pest control & fish tanks?

Question:

I picked up a 10 gallon tank someone gave me off of craigslist, with fish in it. The poor things I could not believe they were even still alive the water was cloudy & green! There were 2 goldfish & a paradise gourami and a plecostamous in there. well i found homes for the goldfish, bought water conditioner and replaced most of the water so it is nice & clear. I will be getting a heater for them next week, i found homes for the goldfish so now I just have 2 gourami who are getting along well and the plecostamous. Well the fish tank also came with some extra pets that i didnt have before...roaches living up in the filter...yuck! I would like to do a big pest control and clean up this week in my apartment. I want to keep the fishies safe. Also the gravel is nasty and filled with waste. The tank needs a full makeover, so any suggestions on how to safely do this? without criticisms please and thanks you because I am a new fish keeper.

Answers:

11.) Do not feed them until 24 hours later after they are introduced,

By what means can I separate solids from a mixture?

Question:

In Chemistry, I have to separate a mixture of 4 solid substances. I removed a substance (had properties of metal shavings) with a strong metal, so that left me with 3 substances. Then, I identified a substance as salt, so I mixed the remaining mixture with water and filtered it, leaving me with 2 remaining substances and a salt solution. (The salt solution, I'll just leave out on a Petri dish and let the water dissolve.) That left me with a substance that looked like sand and a very, very fine substance. How do I separate these two?

Answers:

Get a very fine screen and sift the finer substance from the sand.

should i buy a powerhead??

Question:

have a 75 gal tank with 4 little piranhas in it. currntly i have an emperor 400 filter and a Penguin 350. i was thinking bout getting a powerhead aswell for extra water flow. good idea?

Answers:

It doesn't matter either way. Personally, I wouldn't add the power head because piranhas prefer calm water. Good luck.

my fish is not eating!?

Question:

I put some aquarium salt in the water, and bought some fish tonic from pets at home for off color fish. This morning its color is back! Very dark speckles and its fin is up, its swimming around a little bit but its still not eating, its not eaten now 4 days. the day before it got ill it was trying to eat but was spitting the flakes back out. I always sink the flakes. Whats wrong with it!?

Answers:

Try different foods with your shubunkin, isolate it with a tank divider when trying this. Try live foods especially such as blood worms, earth worms, crickets and brine shrimp. You can also try other flakes or pellets to bring back it's appetite. If that doesn't work, try increasing the temperature to get its metabolism going (around 75 degrees is good). It can also be constipated, try doing a epsom salt bath with it although for shubunkins thats fairly rare.

i would hurry because if it isnt eating it could die.

Eat the fish then

Fish Tank algae Help?

Question:

I think my tap water might have alot of phospates in it, I live by mexico.

Answers:

Algae needs light and nutrients, so if you don't have live plants only use the lights when viewing your fish and be sure you're not over feeding your fish. If you still have algae look at where the tank is situated and try to move it to a shadier area in your home.

i am from the uk so dont know if they sell this near mexico but you can buy RO water from your petshop or alternatively buy some chemical that you add to tapwater to remove the phosphates. you can also buy some snails, catfish and algae eaters. if you do not have any live plants these will help too, make sure your tank is away from the sun and that your tank is not overstocked/in too much sunlight. DO NOT BLEACH YOU COULD KILL THE FISH you could also try a new filter that sits on the outside of the tank not inside hopes thisw helps

for one scrape the walls pull the decorations out scrub them. and use a gravel filter and suck as much algae out as you can with a normal 20% water change add algeacide wait a week and clean filter. wait 2 or three weeks and repeat if necessary. after that just use a magnrt scrapper to keep it under control . and dont forget to suck gravle now and again fish pooh is good fertalizer for algae

Remoras or suckerfish are ideal for cleaning a tank of algae. I know that Pet stores like Pet Co. or Petsmart have them. and if you do consider getting one then ask an employee about them and tell them your situation.

Green algae is normally from too much light. Make sure the tank is not in direct sun and turn off the lights. They tank should have the same hours of daylight as there is outside, around 8-10.

whats the best type off filter to start a salt water tank with?

Question:

had freshwater tanks for years i kept discus. want to try my hand at salt water never done it before just want some starting advice and i dont realy want to get to fancy

Answers:

for a newb an all in one tank would be a good choice such has a jbj nanocube

depends on the size of ur tank

My Mom has a brita water filter she hasn't changed in a long time & she has a rash.Could it be from the water?

Question:

If a Brita filter isn't changed when they say (usually every 3 months), bacteria can grow in the cartridge, and the water can be unsafe to drink.

Answers:

well i just noticed that you have to leave the filter run for 5 min every time you use it so there must be a reason for that. so i could be the filter

Not likely. Tap water is officially drinkable.

Omg OMG 9.0 NITRITE!!! Help!?

Question:

The girl at the pet store told me to buy 2 plants i forgot what they are called but they are green with spiky looking things coming out even though it isnt hard and doesnt hurt. she said to do a 25% water change every other day but i have to change my filter soon like in about a week or less so what do i do? also its a 10 gal tank with 2 comet goldfish i am working on getting a bigger tank but it will take a few months to save but its better than a bowl!!! it has a good filter and incadescent lighting i really need to fix these i cant test it because i have to go to the pet store to test it so plllzzzz help me :(

Answers:

feel free to message me for more info

As for PH, when things quiet down, buy some SeaChem Neutral Buffer and treat your tank with every water change until you get to 7.0. Then only treat when you' see a change in PH.

Ian

You can buy test kits that will let you test it from home. It's a much better option than to keep running to the pet store. They are cheap. What I would get is a pH test kit, an ammonia test kit, a nitrite test kit, and a nitrate test kit. You want ammonia to stay less than 0.5, nitrite less than 1, nitrate less than 30, and you want the pH somewhere in the 6.5-7.5 range, but more importantly, you want it to stay the same every test.

Can filtered tap water kill my Goldfish?

Question:

Can filtered water from a filter kepp a gold fish?

Answers:

Yes, filtered tap water can kill your goldfish. The filter removes minerals from the water essential to your fish health. Use regular unfiltered tap water with a de-chlorinator.

Yes, but they have water treatment conditioner that will get rid of the stuff that is harmful to the fish. So if you don't have any of that I would strongly suggest not to put the goldfish in filter tap water.

yes. if this fish has already been in your tank and you are just changing the water, just change half of it and restore the other half with bottled water.

As long as you treat the water with water de-chlorinators found in pet stores, your fish will be fine.

you have to use a dechlorinator like stress coat or aqua safe to get rid of harmful chemicals in tap water.i love goldfish what size tank do you have and how many do you have

How do I clean a K&N air filter?

Question:

It is just the panel air filter to replace the OEM one for a 97 wrangler. Can I just clean it out with water and let it dry or will that harm it? Thanks!

Answers:

He is correct. They make a cleaner kit that you can pick up at any parts store. Just make sure you spray it after it dries with the can in the kit and let it dry before you install it again. Also, make sure you clean out your filter assembly. You don't want the dirt from it getting on the filter just after you serviced it. Not sure if your filter is square (assume square since you said panel) or round, but after so many miles, I turn it, so it doesn't accumulate dirt in a particular spot, if allowable.

Autozone usually carries what you need . It is called a recharge kit made by K & N . It comes with a special soap and new oil for the filter . Just follow the instructions - it is very easy to do .

K&N.com

am i overreacting to my aquarium?

