3 Weeks into my new setup...

[chris]

Hi Everyone,

I thought I would make my first of what I hope to be many posts on the
newsgroup. A little history: I just got into the hobby as a diversion
from what I do everyday, which is computers. I own a computer store
and go home and play video games most nights so I needed something that
was relaxing and had nothing to do with computers :) So, a customer of
mine runs the aquarium department at the LPS and tells me to get into
that. Yadda, yadda, yadda I end up with a 33g Hagen kit, a water
testing kit and a school of seven Black Neons.

Anyway, I ran the tank for a week without anything in it but plants and
added a cycling helper. I have some live plants, medium-fine substrate
and a piece of Mopani wood as my centerpiece. Before the water went
in, it tested at around 7.4pH (which is a bit high for the South
American biotope I'm going for) I was expecting the wood to leech a bit
into the water and make it more acidic, but 3 weeks later, with fish in
the tank I'm reading a pH of over 8.4! It surprised my buddy at the
LPS, and me too. I want to start adding a few fish but I am a patient
person, so I wanted to wait until the pH drops a bit. Then I went
about checking my ammonia and nitrite levels. My ammonia reading was
basically zero, but my nitrite was at about 1.6. That seems a bit
high. I have been doing 20-25% water changes weekly, so I'm a bit
surprised at that.

Anyway, I guess I'm just asking for a bit of advice. I did the nitrite
reading last night and my guy at the LPS doesn't work Mondays, so I
figured I'd introduce myself to the community. What does everyone
think?

Thanks for any replies, and hello!

Chris

[steve]

chris wrote:
> Hi Everyone,


snip...

I was expecting the wood to leech a bit
> into the water and make it more acidic, but 3 weeks later, with fish in
> the tank I'm reading a pH of over 8.4! It surprised my buddy at the
> LPS, and me too. I want to start adding a few fish but I am a patient
> person, so I wanted to wait until the pH drops a bit. Then I went
> about checking my ammonia and nitrite levels. My ammonia reading was
> basically zero, but my nitrite was at about 1.6. That seems a bit
> high. I have been doing 20-25% water changes weekly, so I'm a bit
> surprised at that.
>
> Anyway, I guess I'm just asking for a bit of advice. I did the nitrite
> reading last night and my guy at the LPS doesn't work Mondays, so I
> figured I'd introduce myself to the community. What does everyone
> think?
>
> Thanks for any replies, and hello!
>
> Chris

Hi Chris, welcome. The higher pH could be caused by a rock or the
gravel in the tank. Any big rocks or seashell pieces in there? The
nitrite level is normal for a cycling tank. Change water like you've
been doing, maybe even a little more agressively, like 25% twice a
week. Keep checking nitrites and nitrates also.

steve

[coolchinchilla]

Chris, welcome to the newsgroup!

> Then I went about checking my ammonia
> and nitrite levels. My ammonia reading was
> basically zero, but my nitrite was at about 1.6. That seems a bit
> high. I have been doing 20-25% water changes weekly, so I'm a bit
> surprised at that.

In regards to the high nitrite reading -- It could be that your tank
is still cycling and that's why you see the nitrites. The cycle is
in 3 stages. (1) ammonia changes into nitrites, (2) nitrites
changes into nitrates, (3) Nitrates are removed by water changes,
aquarium plants and other methods.

Once the ammonia is in the tank one kind of good bacteria changes it
into nitrites. Then a SECOND good bacteria developes to change the
nitrites into nitrates. I'd guess that you are in the 2nd stage of
the cycle. The "ammonia eating" bacteria is established and now the
"nitrite eating" bacteria is starting to develop. There has to be
nitrites before the "nitrite eating" bacteria can get started. So I
urge patience. It will work.

coolchinchilla

[Gill Passman]

"chris" > wrote in message
ups.com...
> Hi Everyone,
>
> I thought I would make my first of what I hope to be many posts on the
> newsgroup. A little history: I just got into the hobby as a diversion
> from what I do everyday, which is computers. I own a computer store
> and go home and play video games most nights so I needed something that
> was relaxing and had nothing to do with computers :) So, a customer of
> mine runs the aquarium department at the LPS and tells me to get into
> that. Yadda, yadda, yadda I end up with a 33g Hagen kit, a water
> testing kit and a school of seven Black Neons.
>
> Anyway, I ran the tank for a week without anything in it but plants and
> added a cycling helper. I have some live plants, medium-fine substrate
> and a piece of Mopani wood as my centerpiece. Before the water went
> in, it tested at around 7.4pH (which is a bit high for the South
> American biotope I'm going for) I was expecting the wood to leech a bit
> into the water and make it more acidic, but 3 weeks later, with fish in
> the tank I'm reading a pH of over 8.4! It surprised my buddy at the
> LPS, and me too. I want to start adding a few fish but I am a patient
> person, so I wanted to wait until the pH drops a bit. Then I went
> about checking my ammonia and nitrite levels. My ammonia reading was
> basically zero, but my nitrite was at about 1.6. That seems a bit
> high. I have been doing 20-25% water changes weekly, so I'm a bit
> surprised at that.
>
> Anyway, I guess I'm just asking for a bit of advice. I did the nitrite
> reading last night and my guy at the LPS doesn't work Mondays, so I
> figured I'd introduce myself to the community. What does everyone
> think?
>
> Thanks for any replies, and hello!
>
> Chris
>
Hello Chris and welcome :-)

Basically, your tank is still cycling....see:-

http://faq.thekrib.com/begin-cycling.html

or do a google on "nitrogen cycle fish" but the above is as good as any.
There is little that can be said creatively on the subject.....

