newbie here

[dogfish]

Hi,
HELP!! I am really confused now. I changed from a 10 gallon to a 30 gallon last week. I lost most of my danios and that's what helped me find this site. The new tank came with test kits and I did a water change like you all recommended. The amonia is still present. The color shows between .5 and 1.0 Also should I be doing all 3 tests during this, the amonia, PH, and the nitrates? The danios started out as feeders for a frog and I never did any water testing. I never realized there was so much involved. I don't want the 3 that are left to die or get sick!!
Thanks,
Nancy

 

[Sensei_the_dojo]

Did you move gravel and/or filter media from the 10 to the 30? That would have helped.

Regardless, since you've got problems, do more water changes. It's probably the only thing that can save your fish.

 

[Archangel]

cycle?

Did you cycle it? You have to let the tank run for a good while, ~ 2 weeks to 30 days, to let the nitrogen cycle complete, otherwise your fish won't be able to withstand the toxins that build up in such a confined place.

 

[happychem]

What sensei said...

More detail:
Move the filter from your established 10g to your 30g. This should contain lots of bacteria to innoculate the new tank.

Also you can also transfer the gravel, of do a good, deep gravel vac on the 10g, suck up as much mulm as you can. Decant off the top layer of water and transfer the mulm to the new aquarium. Although I've never heard of this being done with fish in the aquarium at the time of addition, i.e. before it settles into the gravel.

Both these should bring lots and lots of good bacteria to your new tank and greatly speed the cycling process.

And lots and lots of water changes.

 

[Sensei_the_dojo]

Of course, if you've dismantled the 10g and let everything dry out then some of the advice above is moot because any beneficial bacteria from the 10g filter and gravel is kaput. If you have a friend with an established aquarium, or a friendly lfs, you might ask for some media or gravel from their aquarium.

Basically you're now doing what's known as a "fishy" rather than a "fishless" cycle. The most important thing at this point is to keep ammonia as low as humanly possible to avoid having your fishes' gills burned. Until your beneficial bacteria build to a level that they can handle the situation the only way to remove ammonia is with water changes.

 

[dogfish]

You're right it's dried up

Honestly I thought all the gunk stuff was no good. I purposely put in a new filter when I set up the new tank. I feel so bad that I did it all wrong. How will I know if the fish have been damaged by all this?
I am so happy I found this site!!

 

[dogfish]

1 1/2 hours reading

I have been reading and reading. I've learned so much. Got confused at times but I am so grateful for all the posts and advice.
Good night. It's way past my bedtime!!

 

[happychem]

I feel so bad that I did it all wrong.

You really shouldn't, you did what you thought best at the time and with the best intentions, there's really no better mantra for life. Trouble is that most lfs' don't have staff knowledgeable to teach people about stuff like this, or worst, don't so that they can sell you all sorts of snake oils later...

When I first started, I knew nothing about cycling. Lost lots of fish despite following to the letter the advice I'd been given by people at an lfs (which I no longer frequent).

Like everything in life, this hobby has some learning associated with it, so don't ever feel bad that you did something 'wrong' because you didn't know it at the time.

 

[Sensei_the_dojo]

Re: You're right it's dried up

Originally posted by dogfish
Honestly I thought all the gunk stuff was no good. I purposely put in a new filter when I set up the new tank. I feel so bad that I did it all wrong. How will I know if the fish have been damaged by all this?
I am so happy I found this site!!

If your ammonia reading was accurate, then your fish probably have suffered some damage. But, from what I understand, Danios are pretty hardy and are often the fish of choice for people who do "fishy" cycling. Just keep doing those water changes to minimize any ill effects and they may pull through.

And happychem is right. Don't beat yourself up about this. There are a LOT of us on this board (myself included) who made the same darn mistakes starting off.