Question:

I have a 29 gallon aquarium with black sealant and i just bought it two days ago. I got the filter, gravel, decor and plastic plants up and filled it with water. everything you were suppose to do before putting fish in it. added some AFI aquarium salt and water conditioner. my concern is, when i was taping the background, i noticed a small chip on the inside of the tank where the corners are, its in the middle of the tank, and its covered by the black sealant and its about the size of half of the top of a pencil eraser. should i be worried about it cracking and leaking later or am i over reacting to something minor? it looks like whoever made it, a small piece of glass chipped off and he still used it to make the aquarium. i bought it from petsmart and it has no leaks at all. Ive been checking up on it atleast 5 times a day and it doesnt seem to get bigger. i mean it is inside the sealant so it shouldnt get any worse right?

Answers:

In the end, it's a brand new product that you only just purchased and if you aren't happy with it you have 60 days to return it.

It shouldn't be a problem. You're supposed to cycle your tank for a minimum of a week anyway, so just keep an eye on it. If it starts to leak, you can go to Ace Hardware, Lowe's, or Home Depot to buy silicone sealant and patch it up yourself. OR you can call Petsmart and tell them about your problem. I know it would be a pain to take all of your stuff out of you aquarium and start over but if you want the peace of mind, just call/go to Petsmart.

From someone who has had an aquarium crack and leak all over the floor... I would take it back. It may be fine... but do you really want to risk it? My corner crack was fine (and I tried to seal it which I found out later you can't) for a little but when it when it went fast..

Well it shouldn't get worse, but just keep checking on it for a few a days. If it doesn't get worse I'm thinking all is well.

How Could Regime Change in Iran Best Be Accomplished?

Question:

12. Supply to Israel of carbon fibre weapons to eliminate power transmission facilities in Iran and help it re-enter the 12th century.

Answers:

Would you have a surgical strike killing the Supreme Islamic Council and Ahmadinejad? Wouldn't that just universally turn the Iranian people against us, make the killed individuals martyrs, and make dealing with Iran even more difficult?

trough the sheer will of the Iranian people wanting democracy not trough the means achieved in Iraq which was a disaster.

By the Iranian people.

Excessive force?

We could air strike him and if he does not take our loans within 10 years we can invade. Oh wait I thought we were talking about Iraq, never mind.

Did you know Kids do funny things?

Question:

18. Cats throw up twice their body weight when dizzy.

Answers:

I have learnt when your 4 yr old likes to cleanit is not a good idea to leave a spray bottle of brown vinegar where she can see it. We had hot chips for tea last night which i refuse to eat with out vinegar... I went to run the bath and she decided to "clean". I know the house is disinfected now, but my house sure stinks.

really brake fluid and clorox ... gonna try that

how many layers do water filters have?

Question:

It depends on what the filter is meant to remove from the water. Most filters are categorized as 2-stage, or 4 stage filters and so on. The differents stages (or layers) all filter different contaminants. A good explanation can be found at http://www.doulton-water.com/understandingwaterfiltration.aspx

Answers:

The filter on the faucet is only a single layer of screen.

Ammonia in an established tank?

Question:

I clean out the filter in a bucket of tank water, and add fresh activated carbon monthly, but that has never been an issue with the ammonia. And its been almost a month since I did the last cleaning.

Answers:

good luck

I believe plants can produce ammonia if any are dying, maybe you have a decaying plant in there, or something (food maybe) that is hidden. I would also check your water from your tap. Your water company may have made a change recently. Lastly, I do like the idea of going to check your water at the pet store. Those test kits are not supposed to last forever.

A healthy tank will be serviced every week. Waiting a month to do anything can never keep up and your tank will steadily decline.

The main concern is definitely verifying the accuracy of the ammonia test kit first ... and verifying whether the water company has been "monkeying" with their chemistry and additives (a simple phone call to the municipal water company is all that is needed there).

Your plants should be removing excess ammonia too. Ammonia is the preferred form of nitrogen for a lot of aquatic plants. So if yo're still getting ammonia on your test results, you probaly have a lot more that you never detected that your plants removed.1ppm is not high at all, that means 1 part per million, its fine, if your concerned it is prolly that a fish made a big stinky poo

convict breeding help no.2? 10 points for the best answer.?

Question:

i have already posted a lot of questions on them. my convicts are not getting into any breeding activity. the male just digs holes and cleans the cave and the female just swims around. the male is 9cm and the female is 6cm. the temp is 26 degrees Celsius, the water is rainwater, there is a cave,there is gravel, i have fed them live worms and high protein foods for a month now, there is a power filter in there. but they don't breed at all. the female is dark and is plump with eggs but ignores the male most of the time. the male is dark and would follow the female and she would swim away about 20cm, then when the male doesn't follow the female, she follows him. should i purchase another female/male? or is there another way to solve this? i really don't want to buy another one or trade one of them in. if anyone has anything to say, please say so. ill give best answer to the best answer.

Answers:

Good luck, I hope this helps!

My fish keep getting sucked onto the filter what can I do?

Question:

My fish keep getting sucked onto my filter in my 55 gallon tank and dying. Ive had my tank running for 3 1/2 weeks. I checked my water and it was in good condition so I added fish. Every couple of days the fish would get sucked onto my filter and die. A lady told me its because the ammonia is high in my water and to change the water about 25%. I changed it and some fish died because when I changed it the ammonia level got even higher. A man told me since my tank is new not to change the water for the first 2 months and that is the reason they died. Now i have more fish getting sucked into the filter. Can someone help me and tell me what to do? Should I change my water or keep it running?

Answers:

good luck, I suggest you look into the nitrogen cycle and new tank syndrome.

its kinda obvious just cover the filter intake with a net or something that wont let fishes get sucked and crushed by the propellor.It might lower the output rate but whats a fish tank with no fish?

kill them problem solved

Whats wrong with my Molly fish?

Question:

Ok I have a 2.5 Gal starter kit aquarium. with some neat decorations. PLENTY of room for my Molly to swim. It is filtered and I have a heater in it. Water temperature is 78 Degrees. I have no idea about the water. I know I changed it today. I put conditioner in the water and let it cycle for 30 mins before I put my Molly back in the tank. But today after I changed the water my Molly started acting weird. It laid around the bottom and then every once in a while would like Swim all around the tank and try to jump out of the water then it started like gasping for air. I thought my Molly was dying but now its kinda calmed down A LOT. but how do I know if my Molly is a male of female, and How do I know if its really ok or if its still dying :( I really gotten attached to Mollie... thats its name :) and I really dont want him/her to die.

Answers:

they dislike water change... id need more details to know more but it could just b shock.

If you really care about your mollie, you'll either buy a bigger tank or take it back to the pet store where you got it.

Is drinking water unsafe to drink, rumors?

Question:

How can we make sure? Are filters the best thing to use?

Answers:

I remembered when I got my water inspected it turns out I was drinking poison for the past 10 years lol. Surprisingly I am still alive. I think the best thing is to get plastic pipes. Most homes got them and I think you should check if you have them. Also the best thing you should do is get a big pot and boil your water so the bacteria dies then get one of those filter in those containers where you store them in the fridge and then when you are thirsty you just get it out and pour water in your cup. Also if you don't want to do all that just get a filter. I don't think you should be that worried.

I definitely use a filter!!! Then again, I took a college class called Environmental Geology that took us on a tour of the local water/sewage treatment plant. What I saw there would turn ANYONE away from drinking tap water. And that's only one source of toxins.

