The Puffer Forum

You might want to read that article.

wink, wink; nudge, nudge. Haha. If you could stear me towards some of these, alleycat, I would be most appreciative. Unfortunately, I'm the only person through all of my social circles that seems to be passionate about fish! So I've been on my own, loaded up with knowledge from the internet!

JennLynn wrote:wink, wink; nudge, nudge. Haha. If you could stear me towards some of these, alleycat, I would be most appreciative. Unfortunately, I'm the only person through all of my social circles that seems to be passionate about fish! So I've been on my own, loaded up with knowledge from the internet!

Check your pm's ... There's at least 10-15 clubs throughout Ohio that have crazy fish keeping unsocial and socially challenged people who are passionate about keeping fish.

JennLynn wrote:I haven't had success finding ammonia at my LFS. I also haven't checked out the article, though. Hopefully there is a store bought variety that's acceptable. My levels haven't started fluctuating, yet though so I think I could switch?

You can find pure ammonia at some hardware stores and even drug stores. Just be sure it's 100% pure ammonia, no surfactants/soaps. Fishless cycling is a much kinder way to go, plus using a fish to cycle can introduce nasties to the tank (ich, etc.) that you'll have to deal with later.

If she had read that article, she'd know this...

Pufferpunk wrote:If she had read that article, she'd know this...

I found an article in the library about fishless cycling, I did not however find yours. But starting somewhere!

If you have a doar store nearby, you can find a gallon of ammonia (detergent free) for well...$1

Just a heads up for everyone, because I had used mature media and substrate it appears I will be skipping the massive fluctuations so fish and tank are healthy!

Good to hear! Keep a close eye on the parameters (especially ammonia/nitrite) & do WC accordingly. You have your own test kits?

I do! Just the strips right now.. getting the test master once those run out

Good deal, the master kits are much more accurate than the strips. Good luck with your set up! They are enjoyable little fish.

Strips are terribly innacurate, I'm surprised you can buy such a thing so readily. Get yourself a decent liquid kit straight away, you won't look back

Went and got my mater kit today! It's a bit complicated for me to read, because the colors are opaque in the tube, yet solid on the description.. But it does seem way more accurate!

Just hold it up a white sheet of paper to see true colors. How do they look?

I ended up deconstructing the tank (had to move it, and it ended up not liking the set up.. so starting over it is) The liquid test with my pH has got me slightly confused.. When I test it with the normal pH, it registers at 7.6 or above; however with the high pH range, it sits at 7.4 or below. I know it could probably use a decrease, but without being sure what I'm sitting at- I don't want to do anything just yet.