Hi everyone! *waves*
MTS (multiple tank syndrome) is a lot like what we call tarantula math over at the ATS (american tarantula society) forums... you go from 1 to 10 in the pace of a month while the addiction, er, hobby grows....
My name is Melisa, most of my friends call me Missa. I have been a huge lover of all things living (minus the common house roach, just ew) essentially since birth. I've had a big bleeding heart for just about everything with the spark of life in it.
As a kid, the family got an aquarium one time, when I was about 11. My mom presented to my dad a 10gal that had been cut down (about 2-3 inches shorter) to fit into a shelf on the entertainment center. They got the advice from the LFS of the time - fill it up, treat the water, let it run for about 48 hours before coming back to get your fish. There was never any talk about biological filtration and testing the water was something people did if they were rich or had marine aquariums. They stocked it with some swordtails, a sucker fish, and I think some mollies... and it wasn't long before they ignored it. We didn't know much about it, but my brother and I tried to keep it up and keep it cleaned but eventually the parents decided to give it away.
Sooooo.. I sort of avoided fish for a long time after that because, I guess my first experience tainted me. I did start keeping bettas in college though and my bettas have always thrived, living many years even though I had never heard of cycling a tank or biological filtration. Other pets I keep are hermit crabs, tarantulas, cats/dogs...
Recently though, I upgraded my hermit crabs to a nice repti habitat which left me with an empty 20g long tank (roughly 30 inches long, 15 inches wide) and so I decided, it was time to get back into fish. In the stores to get my crickets or other needs, I always would look longingly at the tanks and the live fish for sale but held back either because of money or because I was nervous based on past experience. Finally though, it was time, all I needed I reasoned, was the filter, heater, gravel and decorations... or so I thought... add to that, water treatments, a master test kit, heater, extra filter cartridges, a net, and the fish themselves... and yeah, its expensive to get started!
Normally, I am a research hound and belong to forums about my pets and am involved (I love ATSHQ.org).. but maybe I was arrogant or maybe its just that the fish scene has changed so much w/ what they recommend etc since I was 11.. after all, that was 17 years ago... but I was excited and so I didn't until too late (ie, the fish already in the tank). So now I am cycling my tank w/ fish. I've read the articles. I've added some Bio-spira type stuff just in case it helps. I am monitoring water parameters daily and doing water changes to keep the ammonia under control - so far I'm getting nitrites showing up in tiny amts and nitrates now also so I know the bio filter is beginning to be established. Now that I've found these forums, I am here to learn and hope I haven't screwed things up too bad.
Here is the other thing... I have a 2.5gallon tank at work that is my responsibility now. It is a fresh tank, ie, was not cycled properly. It is stocked w/ gravel and fake plants, has a filter and airstone. It started out with 5 neon tetras and 1 glofish and has only bet set up for about 3-4 days. Unfortunately, in that amt of time, 2 of the neons have died. One in transport, and one within 8 hours after transport so I think stress was the cause... but after some reading I have learned about the different water parameters for the neons... so am not sure if that may also be the problem....
Either way, I will post in the newbie forum about that problem... I was just prefacing along w/ my introduction - I don't want to get too flamed/scolded at the outset - after all, I've come here to cure my ignorance on these issues and hopefully save the fish that have now become my little dependents. I'm completely addicted to this now and am more than ready to roll up my sleeves and do as many pwc, water testing, and reading articles etc as it takes to come out the other side
as a successful fish keeper - one where my babies thrive. As it is, the loss of the 2 neons makes me very sad.
So, long introduction aside, I'm happy to meet everyone!
MTS (multiple tank syndrome) is a lot like what we call tarantula math over at the ATS (american tarantula society) forums... you go from 1 to 10 in the pace of a month while the addiction, er, hobby grows....
My name is Melisa, most of my friends call me Missa. I have been a huge lover of all things living (minus the common house roach, just ew) essentially since birth. I've had a big bleeding heart for just about everything with the spark of life in it.
As a kid, the family got an aquarium one time, when I was about 11. My mom presented to my dad a 10gal that had been cut down (about 2-3 inches shorter) to fit into a shelf on the entertainment center. They got the advice from the LFS of the time - fill it up, treat the water, let it run for about 48 hours before coming back to get your fish. There was never any talk about biological filtration and testing the water was something people did if they were rich or had marine aquariums. They stocked it with some swordtails, a sucker fish, and I think some mollies... and it wasn't long before they ignored it. We didn't know much about it, but my brother and I tried to keep it up and keep it cleaned but eventually the parents decided to give it away.
Sooooo.. I sort of avoided fish for a long time after that because, I guess my first experience tainted me. I did start keeping bettas in college though and my bettas have always thrived, living many years even though I had never heard of cycling a tank or biological filtration. Other pets I keep are hermit crabs, tarantulas, cats/dogs...
Recently though, I upgraded my hermit crabs to a nice repti habitat which left me with an empty 20g long tank (roughly 30 inches long, 15 inches wide) and so I decided, it was time to get back into fish. In the stores to get my crickets or other needs, I always would look longingly at the tanks and the live fish for sale but held back either because of money or because I was nervous based on past experience. Finally though, it was time, all I needed I reasoned, was the filter, heater, gravel and decorations... or so I thought... add to that, water treatments, a master test kit, heater, extra filter cartridges, a net, and the fish themselves... and yeah, its expensive to get started!
Normally, I am a research hound and belong to forums about my pets and am involved (I love ATSHQ.org).. but maybe I was arrogant or maybe its just that the fish scene has changed so much w/ what they recommend etc since I was 11.. after all, that was 17 years ago... but I was excited and so I didn't until too late (ie, the fish already in the tank). So now I am cycling my tank w/ fish. I've read the articles. I've added some Bio-spira type stuff just in case it helps. I am monitoring water parameters daily and doing water changes to keep the ammonia under control - so far I'm getting nitrites showing up in tiny amts and nitrates now also so I know the bio filter is beginning to be established. Now that I've found these forums, I am here to learn and hope I haven't screwed things up too bad.
Here is the other thing... I have a 2.5gallon tank at work that is my responsibility now. It is a fresh tank, ie, was not cycled properly. It is stocked w/ gravel and fake plants, has a filter and airstone. It started out with 5 neon tetras and 1 glofish and has only bet set up for about 3-4 days. Unfortunately, in that amt of time, 2 of the neons have died. One in transport, and one within 8 hours after transport so I think stress was the cause... but after some reading I have learned about the different water parameters for the neons... so am not sure if that may also be the problem....
Either way, I will post in the newbie forum about that problem... I was just prefacing along w/ my introduction - I don't want to get too flamed/scolded at the outset - after all, I've come here to cure my ignorance on these issues and hopefully save the fish that have now become my little dependents. I'm completely addicted to this now and am more than ready to roll up my sleeves and do as many pwc, water testing, and reading articles etc as it takes to come out the other side
as a successful fish keeper - one where my babies thrive. As it is, the loss of the 2 neons makes me very sad.
So, long introduction aside, I'm happy to meet everyone!