I'm not dead yet so I'd say no. But we do uses brita filters in my house. But only because it makes the water taste better. I rarely pay attention to any of these scientific studies. Most of them are BS and usually are attached to some agenda.

Yes it has all kinds of bad stuff doctor have been flushind perscriptions down the toilet and it is getting in our water it made my sister very sick! the best water is distlled or dasani! warn other people before they get sick!yes drinking water is safe 99.9 percent of the time the other percent is the bad drinking water.yes water is safe,some places are safe others aren't.

7 month old tank has sudden MAJOR ammonia spike?? HELP!?

Question:

Feel free to inquire more information, I will edit this to provide you with an answer

Answers:

Ammonia spikes are completely normally after introducing a new fish into a tank. You can buy some ammonia chips or a liquid "ammonia remover" to help your fish through the cleaning process. These "ammonia removing" products don't actually remove ammonia. You'll have to do that yourself via a clean filter and daily water changes until it goes down. But, the ammonia products help keep the ammonia from being toxic in your tank.

do a water change and keep an eye on it... and be sure to move him to a larger tank.

Sounds like you're relying on your filter too much. You should be doing weekly maintenance on the tank. Water, filter, substrate etc.

Are water filters seletively permeable?

Question:

This is what makes a cell so efficient. The selectivity of the membrane allows different things to pass though at different times, depending on the needs of the cell.

Answers:

yes, they let the water permeate though (go though) and trap the dirt and other contaminates (impermeable to the contaminates, permeable to the water).

They are not selectively permeable.

Has my platy had a baby?

Question:

I have two female platies that i've had for about 3 weeks now and i was changing some of the water today when i saw a tiny black thing swim past really fast. I then lost sight of it. Neither of my two females platies are black so i'm not sure if this was a baby platy or just some food! I haven't seen it again since but there are plenty of places it could be hiding inside my tank! What do baby platies look like and roughly how big are they? Also how will i go about looking after it if i can't even find it? One of my older platies was acting a bit strange last week and kept itself hidden under the filter for a few days which i was told could be a sign of her being pregnant! I don't have any male fish though but i know it's possible she could have been pregnant when i bought her. Any information or advice you can give me will be greatly appreciated! I don't want my baby platy getting eaten :-( Thanks in advance!

Answers:

Good Luck with your platy fry!

They are about a 1 and 1/2 millimeters long and can look grey but not sure about black if it was really fast it is mostly likely a fry ( baby fish) however platys don't give birth to one fish at a time they give birth to dozens, I had the EXACT same situation as you and I just left it in there now he is big enough not to get eat after 1 1/2 months.

yes most of the time they will be prego when u buy them! they can store sperm and get prego over and over even w/o a mate until they use the sperm up! i think like up to 7 times! ne ways u will notice her belly getting big and then all the sudden she be SKINNY! then u know she had babies. some times they eat the babies so having one left in the tank is possible if she ate most of them but u would notice a diff in her size? ye like lots of hiding spots for cover and survival form elders. an dthey eat like 4xs a day of crushed flakes! and may not find it again for awhile but it will prob survive if its there! they eat algea and stuff too

my filter keeps sucking up my small fish. i have a 10 gal right now but gonna get a 55 when i get ajob. ..?

Question:

the filter already killed guppies abd swordtails

Answers:

For your 55, you may not have this problem, but another possibility is to just use air-driven foam filters to begin with. Fish don't get sucked into them.

Nylon stocking can be used,but if the filter suction is strong it doesn't diffuse it and fish can still be sucked to it.

use a piece of woman's nylon stockings. attach with rubber band, your pump may be to strong keep an eye on the fish because they can get pulled against the nylon and can't get away.

I've heard some people put a peice of stocking over their filters. Personally I think a small sponge would do the trick.

is your filter HOB or underground? you could try affixing a sponge to the filter intakes. That would help.it should have come with a plastic strainer or sponge for the end

Cloudy Aquarium (I'm a fish noob)?

Question:

Thanks!

Answers:

O and stop using the freeze dried food and switch frozen food and try to make your own. I know roman is good for us college kids but it is terrible for fish. He will not live on freeze dried food.

green spot puffers can grow to 8 inches, they are brakish water fish, wich you can be created easily enough but you will need at least twenty gallon for that puffer. the water is coudy because the fish is to big for that tank, its producing too much ammonia and changeing 50% every week is making it worse, water changes that big destroy the water chemistry and biological filter, you shouldnt change more than 20-25% a week, if you cant get a 20 gallon brackish tank set up, i would return the puffer, and get a fresh water dwarf puffer, they need a minimum of 10 gallons

Hope this helps!

ive never used the conditioner u use but have seen it! id say stop using the cinditioner do a 50% change and add a water clarifier for clear water

Turtle Tank Stench!??!?

Question:

How do I stop it? I have two fairly big turtles, and a regular heating lamp and etc. One filter thing sucks up all the dirty stuff, and the other one spits out water. I don't really see what the problem is. But then there is ammonia on the sides of the tank. Then it gets REAL stinky after about 2 weeks. So smelly that I cant even go into my own room. HOW DO I STOP IT?

Answers:

What you might want to look into would be a plastic kiddie pool for them to live outside if you live in an acceptable climate... the water cleanliness issues would still need to be dealt with for the health of your turtles, but it would get them out of your room and into natural sunlight, which is the best thing for them.

Your filtration might also be a problem; make sure you have a good biological filter.

go to a pet store and ask them for a product to de smell it and ask them whats wrong theyll tell you all about it

Will this be ok? (Once Ick contaminated tank?)?

Question:

Will the tank be ok for them? They won't go into it for a week or so.

Answers:

ADDED Glad you're starting your sponge filter in the existing tank. Bleach is okay to use for sterilizing your tank, but with Ich, it really wasn't necessary. Without fish to serve as a host, the parasites will die in a few weeks. But I generally bleach a tank if I've had fish die for unknown reasons. At least I don't have to worry that *something* might still be in the tank that could harm the new fish. Just as long as it's rinsed really well before you put the new fish in to get all the chlorine out..

It should be perfectly safe for them. My fish started getting ick, and I simply put in medicine for it (you can buy it at most local pet stores) and it cleared it up :)

i use to work a petsmart that stuff can be hard to kill

I would rinse the tank again with just plain water 2 make sure that all the bleach is gone, but after that it should be fine.

5. (quick, works, but not the best) is to buy some Safe Start or other nitrifying bacteria product and add it to the tank. This will slow down the stable, long-term cycle and risks a nasty cloudy bacteria bloom, but it is a safe way to do it and add fish quickly.Edit: To the poster who keeps saying you worked at Petco, get your facts right please. This is the second question I have seen you post a wrong and miss-informed answer from. Working in the Petco fish department is nothing to boast about, they don't teach you anything useful. I'm not trying to be mean, I would just hate to see someone actually take some of your wrong advice and kill their fish.

Should I buy a shower head that filters out chlorine ?

Question:

Is it necessary? Does it still have enough water pressure ?

Answers:

Heads with filters will probably have more pressure (think of how a pressure washer works). And it will filter out the chlorine which can badly dehydrate your skin and hair. I think it is a worthy investment.

No such animal exists.Besides the chlorine amount in your water is minuscule anyway.

Yes. Chlorine is yucky. It depends what shower head you buy. Go to Menard's and ask.

Fish tank filter problem?

