Epic Fail, How do I fix this??

jjqs11 · 11-19-2009, 11:15 PM

Alrighty.
I have failed, badly.

Ive had my tank running for about 5 weeks, but I really didnt do any research before I started, and I fear Ive screwed myself lol.
HELP!

Alright, I have...
A non aggressive American Chichlid, A betta, 6 Diamond Tetras, 1 Pleco, 3 Platys, one that I think is prego. :S

Alright, so I added a couple barbs, was told they were good to do a fish in cycle.
6 if Im not mistaken.
Apparently babys arent the best though, and they all ended up dying.

<- Within a week that is.
Then I added the betta/chichlid/and a moly.
Then the week after, the tetras... For some reason, the fish store told me I didnt have to wait to add fish... Only now that I look online, I find out... lol.
So...

Now everyone seems healthy, but my water looks like crap.
And Im told, if I have some live plants/properly cycled ect, my water will be crystal clear.

Therefor, I would love to do the following.

A fishless cycling, and adding the soil stuff under my rocks, and adding live plants.

If I wanna do this, I need to remove my fish from the tank for the 2-3 weeks its going to take me to do the ammonia cycling...

What is the cheapest/best way to getting my fish out of the tank for those 2-3 weeks.

Is it possible to, *I KNOW THIS IS MEAN TO THE FISH*, put them in a un-cycled tank, for the 2-3 weeks, allthough I know they will stress, having a good tank to go back in later on may be worth the 2-3 week stress?

I dont know.
Tell me if theres anythign I can do.
I dont really wanna buy another tank, then fishless cycle it, then transfer my fish, then fishless cycle this one, then transfer them back.

One of my friends has a fish tank though, cycled/planted ect.

Would it be best for me to bring my fish to his tank for the 2-3 weeks?
Will they be stressed out if they are put in his tank, then brought back to mine? Take into account, adding my 12 fish to his tank, would be extremely over populated.
Ahh, Im so confused.

unwritten law · 11-19-2009, 11:22 PM

what size is your tank? what is the current stock? get your water tested or better yet buy your own test kits.

jjqs11 · 11-19-2009, 11:48 PM

Its a 30 gal tank, stock is listed.

The reason I wanna do it, is because my tank reads are WAY off what they should be...
WAYYY off.
I have the master test kit.

*EDIT: Can I do BIO-SPIRA to a tank with fish already in it?
I guess I would have to do a 75% water change, then do the bio-spira?

OrangeCones · 11-20-2009, 01:26 AM

If you plan on planting heavily, you can do a silent cycle. You'd have to have good light (not the type that a tank normally comes with) to do it with a 30gallon in my experience.

Good luck with your fish. Not sure if the stock you have will live 'happily ever after' as far as compatibility, as I've not kept the specific species you mention together.

sheamurai · 11-20-2009, 04:46 PM

Hmm - why are you wanting to take the fish out of there? You've started a cycle in the tank they are in, so as long as you stay on top of your water changes (every day or every other day depending on your readings) they are prolly better off staying put than moved.
No reason you can't add plants and substrate with the fish in there. When you add substrate, you can put the fish in a temp tank like a bucket while you do your thing. When I changed out my substrate, I left the fish in, I just did 1/2 the tank at a time, so they always had a place to hide. So long as you rinse your substrate really well, it will settle quickly. Having substrate in there will help your cycle along a bit. I'd leave the plants for last. With so much you need to do - maybe best to take one thing at a time.

jjqs11 · 11-20-2009, 05:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sheamurai

Hmm - why are you wanting to take the fish out of there? You've started a cycle in the tank they are in, so as long as you stay on top of your water changes (every day or every other day depending on your readings) they are prolly better off staying put than moved.
No reason you can't add plants and substrate with the fish in there. When you add substrate, you can put the fish in a temp tank like a bucket while you do your thing. When I changed out my substrate, I left the fish in, I just did 1/2 the tank at a time, so they always had a place to hide. So long as you rinse your substrate really well, it will settle quickly. Having substrate in there will help your cycle along a bit. I'd leave the plants for last. With so much you need to do - maybe best to take one thing at a time.

Hmm, yea, I guess that would work, just put them in a bucket real quick, and make sure everything is prepared/washed down/ready before hand...
Thanks for the great idea.

Quote:

Originally Posted by OrangeCones

If you plan on planting heavily, you can do a silent cycle. You'd have to have good light (not the type that a tank normally comes with) to do it with a 30gallon in my experience.

Good luck with your fish. Not sure if the stock you have will live 'happily ever after' as far as compatibility, as I've not kept the specific species you mention together.

Im not going to do super heavy planting, but Id like to add a few things, I bought a bubble maker, but all it makes is these stupid micro bubbles that mess up my whole tank.

Im gonna try and take a video of that.

jjqs11 · 11-20-2009, 05:56 PM

YouTube - GEDC0732.MOV

<- My messed up bubble filter.

unwritten law · 11-20-2009, 07:06 PM

try a different air stone for the bubble problem. I think that cichlid is a German Blue Ram and are pretty hard to keep in new aquariums. Just stay on top of water changes and that is the best thing to do.

Newman · 11-20-2009, 07:24 PM

Haha
I love the commentary in that vid

You can try to put the bubbler under the gravel completely and see if that helps, or go with a different bubbler all together like law has suggested.

jjqs11 · 11-20-2009, 07:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Newman

Haha
I love the commentary in that vid

You can try to put the bubbler under the gravel completely and see if that helps, or go with a different bubbler all together like law has suggested.

