying dry. Are they actually coloured ? Do they appear to be coated in anything ?
 
As for providing extra oxygen to the water, I added a long air stone, purely for the looks of if, but my fish totally love it anyway. But my plants also add oxygen to the water, so not really a mojor issue.

As for feeling ashamed, you shouldn't, you tried. You researched, and at the end of the day, we all learn something from our mistakes. I sure know I have :D
 
Don't feel bad! I ended up cycling my five gallon tank with the super-sensitive otocinclus and it made it through all the massive breakdowns of the tank.
 
Nervous newbie

The rocks look like smooth, normal rocks. I may have been over-reacting last night--expected a problem and made one up? I think she was just unsure of herself in this new tank by herself, especially compared to the herd of males that were chasing her in the store's tank. :mad2: Right now she is swimming around and eating the flakes I put in.

Buuuut on the plus side, my worries over her caused me to wake up hours earlier than normal. When I looked into my other tank, what did I see but a tiny little thing streak by. I guess my female gave birth sometime last night. The babies are so cute! :grinno: I wasn't expecting it so soon, so I quickly ran and cut a piece off the enormous fake floating plant I had bought online and realized was like 3 feet long. I hope some of them make it! My fish weren't begging at the top for food like normal, so I'm guessing some became midnight snacks.

Thanks to everyone for their help!
 
lol sounds good, and yeah midnight snack is likely, tho mine still beg lol. My fish are all now getting really friendly and come for a nibble on my fingers, and the gouramis come up for a petting. i keep hoping to catch some of the fry to move, but so far the fish are faster than I. One day lol
 
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