Question:

My 30g tank at work has 3 fancy golfish in it. I just found out today that the filter broke, but I don't know when it did. It was fine when I left on Sunday. Anyways, I won't be able to exchange it for a few more weeks because I can't afford to pay my grandmother $15 just to go to the pet store. The only extra filter I had is for a 10g tank so I put that in there along with an ammonia remover insert and an activated carbon insert. With weekly 50% water changes, will the goldfish be okay until I manage to get a new filter?

Answers:

Meantime,if at least a decent sponge filter is in the budget,I'd get it .... it will help decrease some of the volume you'll need to change.

Note also that even fancy goldfish can grow too large for the tank. You might want to make water changes a regular part of weekly maintainance even after you get the new filter up and running.

Yes if you keep up the water changes, the 10g filter will do FOR A BIT. Goldfish are messy fish, so if you can you should get a 50g filter, if not a 30g would be ok.

yeh the goldfish should be fine i mean ppl have them in tanks with no filters and they live pretty long im sure a week or so without a filter wont hurt

Is the ick in my fish tank even going away?

Question:

Am I doing everything right? Or is my whole tank going to die? :(

Answers:

Good Luck, hope it all works out for ya.

~Jadestar

The ick must be mold. You are only adding half a dose, which is only half of what the whole tank needs. What I will do is isolate your tetras in their own personal tanks with no doses. Dose the whole tank exactly fourteen drops and then when the fish seem better and the dose wears off, put the tetras back in.

I agree to lower the temperature to 78-79*F. Do a 25-50% water change. Put the tetras in their own tank for now. Since they don't seem to be showing symptoms, they shouldn't be medicated. As for the rest of your fish, maybe you should try getting a different brand medication for them.

O.O fishy carcassBest of Luck!A 50% water change is also best before applying more medication. Reducing the amount of stress on the fish will also be a huge help so make sure you move them out of the tank before changing the water then waiting for the temperature to be the same as it is in their holding dish.But, if you don't get the ich and the infected fish out of the tank until the problem clears up, it'll eventually appear again in the future.you may lose more fish :( but this will help. hook your filter back up to your fish tank! your water still needs to circulate through out your tank, just take the filter cartridge out. also stop the minor water changes, its only stressing your fish even more. ick is caused by stress. too many water changes when not needed can contribute to that stress also, an agressive fish could be picking on non agressive fish and stressing them, but most of the time its caused by tapping or banging on the fish tank. if you notice every time you tap, your fish get jumpy its like a full blown earthquake to them. you should also turn your light off untill things look better. it usually takes about a week to clear up. Ive worked in a pet store for about 3 years and this is how we handle ick outbreaks at the store. hang in there it will clear up!

Brown Algae Reappearing On My Filter, What Is This?

Question:

Three or four weeks ago I removed my filter because the water flow stopped to a small bit going down the side of the filter (normally the water comes out fast and is propelled farther, and just falls into the water) I took it apart and inside and outside of it there was slippery, brown algae(?) all over it, and even when I took the 3 parts of the intake part out and found the little propeller, that was covered too. I cleaned that off and it did the trick. Now it's happened again and I can see a lot of the brown stuff, I'll clean it again but is there any way to prevent this in the future?

Answers:

Black algae can be a real problem. Expecially since you cannot scrap it off and very few fish will eat it. The only two fish that I know of that will eat the stuff are flying foxes and ottos. However saying that I have tried both fish and neither have worked for me. What I would advise is to get out all the leaves covered in the stuff and hope it stops spreading. If it keep spreading on the plant just take the whole thing out and get rid of it cause once it takes hold its a nightmare to get rid off. In the past people have advised me to tear the tank down clean everything and start again but I think this is a bit drastic. Hope this helps

I would put your fish in another holding tank and change the water as well.

Fish cycle for oscars?

Question:

P.S. the goldfish wont just get thrown away, im giving them to a friend that will take care of them

Answers:

its just a goldfish, proably a feeder goldfish anyways.

I work for Petsmart and I always promote fishless cycling.

Can a betta live in a bowl without a filter?

Question:

I'm scared that he might die sooner than he should, because he thrived so well in that other tank. What should I do? Oh and hear is the lin for that cool bowl I have: http://www.petco.com/Shop/Product.aspx?familyid=14428&Ntt=hanging%20betta%20bowl&OneResultRedirect=1

Answers:

Marlyn will survive, but he definitely won't thrive. i kept my betta Bubbles in a one gallon bowl for a while, but i moved him to a 2-3 gal petco tank (called the kritter keeper, medium size). He's doing pretty good now! He's better off in his tank, but if you absolutely need to move him, get a small table to set the tank on. oh, and they dont absolutely need a filter, but it is good for them. make sure you do 20% water changes evry 2 weeks. do you have a heater? as long as the room is warm enough, i guess you wouldnt need one, but in the winter, it might get cold. But remember: if you absolutely must move Marlyn, he will just survive, and chances are that he probably won't do as well. Good luck!

yes he can. all that wold happen is he if its not a 1 gal tank he would get bigger. but since bettas originally live in puddles

i had tons of betta fish ( not all at one time ) and the pet store said it was fine and my betta lived a long time .

To be honest he probably will die sooner in the wall thing. You're better off with your tank.

Yes they breath air from the surface.it cam be a regular fish bowl. just clean it about 2 times a weekit will do fine my betta has been in a half gallon tank for over 2 years with no light and i only do water changes about once a month (i tried doing them more often but it just stressed him and almost killed him so i do them less often) it really kinda depends on how your fish reacts to the water mine likes his tank and when i tried putting him in a big heated filtered tank he layed on the bottom and almost died so i put him back in his tank and he loves it.Your fish does not NEED a filter. It can go up to the surface to get oxygen. Certain fish can do this and Bettas are one of them. However, I would make sure that you do not significantly reduce the amount of water he gets to live in...which you would be if you used that new bowl because it is less than a gallon. I suppose if you change the water often enough it would be ok, but fish like to have plenty of water to swim in. Could you buy a fish tank with a stand or some little table so that your current tank could still fit in your room?Hey, yes betta fish can live in a bowl. Mine stayed in a fancy clear glass vase for 2 years. We cleaned her bowl once a week. It did have some marbley things on the bottom, but they were for decor. It did stay on a stand under a lamp, but it was only on for a few hours a night. The sunlight was the only light other than that. And no, they don't need a water pump as long as there is a wide top. Bettas breathe air though their mouths as well as their gills.

the best way to cycle a fish tank?

Question:

Agree/disagrree/hate/spam answers are welcome. ;)

Answers:

Ian

Is it worth adding bettafix or melafix?

Question:

Help : (

Answers:

-Fishman

your beautiful fish should be just fine.

Please help me with my science?

Question:

both b and c

Answers:

both b and c

rust forms

chemistry seemed so long ago so i might be wrong

Use similar reasoning on future tests and good luck to you in raising your grades!

does a water filter filter out the trace vitamins and minerals?

Question:

does it filter out all the minerals???z

Answers:

A standard home water filter is usually based on activated charcoal and will strain out small particulates and make the water taste better, but it does not greatly alter the chemical content of the water--trace pesticides, natural iron, and artificially added fluoride all make it through.

It should. Especially if it has a "charcoal activated" filter, or if it has some form of "ionic action" whereby the water is run through charged plates that will attract any charged particles.

What should I do to fish tank after my fish died?

Question:

Also the water is a little cloudy i heard thats normally during cycling? I'v been cycling for 3-5 weeks now.

