# Help with new tank



## jrh (Jan 4, 2011)

We just set up a new freshwater tank, 30 gallon with penguin 350, we used tap water and treated it, using a bubble screen, heater set on 78, added rinsed gravel and fake plants, let it run a few days and added a like 6 fish about 2 weeks ago. Everything was fine for a week, so we added 7 more about a week ago. Another few days go by and then fish start looking sick and then dying, we are down to 5 left alive at this point. We got a test kit today and I just started reading up and now realize how STUPID we were for adding so many fish so soon, without even cycling the tank first. The test kit uses the strips, so its hard to get an accurate number but the ammonia is way high like 4.0, nitrites are high 3.0-4.0. Water is hard. Total alkalinity was high about 300, ph was high, 8.0 or above.

I will not be adding any more fish until I figure this out. 

I am about to do a 50% water change. 

Should I just keep monitoring the levels until the ammonia and nitrites drop?

Should I keep feeding the remaining fish?

What should I do about the alkalinity and ph?

Please any advice would be greatly appreciated, as I obviously am a beginner.

Thanks


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## majerah1 (Oct 29, 2010)

Welcome to the forum!First off,its a mistake many make,from lack of information regarding LFS employees.They would love for you to just drop a whole bunch of fish at first and then sell you more fish and medications and what not.Its good you have come here for help,as many people here can help,and the community is super nice.Now onto your questions:

Keep monitoring your levels,yes.I would suggest you get a liquid test kit though as the strips are very inaccurate.I would feed the fish very little, and possibly do partial 10% changes daily,all the while testing the ammonia,nitrate and nitrite.Also on the ph,just keep an eye on it.As long as its stable,you will be fine as far as that goes.Fish cant stand a fluctuating PH But many can live out of the suggested range if acclimated properly.I also suggest you invest in live plants,this will help the fish feel much more secure,as well as help the water levels.They are,after all natural filters.

If you dont mind me asking,what types of fish do you have?What size are they and how many?This will also help us find out if the tank is big enough or overstocked,or underfiltered.


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## Gizmo (Dec 6, 2010)

I would continue doing 50% PWC's until your ammonia and/or nitrite are below 1 ppm, then do as majerah (sp?) said and do your daily 10% changes to keep the ammonia and nitrites low. If you want to speed things up, go to your local fish store and ask to buy some dirty filter material from them to help add bacteria to your tank. Just make sure your LFS doesn't have snails in their system or you'll have an outbreak of snails to contend with as well. A tank-starter solution like Tetra SafeStart might be helpful as well, if you've got ~$12 to throw around.

If you've got the money get a liquid test kit. Much more accurate, better bang for your buck (API's test bottles are good for 80 tests at least), although they are somewhat time consuming vs. a swirl-and-shake test strip. Our in-house favorite is the API Master Freshwater Test Kit, $35 most places.


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

Ammonia takes a little bit to show and that is probably what happened when your fish were fine for a couple of weeks. I would guess though that the ammonia levels were probably in the 1-2 range without a water change in there somewhere and adding the 7 more fish probably more than doubled your ammonia within a couple of days. Obviously enough to kill.

What has been your maintenance routine since you've had the tank running (ie water changes, filters, etc)?

A smaller tank cannot handle large introductions of new fish at once. You should add no more than 1-2 per week, as you may have read already. Water changes should occur weekly and in the 25-50% range...my recommendation anyway. While the tank is cycling, water changes need to occur until your levels are no more than 1, as was mentioned.


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## jrh (Jan 4, 2011)

Thanks for the replies. I got an API Master test kit today and done another 30-40% water change. I also done a 50% change yesterday. Those are the only 2 water changes I have done. I haven't done any other maint. to the tank. 

Here are the current readings:

Ammonia - 1 ppm
Nitrites - 2 ppm
Nitrates - 5-10 ppm
ph - 8.3


The fish look much better than yesterday, way more active.

Currently, there are 3 mollies and 2 neon tetras in the tank, they are all small under 2 inches.

So, I guess I should do another 30-40% tomorrow and retest?

The tank has been up and running for 18 days. 

Do these numbers look like where it should be?

How do I know when cycling is complete?


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## rtbob (Jul 18, 2010)

It looks like to me that your tank is nearing the end of the cycle. This is indicated by the presence of nitrate. When ammonia and nitrIte both hit zero and you have nitrAtes your cycle has completed.

You should test your tap water for PH, ammonia, nitrItes and nitrAtes so you know what these levels are. Let the tap water sit out 12 hours to allow the chlorine to gas out for a more accurate reading.

Once your cycle is complete the stocking suggestion by jrman83 should be followed to avoid anymore spikes in ammonia and nitrItes.


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## NeonShark666 (Dec 13, 2010)

Don't be in too much of a hurry to cycle your tank. All of your reading are fine for cycling a tank with hard, high ph water. I wouldn't do anything, except check ph and and ammonia or nitrite, for 2 or 3 weeks. At that point you can add 2 or 3 new fish and see how they do. I don't make water changes during cycling, other people do. I think water changes short circuits the cycling process. Mollies are the ideal fish for cycling hard water tanks. They are very tough. Remember that Mollies like hard, high ph water, neons don't. I would suspect that your neon's bright color is fading. This is their natural reaction to bad water conditions.


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## jrh (Jan 4, 2011)

I done another about 40% water change today and waited an hour and here are readings:

ph - 8.3
Ammonia - .50
Nitrites - 2.0
Nitrates - 10

The ammonia is down but the nitrites are still high.

Should I do another water change?


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

Yes, tomorrow. Do about the same amount.


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## Gizmo (Dec 6, 2010)

jrh said:


> ph - 8.3
> Ammonia - .50
> Nitrites - 2.0
> Nitrates - 10
> ...


You need to keep doing 50% PWC's until your nitrite and ammonia readings are below 1 ppm or your fish will suffer. After that, you can ease off to 25% daily to keep the concentrations low. It's a pain in the bum, but it's what you need to do to avoid fatalities in your tank.

You'll know your cycle is done when after leaving the tank alone for a few days you get 0 ppm ammonia, 0 ppm nitrite, and some nitrate. I would say you've got another week at least before that's done. Until then, daily PWC's my friend. Hope your back can take it.

To speed up the cycle you could buy some used/dirty filter media from your local pet store, and/or some biological bacteria supplement like Tetra SafeStart to boost the bacteria populations in your tank and speed along the process. You've already got significant concentrations of nitrite and ammonia to feed the bacteria, so they should thrive and your tank will be cycled in under a week, by my guestimation. Only testing will tell. Remember: 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, some nitrate.


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## jrh (Jan 4, 2011)

I have been doing about 40% PWC's daily and the readings have remained the same:

ph has bene stable the whole time at 8.3

ammonia has been zero for a couple days now

nitrites have not changed and the color doesnt exactly match the chart, but if i had to guess i would say it is 2.0

nitrates are 5-10

The fish seem great, but I have been doing 40-50% PWC's for about 5 days and the nitrites haven't changed the whole time, whats up with that?


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## jrh (Jan 4, 2011)

the color of the nitrite test is more of a red color that the colors on the chart in api kit, the colors on the chart are purple and the test has a maroon tint, so i am not positive about the nitrite reading, but the color has not changed the entire time, I did test my tap water and it was zero.


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## jrh (Jan 4, 2011)

one more thing, i have access to free 5 gallon jugs of distilled water at my workplace, i was thinking of doing pwc's 5-10 gallons at a time with the distilled water, to slowly lower the ph and reduce the hardness. Am I correct in assuming this would not cause and problems?


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

Keep up the water changes. It will come down eventually.


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