# Bottom Sitting



## simplykayla76 (Mar 10, 2012)

i started a 5 gallon freshwater yesterday. I have been adding cycle as directed by advice that it would help me cycle. I added 3 sunset platy's last night. This morning they are all sitting at the bottom. ammonia 0ppm, pH 8ppm, nitrites 0ppm, nitrates 0ppm. temp 75 degrees. I use Prime for a water conditioner. filter is a 5-15 aqua tech. i added 1 tsp of salt to help with stress.


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## navigator black (Jan 3, 2012)

The tank is completly uncycled and still biologically inactive, and the fish are stressed. Three platys in a 5 is solid stocking even in a cycled tank....
I'm sorry to say, but you have pushed it far at the start of that tank. The cycle in a bottle stuff apparently works occasionally, but is not that reliable in my experience. 
So, you have embarked on an overstocked cycle. Monitor closely, do water changes as needed and cross your fingers.


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## simplykayla76 (Mar 10, 2012)

wow ok. Well I would have just added one but the guy at petco aquatics said oh yeah you can put 5 or 6. which seemed a stretch...So just do water changes and test daily and see what happens?


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## majerah1 (Oct 29, 2010)

Petco's main priority is to sell fish.Do as Gary said,monitor closely and do water changes as often as needed.Any chance you can go get a larger tank?


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## simplykayla76 (Mar 10, 2012)

Really can't afford it.


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

Get a filter bag and fill it with gravel from your other tank and put it in there. That will help it cycle better than any bottled junk.


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## simplykayla76 (Mar 10, 2012)

would the bag that biomax goes in work ? I have one that hasnt been used or had biomax in


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## simplykayla76 (Mar 10, 2012)

Ok made that work.

How long do I keep it in there?


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## simplykayla76 (Mar 10, 2012)

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## navigator black (Jan 3, 2012)

The gravel could stay in - it's there to seed the system with beneficial bacteria. That really is the best method, and one that those of us with more than one fishtank can really gain from.


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## simplykayla76 (Mar 10, 2012)

True. Sad to say the Platy didnt make it 

Such a sad lesson to learn. So now that there isn't any fish.

..should i empty the tank and do a fishless cycle?


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## snail (Aug 6, 2010)

While I agree with what others have said about an overstocked, uncycled tank I don't think it's what killed your fish, it would have caused you problems within a few days but IMO your fish died too quickly for it too have been from ammonia or nitrite spikes. It seems more like they suffered osmotic shock or some other kind of stress/shock. How did you acclamate them?


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## simplykayla76 (Mar 10, 2012)

By making sure the temp was pretty close to what they were in.


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## majerah1 (Oct 29, 2010)

SO you just floated and added?

Or did you slowly introduce your water to their bag?


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## simplykayla76 (Mar 10, 2012)

I have always been told either float for 30 minutes. Or just make sure the temp is close


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

Temp is just one factor. Slowly adding your water to the water they are in is just as important or more so. There are a couple of ways to do it, but the drip method is widely considered the best. There is a sticky in the general FW section that shows you how.


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