Answers:

You will also have some happy fish who do not get sick.

your original fish could have died from a parasite so you need to take the tank and put it in like SUPER hot water to kill any bacteria or parasites that could possible be on it.

first of all wash ur fish tank with salt and then put chlorine free water into tank turn filter on , switch on oxygen do this cycle for 2 days after that put ur fishes into tank , maintain ur water temperature between 24 to 28 degree celcius

put parisite medications in and remove activated carbon

the guppies and glofish and frog sound much better and it won't be over crowded. I'd still suggest a heater... even though room temp is usually okay for your choices, a heater will keep the temp stable.

How often should I do water changes?

Question:

3 Corys

Answers:

It's a pretty small tank which is fully stocked, albeit without huge waste producers. I would recommend a weekly 20% water change/gravel vac should do it. I have small tanks myself and they definitely benefit from weekly changes. The smaller the tank the quicker the bad stuff will build up!

well usually they say once a week is best for a water change, obviously not the whole tank, we usually do a quarter of the tank.

they say you should take out 25 percent of the water once a week...as long as ur filters are good you should be fine..dont forget to add appropriate amt of water conditioner every time you replace water.

YOU CAN DO WATER CHANGE ONCE IN 3WEEKS.

20% weekly is perfect

Diff between salt and fresh filters?

Question:

Thanks for your time!

Answers:

in some cases chemistry is used in place of a filter, for example i am dosing vodka in my tank, the carbon from the vodka binds on a molecular lever with No3 (nitrate) and Po4 (phosphates) making a new compound, turning it into dissolved organic that is either feed on by bacteria or skimmed out with my protein skimmer,

As for the salt water being more acidic.. no. Marine tanks are often more alkaline than fresh water. However, salt water can be a bit hard on working bits in a filter. One of the main reasons salt water filters are more powerful than fresh water is to maintain the quality of the enviornment. Salt water fish and corals are more sensitive (and more expensive usually) than fresh water. Live rock really helps here as it does a lot of the work of a filter. If you have live rock, standard filtration is enough in most cases.

the difference is that in salt water the water is mostly acidic and heavy so the filters used for marine aquariums are very much powerful then the fresh water aquarium and there are different types of filters used in the aquarium like protein skimmer and like calcium rock filtration etc marine aquarium is hard to maintain but when its running in good condition it will run good but if some thing happens its very hard to maintain

I never used filters mainly because I had live rock. but I would just fill the filter part with live rock chunks or those cylinder pumice looking things. Its all about the beneficial bacteria.

Saltwater Aquarium Questions (More)?

Question:

I have a 70 gallon Marineland Biowheel Peguin Filter set up in my tank and it said it can be used for saltwater, but will the salt cor ode it? Also i have a Coral Banded Shrimp, but it can't get to its food, i try to soak it in water so it will sink and it doesn't, i tried feeding tongs, but he's afraid and swims away. Do they make food for shrimp that sinks? please help i don't want him to starve

Answers:

You can but dried algae and either an algae clip or like me to make it more natural i have a small small rock almost like rubble rock where i take some dried seaweed and tie it with a rubber band and place at the bottom of the aquarium. This is good for heribours and also for the CUC.

Peat moss and lowering pH..?

Question:

Which is better? Explain why please. Thanks!

Answers:

As discussed before ... where you need to be on pH is entirely up to the source the Discus are coming from. If you already have that source picked out,it's just the matter of a few questions (temp,pH,usual nitrate reading) on how the Discus are kept/reared to see where you actually need to be as far as water chemistry.Reliable dealer/breeders will give you that info,they take pride in their work. Those local to you are more likely to be close to your water already ... and it would make things go smoother only having to worry with water changes instead of water chemistry also.

drift wood, it naturally buffers the ph, makes the water more acidic

The best answer with this information would be the add to the filter method. If you are starting out with a new system you should probably use both methods,the peat tea method for filling the tank and the filter method to maintain the pH. If your water has a high kH you will need both. Also your tank will require a complete new "cycle" with the new water. What you are attempting is not an easy or simple process. It's also possible to purchase peat filter inserts for certain canister type filters that would be easier to use but won't work any better than the "home-made" methods,just neater.

BEST WAY is to get a revers osmosis filter aka RO filter. This will lower your tap water ph and make the water more pure getting more harmful stuff out. You would take your RO water and mix it with your tap water. OR just use all RO water depending on where you want you PH to be.

good luck

Can I still put a heater in my fish tank?

Question:

My new 5 gal tank is almost done cycling according to my results. I've had it for three and a half weeks. I've kept two Guppies in there ever since I got the tank, and three days ago put a Platy in there with them. The tank didn't come with a heater, so I haven't been using one. But it did come with a filter and a light. I have gravel, and a plant in there along with the fish. I was going to buy a heater this week for the tank, but I was wondering if the sudden heated water would stun the fish? I'm not sure if they're used to the water just being the way it is because all three of them are acting normal. Also, I found a rock outside I would like to put in the tank. I washed it off, and scrubbed the dirt off with a toothbrush. Would it be okay for me to put that in there or should only gravel be in the tank?

Answers:

For the rocks: take some vinegar and drop some on the rock. If it bubbles up or frizzes, then its not good for the tank. personally i would had the heater since day one. you can still put one in as it will heat the water slowly. Just don't turn it up real high. Do you have a thermometer? If not, get that too. don't get one of those ones you plaster on the tank side. Get a old fashion metal one that hangs. This way you can put it in and take it out whenever you want. for tropicals the water should be a safe 76 degrees F. and no warmer then 80, depending on he fish. if you keep up with the types you have, then 76 is great.

The fish you have bought are tropical fish. They need a heater or they will die. When you buy a heater make sure you buy a thermometer to make sure the water does not get too hot or cold. They are very cheap and the pet store. The heater will heat gradually and not harm your fish.

You can add a heater, just make sure to slowly up the temp by a couple degrees daily. As for the rock I hear you can test it with vinegar and if it foams up it'll effect the PH. You can probably do it anyway, but it's generally easier to go with what you can get at a pet store.

you should have a heater. remember there tropical fish. the water temp should be at around 77. as the rock goes if you scrubbed it with soap no, if theres no chemical like soap then yeah, go ahead.

Good luck!

Help with an overstocked tank?

Question:

So do you think this is going to work out alright? I also MIGHT be getting a 20g aquarium soon, so I'm really hoping I get it.

Answers:

Ian

The bioload from these fish isnt much so one can say it is overstocked but not really that bad at all. Regular water changes are a must though.

Live plants will help too!

. This will also give you an idea why ammonia "removers" are not a good idea.

Fish are Friends not FOOD! lol

Do water filters clean tap water?

Question:

Thanks.

Answers:

Note that none of these systems is likely to truly "remove" the chemical. These products, especially those for household use, simply reduce the amount a whole lot. They leave only negligible amounts of the chemical in the water. Let's just be clear: there is still a tiny bit in there.

i 'm not sure but idon't think they clean the taps

yes.

Hi name is Jay I have a 98 Oldsmobile intrigue and I do a little work on my own.?

Question:

I stop or park and it's running. Now on top of that the hoes from the radiator is not soft, both are hard. Also the middle were the shifter is gets supper hotttt really hot ?????the part that gets me is that the car runs fine like nothing wrong. please help I'm stock.

