new tanks

pantherspawn

OK so I'm completely new to this fish keeping thing. Started out with my 5 ye old son wanting a frog. About 1000 dollars later I'm in knee deep. Here's my situations. I started a 40gal freshwater last week with a few small live plants such as corcskcrew, a cpl bamboo stalks and a few London grass.. I added six platys, a Bristlenose Pleco and of course the African Dwarf Frog. Yes I know the pleco was too soon, been feeding him pellets. In trying to get my tank to cycle I have been testing the water daily and to date have done 2 15% water changes. With the AP master kit my levels after 7 days have stayed pretty much the same with ammonia at 2.0 Ph at 8.2 nitrites at 0 and nitrates just today barely coming in at under 5. My main concern is the fish. 1 of the platys had a few fry pop up today which we got one and moved to a breeder tank, but her health is suddenly very poor. She was laying on the bottom of the tank so we moved her to a seperate side tank transfer container. Her side is red and chewed up looking and she went from perfect yesterday to looking like there might be a hole in her side today. Can't tell if its an actual hole but her side is red and her fin mangled looking. What gives? Any ideas? She does have a few "white spots" on her tail fin and back on one side maybe four? But she's the only one so I'm not sure about it being ich?

Part 2; today we noticed a bunch of white pecs on the glass I side the back on one side of the tank. Fairly hard feeling and almost spiral looking but in varied sizes. Not worm looking or anything with tenticles. Don't seem to move either. Any ideas what it could be?

Part 3; bought another 20gal today to set up and use as either qt tank or just a seperate breeding tank. Going to try fishless cycling. As of right now I have a section of pantyhose with a few cubes of frozen brine shrimp to try to use for the ammonia. Water is at 86° and left it a little room for surface agitation. Any other suggestions to get this going? I've got some gravel and a peice of filter media from PETCO but I'm not sure how reliable it can be for a boost for the bacteria. Any and all suggestions would be helpful to get me moving in the right direction on these. Sorry about the long post.
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zof

Welcome to TFK, lets see if we can get you on the right track. First of all you are doing a very heavy fish in cycle, I typically recommend people do it with just 2 or 3 fish such as the platys or guppies. Since its such a heavy load I would recommend you start in with 50% water changes every day or other day to get your ammonia below 1 and to keep the nitrites even lower once they start showing up. It might take a little longer to cycle but at least you will have fish left when you are done.

It sounds like your Platy momma has the deck stacked against here, between possible birthing issues and what ever else is affecting her but will let others comment on the possible disease.

Lets see if we can get this post moved to the main forum instead of a sub forum by a moderator, as the equipment sub forum isn't well monitored by people.

Good luck and stay the course, it seems overwhelming right now but with enough work and attention you will work out the problems.

pantherspawn

Thanks for the reply. THe Platy mom unfortunately past only hours after making this post. All other fish seem to be fine. I will try the water change as suggested. I have altered a few things as time goes by from what I was initially told by the large pet chain store, but unfortunately I can't go back and do it all over. Will the tank still cycle with nh3 levels below. 5 ppm?
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zof

Cycling is like the chain of life... A higher concentration of food (Ammonia) will lead to more of the beneficial bacteria that eat it and will create more food (Nitrites) for the next bacteria. Even if you supply less food, the bacteria will still grow and multiply until it reaches an equilibrium with the food it will just take a bit longer and be much safer for your fish.

Adjust how many and how much of water changes you do based on your test results for being safe for the fish.

pantherspawn

I'm hoping to get my fishkess tank cycled quickly so that I can transfer to fish to a healthy tank asap
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Bullet

Good Morning all: I did re-start my hobby after years of not having any tanks. a Month ago my wife got me a new 4 ft aquarium and all the accessories as if the pets we already have (1 Rotweiler, 3 Miniture Doberman Pinchers, 1 African Grey, 1 Peatchy, 2 Pet Rats) is not enough but I do not complain.

The tank are build with a section where the heater, filtration system and overhead pump is in.

My new pets (fishes) are quit amazing. a few Guppies, Mollies, Platties, algi eaters, some bottom feeders. a Few plants not sure what they are called, same big rocks, smaller rocks. Background picture.

I can not add a small video clip of my thank as there is some issues to upload the clip.

PS: Love this Forum

pantherspawn

As of today the ammonia is at a 1.0 the nitrites around 4 and nitrates at 10. Should I do a water change or let it run its course? Yesterday the numbers weren't as drastic with ammonia at 2, nitrite at .50 and nitrates at 5. Its going in the right direction and I dontt want to mess it up too much.
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Bullet

http://www.tropicalfishkeeping.com/a...1&d=1303853894
http://www.tropicalfishkeeping.com/a...1&d=1303853894
http://www.tropicalfishkeeping.com/a...1&d=1303853894
http://www.tropicalfishkeeping.com/a...1&d=1303853894
http://www.tropicalfishkeeping.com/a...1&d=1303853894
http://www.tropicalfishkeeping.com/a...1&d=1303853894
http://www.tropicalfishkeeping.com/a...1&d=1303853894

Attached Images

	4 FT Aquarium Image 2.jpg (115.9 KB, 22 views)
	Big Rock no 1 & Some Plants.jpg (104.7 KB, 20 views)
	Big Rock no 2 & Some Plants.jpg (99.8 KB, 20 views)
	Some Fishes.JPG (70.2 KB, 20 views)
	Some Small Rocks & Plants.jpg (107.0 KB, 20 views)
	Female Guppy.JPG (94.5 KB, 21 views)
	Giant Platty.JPG (86.9 KB, 20 views)
	IMG_0183.jpg (109.7 KB, 20 views)

zof

Defiantly need to start doing 50% water changes, if your test kit is correctly your are in the danger zone, get those numbers down fast, and run another test.

This is the fish in cycle tank correct?

Fishless cycle you can care less about the parameters until its completely cycled.

pantherspawn

Yeah I did a 40% or so water change. Took out10 gal of a 35-40 gal tank. Waited 4 hours and re-tested levels. Ammonia; .50 nitrite; .50 nitrate; 10 ph; 8.2
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