Not sure about the pH jump - I'd suspect the test kit - as you say the wood
should decrease rather than increase the pH - that being said it doesn't
seem to matter what I have in my tanks the pH remains pretty much the same
across all of them.

Wait until the nitrites settle and convert to nitrates before considering
adding more fish....

Gill

[chris]

How very encouraging, all the responses I've seen. I look forward to
chatting and trying to provide any input I can into the community.

As for my tank, I'll go check all the bits tonight after work.

Chris

[John >]

> Hi Everyone,
>
> I thought I would make my first of what I hope to be many posts on the

Welcome to a new obsession Chris.

You think Computers are a money sucking business. I was in the same place
five years ago, we had our own Internet Service too. I computed 28 X 8 X
370 and even dreamed about it when I passed out.

Now I own a boat & power sports store, bait shop, 1 - 55g, 1 - 75g, 2 -
120g, 1 - 400g, and 1 - 1000g tank and over 60,000 fish. And dream about it
when I pass out.

One Obsession for another. I think most geeks are obsessive. Fish geeks or
Computer geeks. Let's see which wins out.

JOhn ><>

[chris]

Hopefully the margins are a bit better in boats, power sports and bait.
Luckily I'm still young (just ticked over 27 years old) so my future
is pretty wide open.

I would tend to agree that geeks are pretty obsessive personality
archetype. I mean.. how do you become a geek unless you are abnormally
talented at something or simply obsess until you achieve geek status.

To own 60,000 fish, I'm assuming your business is doing well!! Great :)

Chris

[Gill Passman]

"John ><>" > wrote in message
...
> > Hi Everyone,
> >
> > I thought I would make my first of what I hope to be many posts on the
>
> Welcome to a new obsession Chris.
>
> You think Computers are a money sucking business. I was in the same place
> five years ago, we had our own Internet Service too. I computed 28 X 8 X
> 370 and even dreamed about it when I passed out.
>
> Now I own a boat & power sports store, bait shop, 1 - 55g, 1 - 75g, 2 -
> 120g, 1 - 400g, and 1 - 1000g tank and over 60,000 fish. And dream about
it
> when I pass out.
>
> One Obsession for another. I think most geeks are obsessive. Fish geeks
or
> Computer geeks. Let's see which wins out.
>
> JOhn ><>
>
>

60,000 fish????? How do you work that?

Gill

[Gill Passman]

"chris" > wrote in message
ups.com...
> Hopefully the margins are a bit better in boats, power sports and bait.
> Luckily I'm still young (just ticked over 27 years old) so my future
> is pretty wide open.
>
> I would tend to agree that geeks are pretty obsessive personality
> archetype. I mean.. how do you become a geek unless you are abnormally
> talented at something or simply obsess until you achieve geek status.
>
> To own 60,000 fish, I'm assuming your business is doing well!! Great :)
>
> Chris
>
Well I hope you have many happy years of fish keeping :-)

BTW it is incredibly addictive....you get one tank, then the next, then the
next....and before you know it you spend your time looking round the house
for spaces to fit more tanks in....you spend hours contributing to this
newsgroup - not to mention all the time caring for your fish....and
sometimes you get to sit and watch them as well....all good fun :-)

from an ex-computer geek (from tomorrow when I leave my job)

Gill

[Nikki Casali]

Gill Passman wrote:


> from an ex-computer geek (from tomorrow when I leave my job)
>

I wouldn't believe that even for a moment. Once a geek, always a geek.
It's a way of life, a mindset. Nice try though! ;-)

Nikki

[chris]

Update on my setup:

Ammonia and nitrite have hit zero. I think it's time to add some new
fish and build myself a new hood. This tank is definitely not getting
enough light. Why in the world would they provide a hood for a tank
and say it can easily support plants at 1/3 the appropriate intensity?
Arrghhhh..

Chris

[John >]

> 60,000 fish????? How do you work that?
>
> Gill
>

Our bait tanks are designed for the load/task. www.minnowmaster.com We
purchase minnows by the gallon of displaced water.
One gallon of 1" minnows = 60,000 - 1 1/2" = 40,000 the ones that are 3"
to 4" long, only 240ish and 8" to 10" only 25 to 30.

60,000 was actually an understatement, on Thursday after the big truck comes
we probably have in excess of 200,000 minnows and by Monday (with luck) we
are down to 80 - 90 thousand and by Thursday morning again 30 to 60 k

Of these about 400 go in the 1000 gallon tank for food each week!

That same Thursday afternoon we have somewhere between 144,000 and 200,000
nightcrawlers and other wormy creatures.

JOhn ><>