Answers:

Sounds to me Jay like your converter is plugged up. How's the acceleration? Sluggish. Try a night drive and when it acts up, wear some old clothes and check out for an orange glow in front of the converter. Careful you don't get burnt. If it isn't that, you have a cracked head or bad head gasket and it isn't showing up yet, so watch for white smoke. good luck

I agree with oldguy. Sounds like converter plugged. I would not drive it anymore till that is checked. The sputtering is most likely the valves are burnt at least one is. the heat burns them and they no longer seal due to the converter backing up heat to the heads.

may have over heated the engine and warped the heads, have it professionally checked before more damage is done.

you odviously shouldet be workin on it so stop now and go to a shop before you dont have a car to ask questions about

i don't no much about cars but my uncle had a blown head gasket when his was over heating all the time,

How do i use maracyn and maracyn-two together to treat my fish?

Question:

should i repeat the dosage every 24 hours? water changes while medicating? remove carbon filter?

Answers:

You really need to read directions. Dose as stated no more and no less. Always remove the carbon prior to using any meds. Keep it in a sealed plastic bag in the frig. reuse it when pulling out the meds.

Fish tank Ammonia levels Please Help?

Question:

Hello, I am cycling my new tank 5 gallons with one zebra (he will be moved to a bigger tank when cycling is complete) and I am having ammonia issues. I expected this and have been doing my partial water changes daily (I have done 3 so far). There has been no change in my ammonia levels so I decided to test my tap water (I let it stand for 24 hours before using it) and it measured the same level of ammonia as what is in my tank. I then tested the water through my water filter, it is better but not by much. So I called a friend for advise and she said to get reverse osmosis water. I went to the store that carries it and although that water is better it is still reading at "stress" level (0,5) when I tested it. What is my next option? thanks

Answers:

Are you using test strips? They are notoriously inaccurate. If yes or no, I would check by testing a brand new bottle of distilled water, distilled should be free of EVERYTHING, so you know it would read 0. If it doesn't on your test...your test is off, by however much ot reads. Other then that...you may want to try a bacteria booster or something to help get bacteria in your tank to get rid of the ammonia asap, it wont work immediately but it will help (some will debate me on even that point but, I have had nothing but success with "microbe-lift"). Good luck!!

it eliminates the bad elements like chlorine and ammonia, and make the water safe. ps. every so often you will want to put in a gallon of distilled water. also make sure you are not over feeding your fish because that can add to the ammonia.

it will b much effective and riskless

use water conditioner. It works really well so long as you cycle it a bit before you put fish in.

would a simple shower head filter lower the hard water for my fish tank?

Question:

ive posted many things about this and i still need help with hard water. the fish i have give the most color when in soft water so i really want to try this. so wld a shower filter work for lowering the hardness? i get my water from the shower obviously and im hope this will help without hurting the fish

Answers:

For more intense colors, softening your water may bring out more color, but so might having a dark background and substrate, and loads of plants in the tank. Food plays a big part in fish color too. And so does the tank lighting, if you don't have the same lighting as the store where you bought your fish, they may not show the same color. And when first bringing them home, the stress of being moved and in a new setup will have them looking faded for a while. If you aren't addressing all these things that figure into their color, just changing the hardness may not make much of a difference.

If your "shower filter" is the kind that are used on kitchen sink faucets, using activated carbon, that may remove certain pollutants from the water, but it will not affect hardness or Total Dissolved Solids.

The solution to your problem is to change fish, not water. It is much simpler to keep fish that will do well in the kind of water that you can most easily provide than to be constantly trying to manipulate your water chemistry. If you insist on trying to change the inevitable then you're going to spend some big money. The way to change your water from hard to soft is to buy "Reverse Osmosis" system and rebuild the water from scratch. People have used "ion exchange" (salt rechargeable) systems,but you eventually wind up with too much sodium in the final product. Sorry.

My platy fish keeps jumping out the water! Help!?

Question:

I have two platy fish and on of them is swimming around really fast and keeps jumping up out of the water, luckily so far it keeps landing back in the water but i'm worried it will manage to jump out as there is no top on my tank! She's never acted like this before. She's been swimming around at a crazy speed for about half an hour now and has jumped out of the water about 5 times! My other platy fish is just hiding away under the filter. The one that keeps jumping out has bumped into things as well but nothing seems to slow her down. Any idea what might be wrong or is she just playing? I'm worried! Both my fish are females, I don't know if that makes any difference!

Answers:

You should have a lid for your tank. It's protects the fish and it keeps dust and any debris out of the water. I would be concerned about this since one fish seems to be hiding which is usually due to stress or illness. The other one seems to be trying to escape the water. If you have a test kit check the water asap for ammonia. Otherwise take a sample to your local pet store and they usually will check it for free. If you can't check it right away at home I would do a 20-25% water change (making sure you use dechlorinator) and then go to the store and get it checked. This isn't normal behaviour for platies. I've had platies for years and they are active fish but mine have never tried to jump out of the water like that.

I wouldn't worry too much. What you should do is to get a lid for your tank. They have hoods with lamps at the pet store or even at your local wal mart :) If you don't get a hood your fish could jump out of the tank and suffocate!

You should get a hood for your tank, or some glass window pains to cover the top.

Will my neon tetras breed?

Question:

I bought 2 neon tetra's from a pet store the other day, and i want to get more because they are like 5$ each... (very expensive for a fish..) so i got 6 and i see 2 females and the rest are males and they are in a 10 gallon tank with 1 betta. There is alot of plants in it so if they do breed i think the fry would be able to survive. The water is at 78 degrees and its filtered. Help?

Answers:

In order to breed these fish the conditions have to be spot on, this means a low pH and conditioning with a wide range of live foods. The fish would have to be removed into a separate tank covered with a dark sheet, as the eggs are photosensitive.

Ian

the above link will help you.

No because the males outweigh the females and they will only breed if only 2 are in the tank.

My Brita water filter has a digital device on top. What does it measure? Time or liters?

Question:

Time, you reset it when you change the filter. If you are the only one drinking from it, I wouldn't change it right when it says to, cause it is probably based on a family using it, and you could probably get at least a few more weeks out of it than it says.

Answers:

How do you keep your aquarium plants alive?

Question:

I was wondering how you keep your plants alive in your tanks? Is it pretty much the same way you take care of your fish but without feeding? I use soft well water, fish conditioner, and have a filter in my tank. I'll be getting a heater next week. One of the two kinds of plant I have is Dracaena sanderiana. I'm not sure about the other one. It has big leaves, and reminds me of those plants you hang and they grow down like ivy.

Answers:

Edit: for a 5 gallon, you can get an anubias without any lights. They are very hardy and live forever.

first you need fluorescent lights,you can find those in any pet market,it has to be 3 to even 5 watts per gallon so do the math in your case you got a 5 gal tank so a 15watts lighttube should be good, but to do it the perfect way i would get two lighttubes one of sun-glo and a flora-glo thats a perfect combination the tube cost like 8$ each.second step you got buy fertilizer bottle and dose one or twise a week, those cost depend on the brand like 5$ to 10 $. Last step,apply co2 to the water ones a while, there is many ways to do it,google it. lights should be on 12 hours a day thats when they are doing fotosinteza, plants breath co2 and expell pure oxigen during the day when lights are on,at night they breath oxigen and expell co2 when lights a off. and thats how they work, more complicated than you imagine huu.

Good lighting and a CO2 system. One of the most important ingredients to a successful plant aquarium is strong lighting. As a general rule, 2-3 watts per gallon is sufficient for a well-planted aquarium.

