It shows!I have been doing a fair amount of research into the cycling process
New Puffer and partly cycled tank. HELP!
Forum rules
Read this before posting!!
Since this board has been up, we have found there are several questions that routinely get asked in order to help diagnose problems. If you can have that information to begin with in your post, we'll be able to help right away (if we can!) without having to wait for you to post the info we need.
1) Your water parameters - pH, Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrates and salinity (if appropriate). This is by far the most important information you can provide! Do not answer this with "Fine" "Perfect" "ok", that tells us nothing. We need hard numbers.
2) Tank size and a list of ALL inhabitants. Include algae eaters, plecos, everything. We need to know what you have and how big the tank is.
3) Feeding, water change schedule and a list of all products you are using or have added to the tank (examples: Cycle, Amquel, salt, etc)
4) What changes you've made in the tank in the last week or so. Sometimes its the little things that make all the difference.
5) How long the aquarium has been set up, and how did you cycle it? If you don't know what cycling is read this: Fishless Cycling Article and familiarize yourself with all the information. Yes. All of it.
We want to help, and providing this information will go a LONG way to getting a diagnosis and hopeful cure that much faster.
While you wait for assistance:
One of the easiest and best ways to help your fish feel better is clean water! If you are already on a regular water change schedule (50% weekly is recommended) a good step to making your fish more comfortable while waiting for diagnosis/suggestions is to do a large water change immediately. Feel free to repeat daily or as often as you can, clean water is always a good thing! Use of Amquel or Prime as a dechlor may help with any ammonia or nitrite issues, and is highly recommended.
Note - if you do not normally do large water changes, doing a sudden, large water change could shock your fish by suddenly changing their established water chemistry. Clean water is still your first goal, so in this case, do several smaller (10%) water changes over the next day or two before starting any large ones.
Read this before posting!!
Since this board has been up, we have found there are several questions that routinely get asked in order to help diagnose problems. If you can have that information to begin with in your post, we'll be able to help right away (if we can!) without having to wait for you to post the info we need.
1) Your water parameters - pH, Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrates and salinity (if appropriate). This is by far the most important information you can provide! Do not answer this with "Fine" "Perfect" "ok", that tells us nothing. We need hard numbers.
2) Tank size and a list of ALL inhabitants. Include algae eaters, plecos, everything. We need to know what you have and how big the tank is.
3) Feeding, water change schedule and a list of all products you are using or have added to the tank (examples: Cycle, Amquel, salt, etc)
4) What changes you've made in the tank in the last week or so. Sometimes its the little things that make all the difference.
5) How long the aquarium has been set up, and how did you cycle it? If you don't know what cycling is read this: Fishless Cycling Article and familiarize yourself with all the information. Yes. All of it.
We want to help, and providing this information will go a LONG way to getting a diagnosis and hopeful cure that much faster.
While you wait for assistance:
One of the easiest and best ways to help your fish feel better is clean water! If you are already on a regular water change schedule (50% weekly is recommended) a good step to making your fish more comfortable while waiting for diagnosis/suggestions is to do a large water change immediately. Feel free to repeat daily or as often as you can, clean water is always a good thing! Use of Amquel or Prime as a dechlor may help with any ammonia or nitrite issues, and is highly recommended.
Note - if you do not normally do large water changes, doing a sudden, large water change could shock your fish by suddenly changing their established water chemistry. Clean water is still your first goal, so in this case, do several smaller (10%) water changes over the next day or two before starting any large ones.
-
Pufferpunk
- Queen Admin
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T niphobles - Location (country): USA, Greenville, SC
- Location: Greenville, SC
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Re: New Puffer and partly cycled tank. HELP!
You are getting sleepy... you only hear the sound of my voice... you must do water changes... water changes... water changes... water changes...
"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
-
bigfatfish
- Fahaka Puffer
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- My Puffers: GSP "Puffy" RIP old friend 1999-2009
GSPs "Flash" & "Lionel" - in a 55 UK Gallon Bow front Marine Tank with sump. - Location (country): United Kingdom
- Location: Devon, UK
Re: New Puffer and partly cycled tank. HELP!
Its great to know stuff in theory, but sometimes putting it into practice doesn't quite go to plan! Luckily this forum/site is brilliant for all sorts of information! 
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Youngsir
- Puffer Fry
- Posts: 43
- Joined: Sun Sep 06, 2009 12:08 pm
- Gender: Male
- My Puffers: One small Baileyi puffer
- Location: long island, ny
Re: New Puffer and partly cycled tank. HELP!
I got him some drift wood that was already in a established 55g at the petstore (the ones i trust not the one the puffer came from)
he's got like a hollow log almost tho he doesnt seem to like it yet.
he's got like a hollow log almost tho he doesnt seem to like it yet.
