New puffers Uncycled tank HELP!!

[dixie]

I went to the store to buy a couple of fish for a 15 gallon aquarium my mom had given me. I was thinking, a couple of pretty freshwater , low maintenance fish. Well next time I wont tell my two teenage daughters to "Just pick out whichever one you want." So we come home with a gsp and a parrot fish. Yeah they were not compatible! The lady had told me they were, she also told me the gsp ate regular tropical flakes. Not sure why I even listened.

Without all the boring details, I now have 6 tanks running and none of them are cycled. I didn't even know what cycling was. So here is the breakdown.1 gallon tank for baby ghost shrimp. 5 gallon tank with ghost shrimp. 10 gallon tank with ramshorn snails. 15 gallon tank with algae eater, parrot fish, mystery snail and a couple of ghost shrimp just for maintenance. A 30 gallon aquarium with two gsp and a couple of ghost shrimp that may or may not be there in the morning. lol I also have a 55 gallon I just set up for the gsp to be transferred to ONCE it is cycled. All animals seem to be doing fine. The only deaths I have had were a random ghost shrimp when I first bring them home from the store. I have been doing water changes and making sure no food just sits around uneaten.

So I have to get my tanks cycled and quick! The most cycled would prob. be the 15 gallon as it was the original tank we started with a few weeks ago. Not even sure how long we have had them. I will have to go check my bank statement and see when walmart was visited frequently LOL. I don't have any fish stores around here. So I ordered the freshwater test kit and it finally arrived today. I checked the puffers tank and the ammonia was high. I did a massive water change and all is ok for now. But it showed the nitrates and nitrites both at zero? I may have tested wrong. I used the API master kit. I will be testing all tanks tomorrow except the 55 gallon. I know it isn't cycled. I just set it up this weekend. Unless of course I need to be testing along the way during cycling? Guess I should google some more about cycling!

The 55 gallon is running with lights 24 hours, has an older filter in it and has some bags of gravel from the original 15 gallon tank. I switched over to sand for the puffers once I learned about them. There is also some Java moss in the tank. Anything else I should do? Other than sprinkling the fish food in?

Ok here is where I really need the advice. The puffers will be going into the 55 gallon tank as soon as it is cycled. Since I don't want any harm coming to these sweet babies, would it be ok to use the products that get rid of the ammonia in their tank up until the 55 gallon is ready? The tank they are in now will not be staying up once they are in the 55 gallon because that tank belongs to my daughter and will be leaving with her in December. So I figure since it doesn't need the good bacteria maybe this would be an acceptable solution. Making them happy and keeping them healthy. If this would be a workable solution do I only need to eliminate the ammonia? Also all of my tanks are healthy, no sick fish or anything. Another question, if the 15 gallon tank has "good" cycled water, would it help if I transfer some of that into the 30 gallon tank the puffers are in. I am guessing no but just wanted to ask.

Oh, while I have you here Also wondering what shrimp are brackish that I can use for my puffers. I like to place several at a time and let the puffers seek them out. That way they do a little cleaning before they go I had planned on moving from the ghost shrimp (which is all I can get locally) to the red cherry shrimp. But I don't want to invest in breeding them if they can't take the brackish water the puffers will need. I plan on taking them full marine with live rock in about 18 months. We are building our home and will be putting a built in wall tank in for them.


Sorry this is so long. I just really love these two fish and don't want anything bad happening to them or for them to suffer any. Never knew I would "Love" fish! To me they were always more of a decoration. Guess that is because all I have ever had were tanks of goldfish LOL. But these two are so much more. I would like to thank you all! I have already learned so much from reading this forum.

[J-P]

library/water-filtration/emergencycycle/

have you read that article in the library?

Another option, if you can't get any used filter media, (and I know this will sound a little unorthodox) is to get a really good fistful of aquatic stem plants. Really fast growing ones. They will soak up the some of the ammonia produced and help keep it to a manageable level. From there you start removing them a bit at a time and allow the biofilter to catch up until you have no plants left and are ready to start adding salt. You'll still need to do your water changes and the tests will be off slightly but it gives you just a little bit of a buffer.

[dixie]

Yes I have read that article and tons of other articles, pages etc. Very informative and have learned a lot. Only problem is I live in rural Alabama. The only thing I have here is walmart and lowes. Neither sell the bacteria needed. No one I know has a fish tank. I put the filter from my 15 gallon tank into the 30 gallon the puffers are in. The whole set up, because it was for 30-60 gallon and put a smaller filter on the 15 gallon. Will any type of plant work? Or is it just particular plants? I do have several freshwater plants in the puffer tank. I have several more in the various other tanks, about 15-20 total. They are lily variations and some other type I can't remember right off hand. They are fast growing because they have all sprouted from bulbs and some really took off. They just look like long thin strands of grass. Should I put these in the filter?

Almost anything I buy has to come from the internet because I can't get it locally which means more time wasted. Walmart does carry the ammonia removal stuff, so I could get that in the morning. That was why I figured if I just kept out the ammonia while the other tank was cycling I could keep them safe until the 55 gallon is ready. I just don't want to add something to harm them. Right now I am doing it with water changes. They seem to be doing ok. A little thin line of black is all I ever see, except when they are sleeping or first awake. The rest of the time the belly is white. They are eating and active. I plan to continue testing to monitor them, and will do whatever is best for them. If I did use the stuff to get rid of ammonia, I would still be doing water changes and testing. I just wouldn't be worried the ammonia removal product messing with the cycling of the 30 gallon since it wont be in use once the 55 gallon is cycled.

[Pufferpunk]

Just order what we suggested from the net & keep doing large water changes, until it comes. Be sure to place the bacteria in your filter & then hold off on WC, until it settles onto surfaces.

