Well I've read enough to see that I didn't set up my 20 gal right. My tank hasn't cycled, my ammonia levels are high I've lost some fish. idiot stuff. I missed the part where you should only put in 1 fish and add one a week or so.
I got my old tank back from my nephew's yard. It was dirty, alot of algae, leaves, grass, and limestone scale. I cleaned it 1st with Windex, then bleach, the vinegar. I had some odd foam on top, that has since mostly went away with water changes. I filled up the tank add gravels, filter, some water conditioner, and plastic plants and rocks. let it set empty for a few days, that part is right. right? I then should of add some bacteria and a fish? what I did was not add enough bacteria, and 4/5 of the fish my 20 gal should hold.
so far I've did 2 partial water changes, added salt, some more water conditioner, added some liquid ammonia remover (stuff petsmart recommended). not sure how long the ammonia remover takes, but 16 hours later my ammonia is still dangerous. Right now I have 6 platy, 2 loach, and a rubber lip alive. 2 of the platys, the loach and the rubber lip are from the 1st stock. every thing looks healthy, but so did the ones that died.
I did not check my water for pH, and I slow killed 2 Betta. If I understand they need acidic to neutral? It seems my water is worse than my parents, my well is deeper. I have no Ideal why considering I'm 1/2 mile away. My alkaline is off the scale. the hardness reads like they should be able to walk on the water.
I had a 55 gal gave to me, had to clean it up. it had been empty for 1 1/2 to 2 years. I used vinegar to remove the limestone, and rinsed it out a couple of times with drying it with paper towel in between. then let water run out of it for awhile. after I pour all the water out and set it on the stands. I added water and gravel, plus ornamental fish tank stuff. let it run with the filters and water conditioner. yesterday I added bacteria (what the bottle suggested, i used a measuring medicine cup I'd brought home from work).
Then I went to petsmart with 3 bags of water. came back with 3 small comets, a bottle of ammonia remover for my 20, and the questionable knowledge my water conditioner should take care of the limestone because it removes heavy minerals. oh I asked the other fish guy about how to keep Betta. I got 2 suggestions one use store bought water and the other to put peat moss in a baggy thing and run through a filter.
Any one have a better ideal? like how to remove some of the limestone from the water?
now I have 2 small comets in the 55, one in a bucket to be added later. did I mention petsmart is a 55 mile drive? that why I came home with 3, so buying and losing 36 cents of fish to save $20 of gas makes sense. so far the tank is neg for ammonia.
Is my my 20 gal a lost cause? #1 I should take the survivors, if any to the 55 in a few weeks? then start over on setting up the 20? #2 split them next week between the 2, with the comets going to the pond? #3 keep doing water changes on it? if so how often?
on my 55 am I missing anything on it? could a couple of say 2 to 3 inch bluegills live in a 55? If they out grow the tank I could put them back in the pond they came from. so they wouldn't be going back into the wild. If they would work and suggestion on what fish can live in hard water?
I got my old tank back from my nephew's yard. It was dirty, alot of algae, leaves, grass, and limestone scale. I cleaned it 1st with Windex, then bleach, the vinegar. I had some odd foam on top, that has since mostly went away with water changes. I filled up the tank add gravels, filter, some water conditioner, and plastic plants and rocks. let it set empty for a few days, that part is right. right? I then should of add some bacteria and a fish? what I did was not add enough bacteria, and 4/5 of the fish my 20 gal should hold.
so far I've did 2 partial water changes, added salt, some more water conditioner, added some liquid ammonia remover (stuff petsmart recommended). not sure how long the ammonia remover takes, but 16 hours later my ammonia is still dangerous. Right now I have 6 platy, 2 loach, and a rubber lip alive. 2 of the platys, the loach and the rubber lip are from the 1st stock. every thing looks healthy, but so did the ones that died.
I did not check my water for pH, and I slow killed 2 Betta. If I understand they need acidic to neutral? It seems my water is worse than my parents, my well is deeper. I have no Ideal why considering I'm 1/2 mile away. My alkaline is off the scale. the hardness reads like they should be able to walk on the water.
I had a 55 gal gave to me, had to clean it up. it had been empty for 1 1/2 to 2 years. I used vinegar to remove the limestone, and rinsed it out a couple of times with drying it with paper towel in between. then let water run out of it for awhile. after I pour all the water out and set it on the stands. I added water and gravel, plus ornamental fish tank stuff. let it run with the filters and water conditioner. yesterday I added bacteria (what the bottle suggested, i used a measuring medicine cup I'd brought home from work).
Then I went to petsmart with 3 bags of water. came back with 3 small comets, a bottle of ammonia remover for my 20, and the questionable knowledge my water conditioner should take care of the limestone because it removes heavy minerals. oh I asked the other fish guy about how to keep Betta. I got 2 suggestions one use store bought water and the other to put peat moss in a baggy thing and run through a filter.
Any one have a better ideal? like how to remove some of the limestone from the water?
now I have 2 small comets in the 55, one in a bucket to be added later. did I mention petsmart is a 55 mile drive? that why I came home with 3, so buying and losing 36 cents of fish to save $20 of gas makes sense. so far the tank is neg for ammonia.
Is my my 20 gal a lost cause? #1 I should take the survivors, if any to the 55 in a few weeks? then start over on setting up the 20? #2 split them next week between the 2, with the comets going to the pond? #3 keep doing water changes on it? if so how often?
on my 55 am I missing anything on it? could a couple of say 2 to 3 inch bluegills live in a 55? If they out grow the tank I could put them back in the pond they came from. so they wouldn't be going back into the wild. If they would work and suggestion on what fish can live in hard water?
