# Do I need to be patient or proactive?



## ksturm079 (Jan 10, 2011)

I've just started my first aquarium. I have a 26 gallon freshwater tank, now two weeks old with (2) platies and (1) rainbow shark. Since the first day of my tank I have been doing water tests daily. Ph has remained quite constant at around 7.8, nitrate obviously has been 0, but my question concerns ammonia and nitrite. 

As I've stated before it's been two weeks, to the day, and I've yet to see any nitrite readings at all. My ammonia has reached 2ppm once at day ten following which I found this forum, freaked out, and performed a roughly 25-30% water change. After the water change the ammonia level reduced by half, yet has climbed back up to 2ppm. Obviously another water change preceded this thread at roughly the same amount.

I would appreciate any advice as to whether I should maintain a level of patience or whether there are any steps I can take to somehow aid my bacteria colony (if it exists in my tank). My fish are showing no signs of strain (that I can deduce) but I would like to do anything I can to move the process along. I believe it would also be pertinent to state that I added a bottle of Tetra SafeStart prior to the fish entering the tank.

Thanks


----------



## Mark1988 (Jan 9, 2011)

PolymerTim said:


> 2 weeks is the typical time that water chemistry starts becoming a problem in brand new tanks.


There was someone else having water chemistry problems in their brand new tank that was also 2 weeks old. Like the above quote says, after a couple weeks you will see problems and changes occurring in your water. Also, adding a bacteria starter like Tetra start only helps the process along, it's not an instant fix. A full cycle can take anywhere between weeks to months in some extreme cases. I would recommend finding somewhere else to put those fish until your tank is completely cycled. 

"seeding" your tank with ammonia and bacteria can speed things up and be done a few ways; placing a piece of raw supermarket shrimp into a nylon bag (pantyhose or stockings work good and you can pick up a cheap pair from wal-mart for a couple bucks.) and let it break down a bit so the resulting ammonia from the decomposition can be processed by your tank. You can also do the same by substituting the shrimp with some gravel or filter media from an established tank. Ask a friend or even your LFS, usually they are pretty cool about that. But get those fish out of there in the mean time because trust me, an ammonia spike can put fish belly up real quick.

Just be patient and after a couple more weeks of cycling pass make sure your daily water parameters stay consistent for a week or two and then start slowly adding fish. I know I keep saying this, but I can't stress it enough but try getting those fish out of there until the cycle is done. It would be a shame to lose them. 

I know how frustrating it can be to have a brand new tank and waiting for what seems like forever, but be patient. Your fish will thank you for it


----------



## James0816 (Jun 19, 2009)

Definately patience is in order. Your tank is cycling. Stay with the water changes and observe your fish closely.


----------



## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

Patient AND proactive. Sounds like you've got it under control. FWIW, the last tank I cycled with fish I never really saw anything for nitrites. There was one day that when I saw my ammonia bottom out that the nitrite test had just a slight purple color and a couple of hours later even that was gone.


----------



## ksturm079 (Jan 10, 2011)

I appreciate the responses they've been helpful. I started a MiniBow 5 gallon two days ago, set up the tank same way but I waited until yesterday to add the SafeStart right before I acclimated and added my fish (1 betta, 2 guppies, 1 "red lobster" that looks like a crawfish). I checked the levels today and I have minimal ammonia, no nitrite, and 5ppm of nitrate. Kinda frustrating to see the differences in the two tanks, but I'm digging this hobby.


----------



## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

Watch the lobster. They tend to pick on and kill fish when the lights go out, as most fish settle to the bottom and do their sleep thing. He'll take advantage of that.


----------



## ksturm079 (Jan 10, 2011)

Yeah I'm watching the lobster now, I've seen him try a couple times and it reminds me of Frankenstein trying to swat a fly. I was more interested in his ground scavenging abilities than his assassin role, hopefully it'll work out.


----------



## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

ksturm079 said:


> Yeah I'm watching the lobster now, I've seen him try a couple times and it reminds me of Frankenstein trying to swat a fly.


LOL.


----------



## Mark13 (Oct 21, 2010)

ksturm079 said:


> I appreciate the responses they've been helpful. I started a MiniBow 5 gallon two days ago, set up the tank same way but I waited until yesterday to add the SafeStart right before I acclimated and added my fish (1 betta, 2 guppies, 1 "red lobster" that looks like a crawfish). I checked the levels today and I have minimal ammonia, no nitrite, and 5ppm of nitrate. Kinda frustrating to see the differences in the two tanks, but I'm digging this hobby.