By doing this, it will also promote the growth of algae.

You would need a pretty decent light. Keep it on for about 8 hours day. There is not much you need, although I would suggest this plant fertilizer liquid sort, they sell it at most pet stores.

is a gp250 pond pump good for small waterfalls?

Question:

i have had it for a wile and Ive been using it for a fountain in my pond. i really want a small water fall but i dont want too buy another filter.

Answers:

I'm sure that it would be ok . I have used a pump that was originally used for a fountain I connected it by plastic pvc pipe to a large hose and sent the water up to a filter then it cascaded down a water fall into a simulated creek that I built out of concrete,before returning to the pond . The only trouble you will run into is the amount of rise ,but this shouldn't be too much if your only going a couple of feet higher than your pond

Removing ammonia from a tank...?

Question:

Thank!

Answers:

Yes, the neutralized ammonia will still measure on the test. The ammonia is still there, just locked into a harmless state.

EDIT: The thing is it is still too small for a small goldfish and he wont grow in poor water conditions, he will become stunted and endure a slow and painful death. Pet shops will tell you anything to sell you stuff.

Also,if the filter flows anything less than 50gph it is totally inadequate for the load in that tank.... a Ryukin shouldn't be started out in anything less than 25g.

Ian

Saltwater fish tank cloudy...?

Question:

I have a biocube 29 and I just changed the filter by adding phosphate reducer and carbon in separate bag things. I also took some of the bioballs out, and put filter floss or whatever on the draining thing . I don't think I rinsed the phosphate reducer well enough, so I think it made the water cloudy. It should be fine though right? No fish yet, just live rock and stuff.

Answers:

it wont hurt anything but it depends on what color the clouds are, green = algae, white = a lot of things, brown = should have rinsed the phosphate reducer better

I had a nano cube that did this. Mine was fine. It just took a few hours for everything to settle back down and then it was clear again. You should be good.

with no live stock its no worries any way you look at it, but yes GFO powder is fine and wont hurt anything id you did have fish

what to stock my fish tanks with?

Question:

Thanks ;)

Answers:

Just remember, when you overstock more filtration helps, but needs to be combined with more or bigger water changes - more filtration means more space for bacteria for higher stocking, but higher stocking still means faster nitrate production and general waste build up. Regardless of the equipment on the tank, stocking at reasonable levels is still the best thing you can do to keep a long term clean and healthy tank.

i think you got your stocking options about right. BUT goldfish ARE cold water fish and need to be kept a little cooler.

you can add corydoras, but goldfish sometiems act aggressive towards corys, sometimes they confuse them to be flakes of food (albinos or light colored) Good Luck! hope you get your fish=)

Overstocked tank. Or is it.....?

Question:

Could this possibly work?

Answers:

I think it will be just fine, they are all small fish and don't produce much waste. The old rule of thumb was 1 inch of fish for every 1 gallon of water, but in the last few years that has been thrown out the window because different fish produce different amounts of waste. Just make sure that you keep an eye on the ammonia levels and have a good filtration levels.

that should work, but i'd do my hardest to get a replacement tank asap. the plants should help a bit, since they will take in some of the wastes as fertilizer.

I'd say you could handle it for the time needed to get them a new tank. Between the plants, bigger filter, and special care you should do fine. Just don't wait any longer then you have to!

Good luck.

i dunno mine is 55l and it has 6 neon tetras 6 white cloud mountain minnow 2dwarf gouramis and 1 ruby shark

Who believes that cholesterol is bad for you?

Question:

Cholesterol and the sun combine together to form vitamin D and that is your best and only defense against diseases and cancers so why slather your self's with sunscreen when all you need is to let the sun hit your skin about 20 minutes a day when the sun is at its highest point in the sky to be protected from all flues and most cancers including skin , breast , prostate ,and pancreatic and many more. Plus vitamin D also protects you from inflammation which is a cause of many diseases that can put you in a hospital . Sun screen is not good for you because they made it for years so it would only stop the good UVB rays . We owe our existence to the sun it is our best friend as long as we don't overdo it . And we also need water and salt to thrive and i am not talking about chemically laced drinking water or white table salt . You need to star filtering your water or collect rain water and buy Himalayan crystal salt . And if you don't believe me use your computer to check out what i am saying and don't keep denying the facts . Cholesterol levels around the 200 and lower are deadly

Answers:

I'm not so sure I agree with the water and salt points, but I'll do some research on the internet.

Virtually all reputable physicians & scientists.

chemistry homework help!?

Question:

i no this is alot but u will really help me if u can get me all or most of the answers by 6 am(est)

Answers:

try googleing these answers

Books or LOOK IT UP. You learn from those processes. You don't learn from having someone DO the work for you.

1 true 2 fALSE

look it up in a book

does melafix affect the test results for ammonia?

Question:

should i do a full water change? please help

Answers:

Vacuuming the gravel does not kill the cycle either, but it does keep waste from building up.

Also,to answer the Melafix/ammonia question .... any organic material adds to the waste load as it "breaks down". If dosed accordingly (in a mature tank) it shouldn't have any affect on readings.

Should i use a under gravel filter?

Question:

If not should I just use the filter it comes with and an air pump?

Answers:

Skip the undergravel filter. Some people swear by them but since you have a fluval you will not need to worry. Undergravel filters put oxygen "bubbles" in the water but all they do is just agitate the water, not oxygenate it. Good water flow is what releases Co2 in the water and allows O2 to enter. Since the fluval is a canister filter it creates great water flow.

Buying is an attitude that best at times be governed entirely by this tank

No just add an airpump and airstone.

when should i switch my green spotted puffer to brackish water?

Question:

i recently got a green spotted puffer... and i read that they are a lot happier in brackish of marine water (mines in fresh water for now). I also read that they should be switched to brackish when they are 2-3 inches big. so i was just wondering how is this done? when should it be done? what salt is best? will my filter suck up the salt? does the water have to have had stress coat or something to remove clorine before putting salt in? THANKS IN ADVANCE

Answers:

And you don't have to worry about your filter. Even if you use carbon in your filter, the carbon won't take out any of the salt, although you might see salt creep on the filter. This is when salted water is drawn up through the floss or foam, and the water evaporates, leaving behind a salty crust. I just knock it off [into the filter] so it dissolves again. You don't want to have pure salt touch your fish, this can burn their skin.

Good luck!

EDIT: You should use marine salt NOT aquarium salt. And you NEVER NEVER add marine salt directly to the tank! You add it when you add new water with a water change!!!

good luck

Can i do a fish less cycle like this for my 10 gallon tank?

Question:

I got it from a yard sale so i washed it out with hot water.Then i got a tetra 10i filter,gravel,and some fake plants and blue stones that i had from other fish i found in my cabinets.But i wanted to know if i could just run the tank for 3 or 2 weeks then add the fish.Could i do the cycle like that? Im not doing a cycle with fish.

Answers:

Only add fish once your tank is properly established!

The bacteria live in the filter media and they form because you are adding ammonia to your tank. Running it for 2-3 weeks doesn't do anything. Please google "fishless cycle" for the complete process. Don't just look at one article, have a look at a couple.

as far as how to monitor the readings you will be looking for. Pretty straight forward.

Information on the nitrogen cycle-

Why is my pH going up?

Question:

So why is my pH going up? It's been low for 3 weeks, and now out of nowhere it's changing.

Answers:

EDIT: Even though your test strips may be working now, I strongly suggest getting liquid test kits as they are far more accurate and last much longer. API is a good brand.

What fish do you plan on keeping? Some fish like a more alkaline pH.

Are you on well water? Well water is commonly higher due to the mineral content. It's also common to see nitrates in well water. As long as they're low, it's not a problem.

How many goldfish can i keep in my 30g?

Question:

I'm also planning on replacing my Penguin 150 with a marineland HOT Magnum filter.

Answers:

Goldfish are playful fish each with their own very unique personalities. That's why they should be kept in pairs as they don't do well on their own. However, your 30g tank is only big enough for one fancy goldfish, I would recommend returning one to the pet store. Don't even think about adding a third.

Though I bet many people will soon follow protesting no, I say you can, it's possible especially since they don't grow as rapid as feeders.

2 is good, but you may be able to fit one more.

40% water change every week. I have a python hose hooked up to my R.O water system and I slowly change the water as not to stressed out the fish. I also add microbe lift with every water change and maintain the correct salinity at all times for freshwater fish using aquarium salt.

Could you prepare oxalic acid by adding HCl to a solution of oxalate, cooling it and filtering the result?

Question:

The water solubilities of oxalic acid and sodium oxalate at room temperature are 10g/100mL and 3.7g/100mL, respectively. Could you prepare oxalic acid by adding HCl to a solution of oxalate, cooling it to room temperature, and filtering the resulting mixture? Explain why or why not.

Answers:

I believe you need more information to answer this question.

What is the most difficult creature to keep alive in a salt-water aquarium?

Question:

Years ago I would have said plants and/or filter feeders. But I see some people, and public aquariums, are now having better success with keeping both alive! Now I would guess sand dollars (never see them in any salt water aquarium; big or small) and the great white shark. Read that great white sharks give off electricity around their body to "read" their environment so no matter how big or round the they tank they are in, the metal in the walls messes up their 'readings.'

Answers:

They get up to 6 feet and need fresh water lol

The largest aquarium in the world in Japan has whale sharks. That sounds like a big task.

I think all animals that need oxygen.

some very hard species are Fiddler and Round stingrays. Very hard to care for in a home aquarium.

it might be the sting raya blue whale

My aquarium is cloudy! PLEASE HELP!!!?

Question:

Hi! I just bought an aquarium from petco 2 days ago and its one of those with a built in undergravel filter and air pump. I set it up by following the directions...and turned it on and it looks like its working because it bubbles up....but now 3 days later the water is all cloudy :(. Is this normal with an undergravel filter? or do you guys think its a malfunction? i havent ever had an undergravel filter before so i dont know how well they work so it might be normal but i wanted to check. Thanks so much!! :)

Answers:

If the water is cloudy green, you have a serious light related issue to get an algal bloom that bad that quickly. Make sure it's only getting 8-12 hours of light a day between your tank light and ambient light. If needs be, move the tank and install a timer on your light's powercord.

Undergravel filters work very well once you have bacteria in the tank. However, when you're first starting a tank, you can get pretty high ammonia levels. Try putting some activated carbon in front of the output. It won't get rid of ammonia, but it will probably help clear up your water.

Did u use new gravel or the u had from previous aquarium ? The watter is not ready yeat its working and the claudiness will disapear i may take 7 days untill the water is ready so u can add fish inside .. so 99.99% ur filter is fine it can be from ur cravel can be the proces of water .... dont rush to replace it u have 14 days i think to return it just read ur recite... good luck

Tank cycling is very basic and had you researched you would have known that biologically dead water needs to build up bacteria.

I think that that's just normal and it should clear up soon.change the filter or take it back and tell them wat happened they should give u a new one

Can i add fish to my 5 gallon tank now?

Question:

its been 2 months and i cant get the ammonia to 0!!!!! All the research i have read always says my ammonia has to be 0.And my nitrate i think it is 20 and it says safe on the bottle.And my hardness and alkalinity r both 300,is that bad?My pH is 8.4 and that's the highest it can go on the chart.Im using spring water.Im planning on getting 3 guppies soon.And my ammonia got high because i sprinkled flakes in the water because some info online said i had to raise and lower the ammonia.Wellll i raised it.....but it wont lower!!! Im doing a fish less cycle.And i got a used 10 gallon tank ( i cleaned it) should i just plug the filter in,run it for 3 weeks then add fish?? Because i don't want to wait 5 months to get my crazy water levels right!!

Answers:

Good luck.

Good Luck!

I am sorry I am not really sure about all of this pH crap but I really suggest you get White Cloud Mountain Minnow, there is nothing more beautiful than schooling fish swimming together in harmony, always keeping the perfect distance from each other. I also suggest if you want make it a saltwater tank, there are some ABSOLUTELY beautiful fish for Saltwater tanks. Sorry I couldn't help you with the main question.

Take some of your water to a Petco or another fish store. They will typically do a test for you for free, or for a very small fee. They will answer better than we can!

It's easy to get a muddle with it, but it's simple when you get it right.

What's safer, a bowl or a cycling tank?

Question:

Btw, how much water should i have in my tank? Currently the water box (i think that's what the call it, the top part of the filter) is above the water level. Should i increase the water level?

Answers:

I had this dilemma myself, fell in love with a betta at the store but didn't have the tank setup yet. I went ahead and put it in the uncycled tank. I thought the necessary water changes would be less stressful with a tank, compared to a full water change for a bowl. Plus it's gotta be much better than being in a cup at the store.

If the tank is large enough then I would simply add the fish now and keep a close eye on the water quality. However be prepared to carry out water changes when necessary.

People who do a bowl, are placing aesthetics and/or perceived convenience over the health of the animal, or simply do not know any better due to not taking the time to research their pet before buying.

Bowl water needs treated too. Usually people use betta treater from a pet store, or buy Betta Water. You can also use some bottled water, or if you have a filter on your sink that too. I personally use treated bowls for my bettas (1/2 gallon+) and they are very happy and healthy.

5 year old Goldfish, need help. What's wrong with him?

Question:

Thanks.

Answers:

Sounds like a condition called dropsy. As far as I know there is little you can do to treat the disease. Reduce the amount of food you feed him for now.

Could be he's either constipated or has a swim bladder problem. Try feeding him some microwaved peas (take the skin off though) and see if that helps. If not, it may be swim bladder related. I'm not aware of a cure for that, but someone here may know:

sarah is a bit confused here. swim bladder is not caused by goldfish sucking air at the surface. So no worries here. Also an air pump is not needed I will do nothing for your fish other than look good. It will not add any amount of dissolved oxygen to the tank and is simply an added expense that isn't needed.

Good luck!

I may only be 12 but I've been planning to be a vet since i was 7 so trust me... Buy some Aqua Safe. Aqua Safe is a liquid medicine that takes chlorine out of tanks so that its safe to put fish in chlorinated water as long as you put a drop in... It works with salt and clear water and it should also enhance the natural protective slime coat, makes it shiner, brings back faded color that is caused by sickness, heals wounds, releases stress and helps clear out any other harmful things in the tank...like pebbles you have...sometimes it even goes in those plastic plants...also the fish homes,rust,mercury,or any sicknesses that can stick to the the side of the tank... If you buy Aqua Safe it will remove all of those toxins and make him/her happier healthier clean wounds and everything else i mentioned...you can buy it at your local pet store...but it is a little pricey.gold fish arnt supposed to live that long it may just be time for him to go