baby dps surviving newbie ignorance?

puff

puff

Puffer Mom
Apr 3, 2005
12
0
0
Phoenix, Az
4 days and $80 later I realize I did this all backwards, but now have a planted
tank, for my 2 dwarf puffers and 1 oto. And at least I know I have to do a "fishey" cycle. I realize I must have stressed them out by moving them twice in 3 days (read about my stupidity in the "Read this post before getting fish" thread) but I don't see that I had any alternative. I'm keeping a daily log now. I call it the Puffer Diaries. The dps started eating tonight so I'm beginning to relax a little. So at this point I have a 5 gallon, a mini betta tank with 4 snails, and a little tank for growing sea monkeys (bbs). Whew...I'm in information overload. :read:
 
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How large are the puffers? IME, those that are a bit over half an inch have a much better shot at survival than those under a half inch. Keep up on the water changes, and make sure they get enough to eat--juvies can starve easily.
 
They are just about 1/2 inch without the tail. Ammonia at .25 today, Nitrates at 10 before 20% H2O change. Dropped in algae wafers for oto though I think he's eating live bloodworms too.
 
I'd focus on keeping the ammonia no higher than that .25ppm. As long as they keep eating, they should make it. Make sure food doesn't go uneaten--I would not put in an antire wafer for the oto. Break one into pieces and give just a few peices--less if you don't see him eating them within an hour or so.
 
Ammonia level last night 3.0 after having 20% water change yesterday morning. Nitrates 10 and Nitrites 0 remained the same, and PH also is consistantly 6.8. So I suctioned debris from bottom and changed another 20% water last night.
This morning Ammonia =.50
Nitrates = 20
Nitrites = 0
Total Hardness =120
Total Alkalinity=120
PH = 6.6
So this morning I suctioned debris from bottom again and removed 30% and replaced with clean drinking water. Ammonia back to .25 Whew!!! Is day 7 too soon for the ammonia spike and I notice my Nitrates doubled overnight? Reading other peoples posts I seems the spike comes much later.
 
There really isn't a straight forward timeline for when different parts of the cycle will occur--a lot depends on specifics that vary from tank to tank. The water changes control the spikes, so it's tough to track compared to a fishless cycle that has controlled, timed spikes.

Check the water source--without seeing nitrites, the nitrates you're detecting probably are not from the bacteria establishing, but rather from the water source.
 
You were right Nitrates were from water source, but ammonia is mine. Thanks. My husband says I'm becoming obsessive, thinks that I shouldn't be changing water so much. Says I'm taking out everything that would make the tank stablize itself.
 
It's day 10 and I can't seem to stay on top of the Nitrites, they were 0 on the 6th day and have been creeping up slowly for past 4 days as follows:
_________ammonia___nitrates___nitrites___PH___%water change

4/7@9pm____ 3.0______0________0______6.8______20%
4/8@8am_____ .5_____20________0______6.6______40%
4/8@9pm____ .25.................................................0 water change
4/9@9pm____ 3.0 ................................................30%
4/10@9am____ .5_____20______.5-1.0____7.6______20%
4/10@9pm____ .5_____20______.5-1.0____6.8______50% & vacuum
4/11@9am___ .25_____20________3.0_____6.8______20%
4/11@9pm___ .25_____20________5.0_____6.4______20% & vacuum
4/12@4am___ .25_____20________5.0_____6.4______40%

Fish are still eating, seem slightly less active before each water change, tho swimming around normally between changes. Should I be doing something differently, didn't really want to resort to chemicals because most things I'm reading says it only delays or subverts cycling process. But I worry that Nitrites may go up really high while I'm at work or school and injure my fish, so I'm not really opposed to chemical intervention if it will prevent this. I added spring water instead of my usual drinking water on 4/9 at 9pm when I did the 30% water change because there was a long line at the water machine so I just dashed into the store and bought spring water. It raised the PH and looks suspicious for creating the Nitrite bloom but I'm guessing this may just be the way it would have cycled anyway. My neighborhood water machine dosen't have any detectable ammonia, nitrates, or nitrites when tested. Right now, and for past 4 days, I'm doing twice daily water changes that total between 40-60% of my 5 gallon tank is this ok for the fish? I guess I just need some reassurance that I'm doing things right, and things are going in the right direction.
 
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More frequent water changes, and I would add a few teaspoons of salt (any kind, including table salt). The water changes will dilute the nitrite and the salt will help the fish tolerate it. Large water changes, as long as the water is similar to the tank parameters (pH, KH, etc) are just fine, not a problem at all. In fact, the larger changes will help keep the water in the tank closer to the tap water, and that's a good thing.
 
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