The Puffer Forum

I neglected to mention...

I added B-S to the tank yesterday am and then put in the GSP in the afternoon after taking a water reading. I could not maintain the proper water parameters in the small tank and wanted him out of that environment. I tested the water last night and again this morning. The readings have been the same - 0 Nitrite, 0 Ammonia, 10 Nitrate, pH is at 7.4. It has not fluctuated at all - but I am concerned about everything dying and causing spikes. I think I should move the GSP back into the other tank and wait for everything to finish dying and the tank to re-cycle.

I am probably going to be flammed for this - but I would rather be honest and get flammed than withhold info and harm the fish.

On a side note - I am sorry to hear about your hand PP - dog bites are painful. I would have done the same thing in your shoes though.

No flaming here--you didn't know. I an really surprised you have no readings for those toxins. If I were you, I'd do a switcheroo. Move the sand/rock into the smaller tank & dump out all the water in the larger tank & start over again with B-S. Put the fish in a bucket while you do all that.

Thanks for your sympathy. Been bit lots of times--I think I'll live... I might even have to go groom a dog today.

Well now that I know that everything is dead - I am suprised I haven't seen a spike either. Maybe the LS was dead? I am going to call the LFS and see what type of LR he gave me - maybe it wasn't marine LR.

What would you recommend for the substrate - just regular old argonite(?) sand?

When I start with the new H2O - should I raise the SG to what it has been 1.005?

I hope it is an easy dog for you

Thought that I would update you...

Got home at 10 last night and took water readings. They were not as good as I had hoped

Nitrite - .25
Nitrate - 15
Ammonia - A little above 0
pH 7.8
SG 1.004

I did an 80% water change, removed all the live rock - left the sand though. Added some Prime and new Bio-Filter media (left one of the old ones in there). Digits(the cat) has adopted GSP as his personal friend - he sits in front of the tank and watches him swimming around. He was standing up and looking into the tank while I was changing everything - and watched as I changed the water. GSP "chases" his tail when it twitches in front of the tank. I will try to capture a video of it - pretty funny.

Took water readings this morning -

Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - 10
Ammonia - 0
pH 7.8
SG 1.004

See what happens - I threw in an air-stone for good measure. I have another 80% WC priming right now in case I need to do another change when I get home. Digits is babysitting GSP for me while I am at work - those two are way too funny.