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Youngsir
- Puffer Fry
- Posts: 43
- Joined: Sun Sep 06, 2009 12:08 pm
- Gender: Male
- My Puffers: One small Baileyi puffer
- Location: long island, ny
Re: New Puffer and partly cycled tank. HELP!
my nitrites are spiking close to what i could say is out of contol. just needed another 50% change. im going to wait 30 mins before testing again.
nitrites went up .3 (puffy wasnt happy) he still isnt resting
ammonia lvls seem to have become stable at very low to none.
nitrites went up .3 (puffy wasnt happy) he still isnt resting
ammonia lvls seem to have become stable at very low to none.
-
Youngsir
- Puffer Fry
- Posts: 43
- Joined: Sun Sep 06, 2009 12:08 pm
- Gender: Male
- My Puffers: One small Baileyi puffer
- Location: long island, ny
Re: New Puffer and partly cycled tank. HELP!
my alkalinity is also very low. no clue how to handle that
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LilGreenPuffer
- Former Staff Member
- Posts: 5301
- Joined: Sun Jan 25, 2009 11:26 pm
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- My Puffers: Dwarf puffer - Thumbelina (only mine in my heart now; she lives in CT with my friend)
RIP Inigo Montoya, Fezzik, and Vizinni.
RIP James Bond. - Location (country): United States
- Location: Kentucky
Re: New Puffer and partly cycled tank. HELP!
Don't worry about alkalinity. I have never tested for it, and I never will, until I have a reef tank.
"I will give you a talisman. Whenever you are in doubt, or when the self becomes too much with you, apply the following test. Recall the face of the poorest and the weakest man whom you may have seen, and ask yourself, if the step you contemplate is going to be of any use to him or her. Will she gain anything by it? Will it restore her to a control over her own life and destiny? In other words, will it lead to freedom for the hungry and spiritually starving millions? Then you will find your doubts and your self melt away."
Found among the papers of Mohatma Gandhi
Come and visit http://www.thetriopsforum.com!
I AM A DUDETTE!
NEED NITRIFYING BACTERIA FOR YOUR NEW TANK? PM ME!
Found among the papers of Mohatma Gandhi
Come and visit http://www.thetriopsforum.com!
I AM A DUDETTE!
NEED NITRIFYING BACTERIA FOR YOUR NEW TANK? PM ME!
-
Youngsir
- Puffer Fry
- Posts: 43
- Joined: Sun Sep 06, 2009 12:08 pm
- Gender: Male
- My Puffers: One small Baileyi puffer
- Location: long island, ny
Re: New Puffer and partly cycled tank. HELP!
okay good to know. just troubleshooting and checking levels still at this point.
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Youngsir
- Puffer Fry
- Posts: 43
- Joined: Sun Sep 06, 2009 12:08 pm
- Gender: Male
- My Puffers: One small Baileyi puffer
- Location: long island, ny
Re: New Puffer and partly cycled tank. HELP!
Just woke up both ammonia and nitrites were dangerously high this morning. so i did a 50% water change. going to do another asap.
Should i just take puffy out and put him in with the other fish for now? these nitrites are getting out of control and is it possible to kill the fish with water changes? i check the temp and add conditioner everytime but still. Ive also added another dose of neutrafin cycle. I think this might be adding to the ammonia lvls true?
Should i just take puffy out and put him in with the other fish for now? these nitrites are getting out of control and is it possible to kill the fish with water changes? i check the temp and add conditioner everytime but still. Ive also added another dose of neutrafin cycle. I think this might be adding to the ammonia lvls true?
-
Youngsir
- Puffer Fry
- Posts: 43
- Joined: Sun Sep 06, 2009 12:08 pm
- Gender: Male
- My Puffers: One small Baileyi puffer
- Location: long island, ny
Re: New Puffer and partly cycled tank. HELP!
ammonia levels are rising again. im guessing my first thoughts that i might have had some sucess in the first part of cycling might have not been well founded.
-
Pufferpunk
- Queen Admin
- Posts: 32980
- Joined: Tue May 31, 2005 11:06 am
- Gender: Female
- My Puffers: Puffers I have kept:
T lineatus
T miurus
A modestus
T biocellatus
C valentini
C coranata
C papuan
C lorteti
DPs
suvattii
burrfish
T niphobles - Location (country): USA, Greenville, SC
- Location: Greenville, SC
- Contact:
Re: New Puffer and partly cycled tank. HELP!
Have you looked into an instant-cycling product like what's listed in the ER cycling article in our Library? Worked great for me. Don't use anything else though.
You are getting sleepy... you only hear the sound of my voice... you must do water changes... water changes... water changes... water changes...