Problem is, its an Ario something rather, with a light ect. lol. Im gonna try it during my next water change.

Quote:

Originally Posted by unwritten law

try a different air stone for the bubble problem. I think that cichlid is a German Blue Ram and are pretty hard to keep in new aquariums. Just stay on top of water changes and that is the best thing to do.

Hes my most tank fish in my opinion lol.
He dosent really like eating when the diamon tetras are whipping up and down @ the flakes, so I tend to throw him a mini blood worm tablet around 3 times a week.
Hes been the same since forever. <3

11-19-2009, 11:15 PM	#1
jjqs11 Teenie Weenie Fish Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 48	Epic Fail, How do I fix this?? Alrighty. I have failed, badly. Ive had my tank running for about 5 weeks, but I really didnt do any research before I started, and I fear Ive screwed myself lol. HELP! Alright, I have... A non aggressive American Chichlid, A betta, 6 Diamond Tetras, 1 Pleco, 3 Platys, one that I think is prego. :S Alright, so I added a couple barbs, was told they were good to do a fish in cycle. 6 if Im not mistaken. Apparently babys arent the best though, and they all ended up dying. <- Within a week that is. Then I added the betta/chichlid/and a moly. Then the week after, the tetras... For some reason, the fish store told me I didnt have to wait to add fish... Only now that I look online, I find out... lol. So... Now everyone seems healthy, but my water looks like crap. And Im told, if I have some live plants/properly cycled ect, my water will be crystal clear. Therefor, I would love to do the following. A fishless cycling, and adding the soil stuff under my rocks, and adding live plants. If I wanna do this, I need to remove my fish from the tank for the 2-3 weeks its going to take me to do the ammonia cycling... What is the cheapest/best way to getting my fish out of the tank for those 2-3 weeks. Is it possible to, I KNOW THIS IS MEAN TO THE FISH, put them in a un-cycled tank, for the 2-3 weeks, allthough I know they will stress, having a good tank to go back in later on may be worth the 2-3 week stress? I dont know. Tell me if theres anythign I can do. I dont really wanna buy another tank, then fishless cycle it, then transfer my fish, then fishless cycle this one, then transfer them back. One of my friends has a fish tank though, cycled/planted ect. Would it be best for me to bring my fish to his tank for the 2-3 weeks? Will they be stressed out if they are put in his tank, then brought back to mine? Take into account, adding my 12 fish to his tank, would be extremely over populated. Ahh, Im so confused.

11-19-2009, 11:22 PM	#2
unwritten law Super Fish Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: WVU Posts: 1,351	what size is your tank? what is the current stock? get your water tested or better yet buy your own test kits. __________________ 20 Gallon High Reef 2 orange skunk clowns, yellow watchman goby, sixline wrasse, soft corals, zoas 46 Gallon Planted 5 tiger barbs, 2 keyhole cichlids, yoyo loach, cherry barb, blue gourami

11-19-2009, 11:48 PM	#3
jjqs11 Teenie Weenie Fish Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 48	Its a 30 gal tank, stock is listed. The reason I wanna do it, is because my tank reads are WAY off what they should be... WAYYY off. I have the master test kit. EDIT: Can I do BIO-SPIRA to a tank with fish already in it? I guess I would have to do a 75% water change, then do the bio-spira? Last edited by jjqs11; 11-20-2009 at 12:02 AM..*

11-20-2009, 01:26 AM	#4
OrangeCones Large Fish Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: USA Posts: 993	If you plan on planting heavily, you can do a *silent cycle. You'd have to have good light (not the type that a tank normally comes with) to do it with a 30gallon in my experience. Good luck with your fish. Not sure if the stock you have will live 'happily ever after' as far as compatibility, as I've not kept the specific species you mention together. __________________ ~It is easy to dodge our responsibilities. But we cannot dodge the consequences of dodging our responsibilities. ~ Last edited by OrangeCones; 11-20-2009 at 01:33 AM..*

11-20-2009, 04:46 PM	#5
sheamurai Teenie Weenie Fish Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 39	Hmm - why are you wanting to take the fish out of there? You've started a cycle in the tank they are in, so as long as you stay on top of your water changes (every day or every other day depending on your readings) they are prolly better off staying put than moved. No reason you can't add plants and substrate with the fish in there. When you add substrate, you can put the fish in a temp tank like a bucket while you do your thing. When I changed out my substrate, I left the fish in, I just did 1/2 the tank at a time, so they always had a place to hide. So long as you rinse your substrate really well, it will settle quickly. Having substrate in there will help your cycle along a bit. I'd leave the plants for last. With so much you need to do - maybe best to take one thing at a time. __________________

11-20-2009, 05:56 PM	#7
jjqs11 Teenie Weenie Fish Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 48	YouTube - GEDC0732.MOV <- My messed up bubble filter.

11-20-2009, 07:06 PM	#8
unwritten law Super Fish Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: WVU Posts: 1,351	try a different air stone for the bubble problem. I think that cichlid is a German Blue Ram and are pretty hard to keep in new aquariums. Just stay on top of water changes and that is the best thing to do. __________________ 20 Gallon High Reef 2 orange skunk clowns, yellow watchman goby, sixline wrasse, soft corals, zoas 46 Gallon Planted 5 tiger barbs, 2 keyhole cichlids, yoyo loach, cherry barb, blue gourami

11-20-2009, 07:24 PM	#9
Newman Super Fish Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Northern NJ Posts: 2,818	Haha I love the commentary in that vid You can try to put the bubbler under the gravel completely and see if that helps, or go with a different bubbler all together like law has suggested. __________________ Credit goes to Lludu