[J-P]

the bulb / rhizome plants won't uptake the pollutants fast enough but they certainly won't hurt any

[dixie]

Ok I found the Bio-Spira I am going to order 2 of the 8.45 oz bottles. Going to also order another master test kit, just in case I run out of something. LOL Also I don't have Prime sold locally, should I order some or is what I am using good? I am using Tetra Aqua Safe. Says dechlorinates and conditions. Replenishes protective slime coat. Any thing else I should be ordering? I am going to use express shipping so it gets here quick. Just want to make sure there is nothing else I am needing before I submit my order.

All plants were moved to the puffer tank

I ran my tests this morning and they are as follows.
15 gallon (oldest tank) ammonia .25 nitrite .25 nitrate 40
30 gallon ammonia .50 nitrite 0 nitrate 0
55 gallon ammonia .25 nitrates and nitrites both 0 (I haven't done any WC on this tank, it was just set up saturday)
When testing if I wait more than 5 minutes does the results change? After testing the 15 gallon I did a WC then retested. I forgot about the testing until 10 minutes had passed because I was distracted, the levels are all exactly the same after the test as before. About to retest the puffer tank now that I have done the WC.

I am thinking about going ahead and putting the puffers in the 55 gallon tank. Thinking with more water, lower ammonia and nitrite readings. Both puffers are in the 1 to 1.5 inch range. Although the water changes would take longer, I am thinking it would still be better on them. When I put the bio-spira in will it instantly take effect or is it just going to speed up the cycling?

So should I leave the puffers where they are for now or switch them over?

Should I be doing wc on the cycling 55 gallon? I was thinking of doing a major change, so if I did add the puffers in it would be fresher.
I am really so clueless about all of this. I have read so much, but it still boggles my mind. A lot of contradicting information out there also. I really appreciate the help. I believe any animal we choose to own should have the best life. I couldn't give these guys the best if it weren't for people like y'all sharing your knowledge.

[xrayjeeper83]

id leave everyone where they are since none of your tanks are cycled yet.

If the 55 is empty then dont do water changes

[Pufferpunk]

Bio-Spira is for marine tanks.

[dixie]

I am so glad I waited on placing the order. So what kind of bottled bacteria do I need to buy for freshwater? Everywhere I read just kept mentioning bio-spira . I thought it was for all water types. If I start the brackish transformation, would the bio-spira work? I found Tropical science nitromax for freshwater, is that a good brand? I read that a lot of brands are just junk. Don't want to get the wrong one.

[LilGreenPuffer]

Bio-Spira sold their freshwater formula to Tetra, and it's called SafeStart now. It's not as good as it used to be.

Dr. Tim's One and Only is your best bet, but it has to be refrigerated and shipped express! Anything else would probably be useless. I've heard some good things about Colonize and Stability, but I'm not at all sold on them - I have heard VERY mixed things about them.

[bertie 83]

yes order prime also. follow pps signiature also w/c w/c

[J-P]

Bio-Spira sold their freshwater formula to Tetra, and it's called SafeStart now. It's not as good as it used to be.

Dr. Tim's One and Only is your best bet, but it has to be refrigerated and shipped express! Anything else would probably be useless. I've heard some good things about Colonize and Stability, but I'm not at all sold on them - I have heard VERY mixed things about them.

I thought Dr. Tims was SW only also ....

[LilGreenPuffer]

DFS sells them both.

[dixie]

Ok I got the Dr. Tim's ordered. According to them it only has to be refrigerated after opening? Not that it matters because I will be using it the moment it comes in. I ordered 2 of the 4 oz bottles. I also got the 500 ml bottle of prime. Reading on there it says that it fixes the ammonia and nitrites. I thought that was a bad thing? It would hinder the tank cycling? I am guessing it is all in the way prime handles the process that makes it ok. I did the fedex overnight air, so it should be here monday.

I am so glad I found this forum. The information is priceless! I usually research everything thoroughly before jumping in. I am kind of glad I didn't this time. I would have told my girls to pick a different fish. By not researching I have found a new hobby that I am so passionate about. Kids think I am nuts! LOL They said it was my way of avoiding empty nest syndrome when they move out!

Oh on a side note, I did move the puffers to the 55 gallon. Did it before I was advised not to. During retesting I realized I had goofed on the test. The ammonia was much higher in the 30 gallon. I wasn't holding it up against the white card on that test. I had on others, just had forgotten apparently. They are extremely happy. Complete white belly and very bright body. I will be testing frequently and doing W/C.

I can't let anything happen to either one of these puffers because they are like best friends (hoping it will stay that way, but will be prepared in case it doesn't). They even share food. When I give them a cricket, which ever one catches it, will drag it over to the other one and they both eat off of it. I know that wont continue once they are wanting the whole cricket to themselves, but it is really endearing watching them. My older puffer is also less aggressive since I added his friend. When I would put ghost shrimp in he use to just kill them all. Now he only eats them occasionally. Other times he will be swimming beside them, letting them clean all around him. Ok now I am babbling on like a new mom, maybe my girls are right and this is a preemptive strike on empty nest syndrome

[sevenyearnight]

No, you made the right decision moving them to the 55, it's more water volume to dilute their waste that would build up quicker in the 30 gallon, great thinking there.

You are right about the Prime, it neutralizes the ammonia and nitrite, but it leaves them available for the bio filter to consume.
It does not effect your cycling.
Not every single puffer gets grumpy with age, so you might be lucky. It's key to give them their space. But do monitor their behavior.
The 55 is ok for now since they are young, but for adult size it's better for a singleton. But you have time to upgrade.