Complete Newbie needs a bit of help

[jjanoch]

there is no doubt some fish are super shy.....so I would just let him/her do what they are going to do. Either it will perk up some as it gets used to it's environment, or if it truely is stressed out, it will go downhill.

But if the fish is stressed, you messing with it, and forcing it out of the cave...will not "remove" any stress....and probably will actually add more stress.

My suggestion is just let it be. Instinct is too strong for a fish to give up eating when it has the chance...most will over eat when allowed. So a sure sign of an unhappy (possible sick) fish is not eating.

 

[Shermanator]

Ok- Ammonia has been consistantly going up 0.25 everytime I get up. Back to Back water changes seem to do very little. So quickly went to 3 differenmt LFS to get some opinions. I work twelve hrs shifts during the night and it is hard to keep monitoring as much as I would want to. Now I know some of you (or most of you) frown on using chemicals to control ammonia levels. But I would rather allviate the fish from less stress than having to put them through pain of having to swim in a somewhat toxic cocktail whilst I am at work. At no means am I trying to get away from doing water changes either. So please dont flame me.

Anyway I was sold some Ammo-Lock to elleviate what is currently happening. Now I have used it today and it has stablized the Ammonia. If all goes good the day after tommorow I will do a 25 percent water change but also monitor what happens tommorow, and see what is happening. The hardest thing here is everyone has differing opinions. Trying to siphon out what is the correct way of doing it all makes a newbie really confused. But I guess thats the name of the game really. Trial and error I guess.

I have read this saying somewhere either here or on the net-
"Not knowingly adding to much fish to the aquariam as they say is forgiveable, but knowingly adding too much fish to the aquariam and not doing anything and everything possible to prevent them from suffering is unforgiveable".

I have somewhat become rather attached to the fish suprisingly and thats something I would never have thought I had within me if I went back a year or two ago. I want them to survive no matter what the cost.

 

[Shermanator]

Just out of interest has anyone used Ammo-Lock before?

 

[jeffs99dime]

Just out of interest has anyone used Ammo-Lock before?

you don't need it. just do bigger, more frequent water changes.
chemicals only cause problems.

 

[jjanoch]

Welcome to the reason why many people suggest a fishless cycle. It sounds like your tank is going through what it should be....but due to having fish you are forced to have to react with water changes quite often.

Unfortunately your best course of action is to not use chemicals and just grin and cope with it. It will not last too long, maybe a week or two at these levels.

The first few weeks were nice and easy, it does sound like your hitting the rough stretch before it starts to level back out again.

 

[Shermanator]

Ok so I got up this morning and did another test after I had fed the fish. Sure enough it was up to 0.25 again. So ended up doing roughly a 60 percent water change. As of this afternoon its up again to 0.25. What bothers me is that we here in Melbourne are under strict water restrictions. The amount of water wastage is starting to worry me a bit considersing the size of the tank. So I will grin an bare it I guess. I intend to try to compensate this buy trying to water change every other day. So although I don't like the idea of using chemicals- the ammo-lock will at least try to eleviate the stress on the fish till then. What do you guys think? and I realise you guys are not into chemicals but it looks like I have no other choice. I am hopping buy this Sunday I would have crossed the hurdle because its a week since the Platys went in their.

 

[Shermanator]

Welcome to the reason why many people suggest a fishless cycle. It sounds like your tank is going through what it should be....but due to having fish you are forced to have to react with water changes quite often.

Unfortunately your best course of action is to not use chemicals and just grin and cope with it. It will not last too long, maybe a week or two at these levels.

The first few weeks were nice and easy, it does sound like your hitting the rough stretch before it starts to level back out again.

It is wierd- nobody I have spoken to here in Melbourne has heard of doing the fishless cycle. When I spoke to the LFS bloke about adding ammonia- he sought of looked at me strangly. Whatever the case I don't think it is practised in our parts of the woods. I should have given it go. But anyway will keep percevering on.

Another thing I forgot to say- In my book The Complete idiots guide to fresh water aquariums under Corrective Actions, it states not to do anything to the tank when their is elleviated ammonia levels during the cycle unless the fish a showing distress of some sort. Further more it goes on to state that Mother Nature will fix the ammonia and nitrite problems or by it self. It also states on the other hand if you are loosing fish or the fish look overly stressed then corrective action may be necessery. (Aka the water changes I presume)

 

[jjanoch]

it has been my experience & research that water changes are your #1 friend for helping the natural cycle complete.

I can understand your concern if the water changes are an issue, but I don't think there is anything you can do to avoid those now.

I would hold off adding anymore fish until this is complete. Sounds like you did very similar to me, and many other new tank owners....went a little overboard on adding fish early on.

But that history so now you just wait.

 

[Shermanator]

Ok did my test this afternoon and the first signs of Nitrite has appeared.

Ammonia is at 0.25 and Nitrite is at 0.1- Is the Nitrite too high??

 

[Shermanator]

I have been hiding and laying low for a while. Saturday came and Ammonia levels were toxic. Water changed my head off and still the Ammonia was between 2.5 and 5.0. Sunday changed water and still it was the same. I don't know what to do. Today I have done two 80 percent water changes and still nothing. Its heart breaking- I have invested large somes of money on this buying Ammo-Lock and all these different benefical bloody bacteria.
Today was sold some Aqua Clear ammonia remover to go into the filter in a one last ditch to fight it.

Last night before I went to work I saw one of my Platys have this type of white spot behind his dorsel fin. So I bought this fungus curing solution in a bottle. but never got to use it. He has disappeared without a trace after I came back from work. I guess he has kicked the bucket and probably consumed by the other fish. My tank is on the verge of collapse and I am on the virge of collapse. I am on the verge of loosing it and I guess I am succuming to a great loss. :sad: