I'm Done!!!!! Yay!!!

[mcdeali]

I have completed the cycling process!!!!

I had to get rid of my paradise fish who were bullying my sharks but other than that I had very minimal fish loss. We lost 2 gouramis and maybe the last one but the lfs said it is not my water. And that is remarkable to me being that I did everything wrong all at once. But thanks to Ash and others I have become somewhat knowledgable about lfs's and the fish that I have and even fish that I bought thinking they were one thing to find out they were totally another kind.

I am still overstocked but we are looking for another tank for the bigger fish. They are fine for now except for the tetra they attacked one night. For the most part it is a very peaceful tank that the whole family enjoys watching.

They are done fasting so now everyone should live in harmony. My ammonia and nitrites are in the safe range...it looked like 0 to me but the tester guy said there were small traces but my water was great.

I am now eradicating the ich and all is well with my tank.

I want to thank everyone again. You guys are awesome and not judgemental to stupid mistakes.

I will keep in touch and who knows, I may end up helping someone else.

 

[Watcher74]

Stupid mistakes? I cycled my first tank with....(drum roll).....NEON TETRAS!!! That's right, the poster fish for fragile, weak aquarium fish. The fish that will die first if the slightest thing goes wrong. The fish that no one will ever bet on living through anything slightly stressful.

And on top of that, when I noticed the nice, blue BIOLOGICAL media in my power filter got all dirty I.....(drum roll)...RINSED IT NICE AND CLEAN WITH CHLORAMINE SOAKED TAP WATER. Ensuring that no nitrifying bacteria were going to dirty up MY filter! No sir. I'm a good fish daddy. Cycling? What's cycling?

We've all done things like this. The good aquarists are the ones that try their best and learn how to take care of their pets.

You're a good aquarist.

 

[mcdeali]

Thanks for the insight...lol..now I don't feel alone.

I call these my "other" babies. I have three real children and 19 "other" children. I hand feed the ropefish and eel and if they don't eat I get up and check on them. When one dies I do get upset. But I try to keep them happy and healthy and if something does come up I run to the computer to see how to fix it.

Believe me...you'll hear from me soon.