"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
-
Youngsir
- Puffer Fry
- Posts: 43
- Joined: Sun Sep 06, 2009 12:08 pm
- Gender: Male
- My Puffers: One small Baileyi puffer
- Location: long island, ny
Re: New Puffer and partly cycled tank. HELP!
i have nutrafin cycle... doesnt seem to be working well. hard to tell with so many water changes. ammonia levels still havent stopped rising
-
bigfatfish
- Fahaka Puffer
- Posts: 938
- Joined: Thu Jul 02, 2009 3:33 pm
- Gender: Female
- My Puffers: GSP "Puffy" RIP old friend 1999-2009
GSPs "Flash" & "Lionel" - in a 55 UK Gallon Bow front Marine Tank with sump. - Location (country): United Kingdom
- Location: Devon, UK
Re: New Puffer and partly cycled tank. HELP!
Have not used Cycle, but have heard it doesn't work. Read the article on emergency cycling in the library. Use Dr Tims or even Tetra Safestart would be better I think. Think Biospira is for SW tanks. You're doing well to have kept him alive through this!
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Youngsir
- Puffer Fry
- Posts: 43
- Joined: Sun Sep 06, 2009 12:08 pm
- Gender: Male
- My Puffers: One small Baileyi puffer
- Location: long island, ny
Re: New Puffer and partly cycled tank. HELP!
ive bought another 125gph filter. In addition ive left the old (small) filter and took out the carbon filter and replace it with another biomax pouch thing from my dads tank.
PUFFY STILL ISNT HAPPY!... I am not going to give up. Hes eating now. i had a crawfish in the tank thats gone now. he doesnt seem to be eating the snails. i havent found traces of snail shell. The snails are really small, smaller than 2cm perfect size for a small puffer ive read.
Just did another water change. nitrites read 0 before i changed.
ammonia is spiking again 0.2 maybe before i changed the water that time.
imma go buy that tetra safestart,is it possible to add to much of that stuff? cuz i just dumped the old one(nutra pos) into the filter. I tested it for all the stuff i could test it for and dumped it in(no ammonia or nitrite in it!)... if that dont work i could honestly say the product DIDNT WORK!!
PUFFY STILL ISNT HAPPY!... I am not going to give up. Hes eating now. i had a crawfish in the tank thats gone now. he doesnt seem to be eating the snails. i havent found traces of snail shell. The snails are really small, smaller than 2cm perfect size for a small puffer ive read.
Just did another water change. nitrites read 0 before i changed.
ammonia is spiking again 0.2 maybe before i changed the water that time.
imma go buy that tetra safestart,is it possible to add to much of that stuff? cuz i just dumped the old one(nutra pos) into the filter. I tested it for all the stuff i could test it for and dumped it in(no ammonia or nitrite in it!)... if that dont work i could honestly say the product DIDNT WORK!!
-
LilGreenPuffer
- Former Staff Member
- Posts: 5301
- Joined: Sun Jan 25, 2009 11:26 pm
- Gender: Female
- My Puffers: Dwarf puffer - Thumbelina (only mine in my heart now; she lives in CT with my friend)
RIP Inigo Montoya, Fezzik, and Vizinni.
RIP James Bond. - Location (country): United States
- Location: Kentucky
Re: New Puffer and partly cycled tank. HELP!
Give that used filter from your dad's take a little time, a few hours, and it should really help.
"I will give you a talisman. Whenever you are in doubt, or when the self becomes too much with you, apply the following test. Recall the face of the poorest and the weakest man whom you may have seen, and ask yourself, if the step you contemplate is going to be of any use to him or her. Will she gain anything by it? Will it restore her to a control over her own life and destiny? In other words, will it lead to freedom for the hungry and spiritually starving millions? Then you will find your doubts and your self melt away."
Found among the papers of Mohatma Gandhi
Come and visit http://www.thetriopsforum.com!
I AM A DUDETTE!
NEED NITRIFYING BACTERIA FOR YOUR NEW TANK? PM ME!
Found among the papers of Mohatma Gandhi
Come and visit http://www.thetriopsforum.com!
I AM A DUDETTE!
NEED NITRIFYING BACTERIA FOR YOUR NEW TANK? PM ME!
-
Youngsir
- Puffer Fry
- Posts: 43
- Joined: Sun Sep 06, 2009 12:08 pm
- Gender: Male
- My Puffers: One small Baileyi puffer
- Location: long island, ny
Re: New Puffer and partly cycled tank. HELP!
the tanks all cloudy but ive got a good start i hope.i have one filter full of 4 month old biomax packs from my dads tank and another new high output filter(one to match my goldfish tank so i can switch filter medium).
If i switch carbon filter cartridges with the gold fish will that help? the goldfish do not have biomax meduim
If i switch carbon filter cartridges with the gold fish will that help? the goldfish do not have biomax meduim
Last edited by Youngsir on Wed Sep 09, 2009 5:19 pm, edited 1 time in total.