New tank & cycling parameters

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
I know I am a pain! But should I also do a quick clean of substrate since fish are in there. Was also told ( not by y'all) to seed the tank with some flake food. (Also done before someone gifted me the goldfish.) I got too many problems! Sorry you guys! Again thank you!
Am also gonna recheck tap water for ammonia.
 
I know I am a pain! But should I also do a quick clean of substrate since fish are in there. Was also told ( not by y'all) to seed the tank with some flake food. (Also done before someone gifted me the goldfish.) I got too many problems! Sorry you guys! Again thank you!
Am also gonna recheck tap water for ammonia.

Yes, cleaning would be good idea in your case.

Goldfish need 68 to 74 degrees.
 
When cycling a tank, the point is to grow enough of a population of bacteria to eat up any ammonia and nitrite the fish produce.
This is why it takes 6 to 8 weeks to cycle, it takes time to get a large enough population to do its job.
This beneficial bacteria aquarists "cultivate" live on surfaces (not as free floating plankton), on the substrate, and on filter media, if you clean it to much you may be washing away a significant population of the bacteria you are trying to cultivate, so don't clean the substrate at this point, just get rid of the highly ammoniated water, replace it, and have patience.
 
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Yes, cleaning would be good idea in your case.
You guys are really so amazing. Fish aren't the only lucky ones here.
Should I place bio media filter in after this water change if the person shows up today with filter?
Will let you know how it goes. I thought that about substrate too duanes. I'm 99% sure I don't have any growth yet, or I don't think ammonia would be so high. (Correct?) I'll be a lot smarter after setting up 1 tank lol.
Thanks
 
So how you change the water is get one of these.


It attaches to your faucet and let's you drain and refill your tank.

When people say a fin lvl water change, that means you take the water down to the height of the tallest fish generally around 85% of the water in the tank.

20191028_100351.jpg20180417_102202.jpg

In these 2 pics you can see what we are talking about. While these are not all the way down, but you get the idea. The water level is taken down to the top of your tallest fish.
 
Pop
So how you change the water is get one of these.


It attaches to your faucet and let's you drain and refill your tank.

When people say a fin lvl water change, that means you take the water down to the height of the tallest fish generally around 85% of the water in the tank.

View attachment 1409608View attachment 1409609

In these 2 pics you can see what we are talking about. While these are not all the way down, but you get the idea. The water level is taken down to the top of your tallest fish.
Great pics! Beautiful fish! Very good for the newbie to understand. Have python system thank goodness. Now I'm still nervous but determined.
One more question to the forum: think my bio media filter person will be here with filter soon. Shouldn't I do water change before putting in the established filter to keep the bacteria in it intact? They said not to pour out any liquid in the bag they give to me because it would also contain the good bacteria.
Am I on the right track now? Thank you forever & The Fishy Five thank you too! ( see? already hopeless, have already named the goldfish!)
 
That tap water reading is normal for a public water system that uses chloramine as a disinfectant, (chloramine is made by combining 4 to 5 parts chlorine with 1 part ammonia). So your chlorine dosage from the tap appears to be around 1.25 to 1.60 ppm.
That's the ball park amount you are trying to neutralize with your dechlorinator (like Prime).
You can do the water change before adding the filter, the filter media is probably accustomed to detoxifying a lot less than 8 ppm ammonia.
 
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When cycling a tank, the point is to grow enough of a population of bacteria to eat up any ammonia and nitrite the fish produce.
This is why it takes 6 to 8 weeks to cycle, it takes time to get a large enough population to do its job.
This beneficial bacteria aquarists "cultivate" live on surfaces (not as free floating plankton), on the substrate, and on filter media, if you clean it to much you may be washing away a significant population of the bacteria you are trying to cultivate, so don't clean the substrate at this point, just get rid of the highly ammoniated water, replace it, and have patience.

Since he mentioned he did 'seed the tank with some flake food.', I thought rotting food is larger part of the source of ammonia and getting it out would help more.
 
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We don't know how much food the OP used to seed the tank, was it a pinch, a spoonful, or an entire can of fishfood.
If its a pinch, or a spoonful that shouldn't be a big deal, if its an entire can, then maybe a vac would be called for.
Its critical at this point, not to loss beneficial bacteria, and they must be fed. Regular vacuuming can start once nitrate has taken over for ammonia and nitrite
The problem with this is there has been a lot of knee jerk panic type reactions, without getting to understand the basics, which is the norm with noobs. Fish keeping is a lot to do with science, and unless that science is understood, it usually won't work.
It's not like collecting stamps, where one sets them in a book and its done, there is always continuous adjusting.
Rocksor gave good advice early on, but being new, the OP was fearful.
It's like when a noob first encounters ick, and "under" treats because 1 catfish might be effected, with a result being, all fish get ick and die, instead of one or two. Collateral damage in the aquarium hobby is often unavoidable.
It's probably a good idea the OP is starting with some goldfish, instead of an expensive FH. Fish deaths are often the best learning tools.
 
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