That's a lot of bio-load for a startup of a 5g tank. And the Red Lobster *is* a Crayfish, which will eventually eat your guppies and possible your Betta. Get rid of it, or give it its own tank. with feeder guppies in it.


----------



## James0816 (Jun 19, 2009)

ksturm079 said:


> hopefully it'll work out.


Well ... not to try and discourage you or anything ... but it's a ticking time bomb. Just a matter of time before Guido starts making thing dissappear. ;o)


----------



## ksturm079 (Jan 10, 2011)

I appreciate the comments James and Mark, I came into work to discover 1 guppy down, and thanks to you all it's no mystery where it went. BTW his name is Lenny not Guido but regardless I'm not going to risk my Betta. I'm planning on heading to the LFS I purchased him from and seeing what they can do for me in terms of trading him or hell just taking him back. 

He is a cool addition and I really do appreciate the cleaning job he's doing on the substrate but I am attempting to keep a fish aquarium not a Lenny the Ninja Crayfish aquarium. Right now he's decided to climb halfway up a plastic plant with both arms out in ambush mode.

Anything else I can get that will clean the bottom of the tank without decimating my tank?


----------



## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

I thought he would be bad news. You can get some cory cats. They do great in my 29g. I need to read back on wht your stock level was though. Better to have a few together.


----------



## ksturm079 (Jan 10, 2011)

In this specific tank with the crayfish it's a 5gallon mini-bow. The answer for this specific aquarium might be nothing at all.

However, I am trying to cycle a 26 gallon at home, I'm planning to base that around a couple angels so any advice for that one would be much appreciated.


----------



## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

I wouldn't think you'd need much to keep that small a tank clean. Just do a good gravel vacuum every other week and watch your feeding mounts and I think it would be easy to keep clean.


----------



## Mark13 (Oct 21, 2010)

jrman83 said:


> I thought he would be bad news. You can get some cory cats. They do great in my 29g. I need to read back on wht your stock level was though. Better to have a few together.


The Ninja Crayfish is the heavy bio-load problem. And Corydoras Catfish together with gravel vacuuming are the right thing for the 5g Mini-Bow.

Cory's need to be in groups of three, minimum, but no more in the 5g. They don't do well alone or in two's.

Albino Corys (Albino Aneus C.) are all white with tiny red eyes; Peppered Cory's (PAleatus C.) are a mottled gray pattern (like grey camoflauge); Bronze Cory's (Aneus C.) are bronze with a little vague green. There are also spotted and speckled Cory's. The first three are the strongest and most active.

The bronze Cory's are sometimes called Green Cory's when they are small, but there is also a large *non*-Cory that is called a Green Cory or Emerald Cory---don't get that large one, it will be too big for a 5g.


----------



## ksturm079 (Jan 10, 2011)

So are you saying that I could add three cory's to my tank with the current bio-load minus the crayfish?


----------



## ksturm079 (Jan 10, 2011)

As an update to the crayfish, I took your all's advice and brought him back to the store. They gave me a full refund and I used it to pick up three peppered cory's and CFL replacement for the incandescent that came with the aquarium. thank you all for your help.

Now to patiently wait for the 26 gallon to cycle so I can figure out what to put in it.


----------



## WhiteGloveAquatics (Sep 3, 2009)

Look for pygmy corydoras next time, they are much smaller and will do alot better in the 5g tank then the peppereds will.


----------



## ksturm079 (Jan 10, 2011)

I appreciate it White Glove, I'm still cycling my 26 gallon and finally got a nitrite/nitrate reading on day 17. If the peppers look too crowded i'll migrate them over to that tank and get the pygmys. Will the cory's have a problem with a rainbow shark though because that would be an issue?


----------



## WhiteGloveAquatics (Sep 3, 2009)

Ive never had an issue but Ive known others who have, rainbows and red tails are very territorial and pretty much claim any area they are in at the time to be theirs and only theirs. Others will chime in with better experience but I have nothing to give you other then what I stated above on that.


----------



## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

Never had a problem with the ones I've had in the past either.


----------



## ksturm079 (Jan 10, 2011)

Mark13 said:


> Albino Corys (Albino Aneus C.) are all white with tiny red eyes; Peppered Cory's (PAleatus C.) are a mottled gray pattern (like grey camoflauge); Bronze Cory's (Aneus C.) are bronze with a little vague green. There are also spotted and speckled Cory's. The first three are the strongest and most active.


When I went to the store I asked for (3) peppered cory's and through some error I received (2) peppereds and a bronze. The peppereds stay together and are rather placid and the bronze is really active (and quite entertaining). Does this present a problem to the rule of three mentioned earlier?


----------

