Ugh stupid pet store. See I bought all this under the supervision of a supposedly intelligent associate a pet store. They were SUPPOSE to give me everything I needed. They said that the filter had the things that go in it, the filter itself (the blue thingy) and the Bio Fiber thingy that slides in with it. She told me this had bacteria that would stabilize the tank. Why do they lie if they have no clue what they are talking about!! Okay so sense taking the fish back is not possible cause of store rules, and I am planning on trying the first option on that link Lab_Rat gave me, what exactly do i need to do. Please explain in terms that I would understand. Remember I am very very new to this.
Just bought my first fish!
- Thread starter Mikey101
- Start date
Did the bio fiber they gave you come out of a tank that was up and running with fish at the store?
edit: Also, did you purchase a testing kit. at the very least you should have one that test Nitrate (NO3), Nitrite (NO2), and Ammonia (NH3).
edit: Also, did you purchase a testing kit. at the very least you should have one that test Nitrate (NO3), Nitrite (NO2), and Ammonia (NH3).
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BettaFishMommy
finkids make me happy :-)
in the most basic terms, you need to change about 75% of the water in the tank every day for a while, until the tank becomes healthy.
be sure to use dechlorinator in all of the new water going into the tank. use a clean bucket that has never seen soap or other chemicals for putting new water in and add the appropriate amount of dechlorinator to the bucket. give it a good swirl/stir and then you are ready to add it to your tank.
best dechlorinator out there is Prime. it comes in a red and white bottle. definitely get some.
another essential thing to have is a water testing kit. get the API Freshwater Master Kit. once you have this kit, test your ammonia and nitrite every day. if you see any reading other than zero, do a 75% water change.
as long as you keep the ammonia and nitrite levels at or as close to zero as possible, your fish will be ok.
the pet store employees will tell you that you can have fish in your tank right away because they want the sale. it`s not all that often you find a good and knowledgeable fish store employee.
be sure to use dechlorinator in all of the new water going into the tank. use a clean bucket that has never seen soap or other chemicals for putting new water in and add the appropriate amount of dechlorinator to the bucket. give it a good swirl/stir and then you are ready to add it to your tank.
best dechlorinator out there is Prime. it comes in a red and white bottle. definitely get some.
another essential thing to have is a water testing kit. get the API Freshwater Master Kit. once you have this kit, test your ammonia and nitrite every day. if you see any reading other than zero, do a 75% water change.
as long as you keep the ammonia and nitrite levels at or as close to zero as possible, your fish will be ok.
the pet store employees will tell you that you can have fish in your tank right away because they want the sale. it`s not all that often you find a good and knowledgeable fish store employee.
I agree with BettaFishMommy..
And for visual references on the Prime water decholorinator and API Master test kit, see pics below:
View attachment api.bmp
One other thing.. I don't want to add to your stress right now, but what temperature is your tank at? I don't know where you live, but basically, as your fish are tropical fish they need water temp between about 75-82 F. If you are not at that temperature for room temp, you will want to invest in a small fish tank heater as well.. for a 5 gallon tank you just need a little 25watt heater.
Good luck! Welcome to AC!
And for visual references on the Prime water decholorinator and API Master test kit, see pics below:
View attachment api.bmp
One other thing.. I don't want to add to your stress right now, but what temperature is your tank at? I don't know where you live, but basically, as your fish are tropical fish they need water temp between about 75-82 F. If you are not at that temperature for room temp, you will want to invest in a small fish tank heater as well.. for a 5 gallon tank you just need a little 25watt heater.
Good luck! Welcome to AC!
You'll need to get a test kit and monitor the levels of Ammonia, Nitrite, and Nitrate in the tank.
There are several types of test kits, there are strips, and liquid kits.
The Liquid kits around $25-30 but will last a very long time.
The strips are very easy to use, but you only get about 40 strips or so, depending on which package you buy. There is a common type that will test 5 or 6 different things, but you should be careful because it doesn't test ammonia, you'd need a separate strip for that usually. Read the package closely to make sure.
I've used both, I don't feel like there is any difference in the quality or results of either kit as long as you follow the instructions on them carefully. I prefer the liquid kit because it's cheaper in the long run.
There are several types of test kits, there are strips, and liquid kits.
The Liquid kits around $25-30 but will last a very long time.
The strips are very easy to use, but you only get about 40 strips or so, depending on which package you buy. There is a common type that will test 5 or 6 different things, but you should be careful because it doesn't test ammonia, you'd need a separate strip for that usually. Read the package closely to make sure.
I've used both, I don't feel like there is any difference in the quality or results of either kit as long as you follow the instructions on them carefully. I prefer the liquid kit because it's cheaper in the long run.
OK, my earlier response shows how long it's been since I've started a new tank not using an established aquaclear foam filter pad to start things off right...
Bio Spira for freshwater was sold to Tetra. It's Tetra Safestart and apparently no longer needs refrigeration. I'd buy it...wont' hurt, and can only help. I've read several online accounts of it's use, and apparently there is one nitrite spike and if you do a 50% water change after that one spike you're good to go.
This should make your life much easier and shorten the cycle time immensely.
Eric
Bio Spira for freshwater was sold to Tetra. It's Tetra Safestart and apparently no longer needs refrigeration. I'd buy it...wont' hurt, and can only help. I've read several online accounts of it's use, and apparently there is one nitrite spike and if you do a 50% water change after that one spike you're good to go.
This should make your life much easier and shorten the cycle time immensely.
Eric
Okay. So give me some advice. It's a 5g tank filled pretty well to the top. The fish have been in it for a little over 24 hours. So until I get the needed supplies what do I need to do without killing my fish. If I need to change the water, how do I do so without stressing the fish out.
Brand new bio filters do not already contain living bacteria. She was implying that the media is designed for the bacteria to grow on. This takes some time to accomplish. A fully cycled tank has all the bacteria necessary to handle the nitrogenous wastes produced by the fish and decaying organic matter that would otherwise poison the fish.
