we got the 75 gallon tank up and running over the weekend and populated it with 15 fish. it was so sad looking...we had no ornaments in there, just a few fake plants and these 15 fish. we lost one neon so far and from the looks of it everything else should be fine. we're runnin 2 whisper 60's at the moment, but that's just until we get the eheim. if anyone could give me a lil more info on the eheim filtration system I'd really appreciate it. I've never used this type of filter.
first casualty...1 neon
- Thread starter Dead-N-Dreaming
- Start date
Did you cycle the tank, that means keeping the tank with the filters running and let it sit without fish for about 2-3 weeks??
Because if you don't I will be quite shure all your neons will die. When you start up a tank, the water won't be good enough to add fish yet (it has chlorine -spelling?- and stuff in). This has to do with bacteria witch make the water good for fish to live in and break down the waist in to less poisnes substance (witch you removes by doing water changes. They need some time to grow untill they can "solve" the waist of fish.
When there are no bacteria the waist of the fish begins to pile up and creates an toxic enivroment for the fish, they are basicly swimming in there own pee.
There are some ways to speed up the cycle, buy bacteria and add to the water to kick start there grow or add some from a tank wich has been up and running (healthy) for a longer periode.
But for now, you might wanna get the fish out and bring them back to the store or get a lot of easy and fast growing real aquatic plants (when you get them above the water they are weak, unlike anubias or so). The reason for this is that the plants help to break down the pee and if there not so many fish it may help.
Good luck!
Loubard
P.s. With Eheim is it gonna be? Is the Eheim filter gonna be the only filter? Then you need to make shure the filter works both mechanical (to filter out the poo and food leftovers) and biological (to house bacteria that break down the pee and lots and lot more).
First add some foam (not the fine one), then some bioballs and then 3 cm of fine foam.
@Dead-N-Dreaming: hope you already knew all this written above. And else it's a good learn; I hope..that is.
Long story, if I am wrong somewhere; please correct me.
Because if you don't I will be quite shure all your neons will die. When you start up a tank, the water won't be good enough to add fish yet (it has chlorine -spelling?- and stuff in). This has to do with bacteria witch make the water good for fish to live in and break down the waist in to less poisnes substance (witch you removes by doing water changes. They need some time to grow untill they can "solve" the waist of fish.
When there are no bacteria the waist of the fish begins to pile up and creates an toxic enivroment for the fish, they are basicly swimming in there own pee.
There are some ways to speed up the cycle, buy bacteria and add to the water to kick start there grow or add some from a tank wich has been up and running (healthy) for a longer periode.
But for now, you might wanna get the fish out and bring them back to the store or get a lot of easy and fast growing real aquatic plants (when you get them above the water they are weak, unlike anubias or so). The reason for this is that the plants help to break down the pee and if there not so many fish it may help.
Good luck!
Loubard
P.s. With Eheim is it gonna be? Is the Eheim filter gonna be the only filter? Then you need to make shure the filter works both mechanical (to filter out the poo and food leftovers) and biological (to house bacteria that break down the pee and lots and lot more).
First add some foam (not the fine one), then some bioballs and then 3 cm of fine foam.
@Dead-N-Dreaming: hope you already knew all this written above. And else it's a good learn; I hope..that is.
Long story, if I am wrong somewhere; please correct me.keeping filters running with no fish will not help cycle the tank Loubard 
Simply age the water. You need some waste to kick start the cycle, whether that is from fish or bottled ammonia.
I always just add fish right away and chuck in a load of bottled bacteria, it's worked everytime for me. And to be doubly sure these days I always add a mature sponge filter or internal power filter to a new tank too.
Simply age the water. You need some waste to kick start the cycle, whether that is from fish or bottled ammonia.
I always just add fish right away and chuck in a load of bottled bacteria, it's worked everytime for me. And to be doubly sure these days I always add a mature sponge filter or internal power filter to a new tank too.
we used bio spira to help decrease the loss of fish during the cycle. treated the water to neutralize the chlorine and other such chemicals. our filtration system will consist of a whisper 60 and the eheim 2215. we believe the neon was lost due to stress because it did not appear to have been chewed at by the angel or opaline gourami.
rumblesushi said:keeping filters running with no fish will not help cycle the tank Loubard
I always let the tank run without any fish for 3 weeks, because in the beginning there can be quite a bit of ammonia spikes and I don't want to loose and fish over that.
But for Dead-N-Dreaming it's to late to cycle now, so lets hope you methode also works with him.
Lou - there will be no ammonia spikes without adding fish (which create ammonia) or ammonia itself
Letting new filters run on a new tank will do nothing but age the water. It won't build any beneficial bacteria.
Letting new filters run on a new tank will do nothing but age the water. It won't build any beneficial bacteria.
Howdy,
I am with Loubard on this one. Although rumblesushi has a valid point.
It's always best to cycle, for a week or so without fish. Then add a few, not the entire stock at once. The use of bacteria can speed things up, whereas I would still wait about a week before adding fish. Re rumblesushi: The addition of a bit of fish food will provide ample food for the bacteria to start up. We also want some plancton to grow as a further stabilizer of the system before it is exposed to fish. Unfortunately, impatience often wins.
Dead-n-Dreaming: If you indeed have angel fish with the neons, this one won't be the last neon you lose. They often coexist fine for a while, but once the first neon has been snacked on by an angel fish, it is only a short time before the angels discover that neons are actually part of their natural diet in the wild.
Regarding Eheim filters: Check out the Eheim website, they show you what to use.
Good choice on the filter
HarleyK
I am with Loubard on this one. Although rumblesushi has a valid point.
It's always best to cycle, for a week or so without fish. Then add a few, not the entire stock at once. The use of bacteria can speed things up, whereas I would still wait about a week before adding fish. Re rumblesushi: The addition of a bit of fish food will provide ample food for the bacteria to start up. We also want some plancton to grow as a further stabilizer of the system before it is exposed to fish. Unfortunately, impatience often wins.
Dead-n-Dreaming: If you indeed have angel fish with the neons, this one won't be the last neon you lose. They often coexist fine for a while, but once the first neon has been snacked on by an angel fish, it is only a short time before the angels discover that neons are actually part of their natural diet in the wild.
Regarding Eheim filters: Check out the Eheim website, they show you what to use.
Good choice on the filter
HarleyK
harley - running filters without introducing waste will do nothing at all, which is essentially what loubard was saying. Whether it's feeder fish, some rotting food or whatever, there needs to be some waste to start the ammonia spike and get the cycle going.
running some new filters and nothing else on a new tank will do nothing but age the water
running some new filters and nothing else on a new tank will do nothing but age the water
I sure did, but I gathered from Loubard that he lets the filters run just like that, without any introduction of waste.
Oh and btw- I don't think a bit of fish food will produce enough waste to produce enough bacteria to be able to handle the bioload of some monster fish
Bottled bacteria has worked fine for me, if not that then loads of goldfish and feed them till they can barely swim That will cycle your tank.
Oh and btw- I don't think a bit of fish food will produce enough waste to produce enough bacteria to be able to handle the bioload of some monster fish
Bottled bacteria has worked fine for me, if not that then loads of goldfish and feed them till they can barely swim
That will cycle your tank.