water change and now looks like everything is Dying
- Thread starter Jaynie1028
- Start date
- Location
- Throggs Neck, BX
No worries.
Ok stop!
Cycle starts with ammonia going up and nitrites and nitrates being aero, the ammonia will come down and then the nitrites will spike after that the nitrites will come down and the nitrates will spike. Once the nitrates come down your cycled. Don't do anything to that tank until after all of this happens. Water changes dring this stage of the game just restarts the cycle all over again.
Cycle starts with ammonia going up and nitrites and nitrates being aero, the ammonia will come down and then the nitrites will spike after that the nitrites will come down and the nitrates will spike. Once the nitrates come down your cycled. Don't do anything to that tank until after all of this happens. Water changes dring this stage of the game just restarts the cycle all over again.
Ok all my levels are great. My nitrites are at 20, still not to bad. Im leaving for vacation on Monday do I do a water change on both tanks before I leave or do I just leave them alone for another week and just let them finish there cycle they are both going through? Thanks
- Location
- Melville, NY
Your previous post you said your nitrAtes were 20, now this last post you said your nitrItes are 20. Either way I would heed Chief's advice and let them sit until you get back. Waiting a few extra days to do the water change can only make it more stable I would think. Maybe I missed the post but the second tank is the one that still has your livestock in it right? And its recycling? I remember seeing the post that your put some stock in the second tank you had and the amonia spiked but the inhabitants seemed ok. How is the livestock taking it? Whats the params on that tank?
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both tanks have fish in them. Both tanks have 2 fish each. The 12 gallon has corals 2 fish a damsel and a goby and a pistol shrimp. The 29 has a clown and a damsel. I should do a water change on both tanks right? About 5 gallons on the 29 and 3 gallons on the 12?
I had no choice but to leave the two fish in the 29. I didnt want to give them away. The tank is doing good so far. You dont think I should do a water change on either tank? You think they will be ok for the next 8 days? I will be home next tuesday. I was going to do a 3 to 5 gallon water change. But Maybe I will just top it off and leave it alone. So that when i get home all the levels will be good again. what do you think?
Musicians Reef Too
Goby Lover
- Location
- Middle Island, NY
We were actually advised to leave the two fish in the 29 gallon; we were told that they would help recycle the tank. One fish is a damsel, and the other is a clown. The two people that took the rest of our fish already had clown fish also, so they didn't want to risk bringing home another. They're both fine in the tank though, seem to be happy and healthy.
- Location
- 11756
Do you have anyway of topping off while your away? 8 days is A LOT of time for evaporation and this could change your SG significantly.
- Location
- 11756
A fish living in a cycling tank is DEFINATELY NOT happy and heathly. You're fish are most likely suffering through the cycle
I would just take them back to a pet store.on top of that whoever told you need fish to help the cycle, doesn't know what they're doing.
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Like Kris said 2 fish living in a cycling tank is a big NO NO. It's like taking a person and throwing them in a pool of acid. Not a fun thing if the person were you right?
And for the last time Don't touch the tank unless it is to get those 2 fish out and into the 12g. If you do a water change you will only prolong the acid bath for those 2 fish.
BTW the person who told you that fish in a cycling tank is an LFS right?
And for the last time Don't touch the tank unless it is to get those 2 fish out and into the 12g. If you do a water change you will only prolong the acid bath for those 2 fish.
BTW the person who told you that fish in a cycling tank is an LFS right?
Jaynie - Please dont take the following comments harshly as I'm trying only to help ( like everyone else here). I noticed that just about every time I went to pick up frags from a local reefer ( me in Suffolk too ) or chatted with a local ( like in Aquahut ) it turned out that you had just picked up a truck load of corals and/or fish right before me. I was thinking that this girl must have a huge tank thats been running for quite some time. Then I started seeing your threads here and on RC and realized you have small tanks that are very new. We all understand, and love, your enthusiasm and energy for the hobby but here PATIENCE really is a virtue. You have to take things slowly in order for your reef to succeed. Dont overcrowd with fish or corals and dont add things too quickly. You'll be rewarded greatly if you can resist the urge to keep throwing things into your tank. Now go enjoy your vacation.
Edit - If you want, I can temporarily house your damsel and/or clownfish in my quarantine tank.
Edit - If you want, I can temporarily house your damsel and/or clownfish in my quarantine tank.
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Musicians Reef Too
Goby Lover
- Location
- Middle Island, NY
Hey, Jejton, thanks so much for your post, and for your offer to house our fish also! I have to say though that we're a little confused right now. Although we do frequent Aqua Hut and check out their shipment weekly, we've never actually bought a single coral from them, nor have we brought home "truck loads" of corals from any local reefer either. We've purchased a few things here and there from different stores and reefers, but quite honestly the tank was never really that crowded. In comparison with Chief's 24 gallon reef tank (which by the way is beautiful), our tank had only just begun... We did have seven fish in the tank though, which was excessive and which won't be repeated.
As for the fish that are in the tank right now, it was another MR member that advised us to leave them in the tank, not a local fish store. We left the sand and about two to three gallons of water in the tank, so it isn't exactly an entirely new cycle that we're going through right now. The levels are perfect, other than the nitrAtes which are between 10 and 20. The fish really do seem to be fine, but if it is the opinion of the more experienced reefers, we will move them to the 12 gallon or to a quarantine tank we've had running for a few weeks now.
Thank you so much for everyone's help.
Edit - Jaynie and I are actually friends with another couple who are into the reefing hobby as well. They're not really active on the computer, but they do accompany us to other's reefer's houses and LFS' as well. They actually buy TRUCK LOADS of corals everywhere we go, so maybe that's where the confusion is. :tongue1: It's always the four of us wherever we go, Jaynie, myself, Shari, and Roy...
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