Levels Getting Worse.....

"Don Freeman" wrote in
:

I started lurking here about a month ago as I was thinking about
getting back into keeping tropical fish. I had been a fairly avid
hobbyist about 35 years ago, and am amazed at the advancements in the
knowledge available. I had never even heard of cycling a tank back
then, I had pH testing, a couple of anti-bacterial and fungal
treatments and that's about all. At least from what I remember.

So it looks like I have quite a bit to learn before getting too
involved. One thing that would help is a step by step guide on setting
up a new tank so that all the details (such as the one above regarding
vacuuming the gravel during the cycling period) are delineated and put
in their proper perspective within the process. Is there a consensus
in the group as the most comprehensive, correct, and readable guide
(either printed or web page) for setting up a new tank geared toward
the new hobbyist?

BTW, I am very impressed with the quality of posts in this group and
(except for a few notable but very rare occasions) the civilized way
in which the discussions are presented.

Thanks,
-Don

Hi Don,

I highly reccomend Netmax's site;

http://www.netmax.tk/

Its a very easy read, and has sound, up to date advice. The left hand
side of his main page is a list of links by subject, and running through
them in order will get you up t ospeed

There is also a link at the bottom of that list which might interest
you, called "whats changed in 30 years". It kind of gives a fast
history of the major innovations that have changed the face of the hobby
since you left.

Regards
DaveZ
Atom Weaver

"atomweaver" wrote in message
...
"Don Freeman" wrote in
:

I started lurking here about a month ago as I was thinking about
getting back into keeping tropical fish. Hi Don,

I highly reccomend Netmax's site;

http://www.netmax.tk/

There is also a link at the bottom of that list which might interest
you, called "whats changed in 30 years".

How ironic, as well as informative. Thanks for the link, I will dedicate
some time to reading it. I am not impatient with getting setup with fish
and I like planting anyway so waiting for the tank to cycle won't be a
hardship.
-Don

JB...accoding to instuctions on the bottle of Amquel I just read
yesterday AMQUEL + IIRC it staated in plain words....that ringers and
some other type test kits can not be used and expected to get correct
results when amquel is used. sop perhaps that is why you are getting
these high readings in additon to a new tank basically cycling.
Virtually all test kits fall into the two types mentioned.......and
you wil continue top pick up nitrate etc even though its locked up and
inert.....enough water changes down the line and it will drop to zero
as the amquel is diluted. Part and parcel of using amquel or any of
the locking type chemicals.


-------
I forgot more about ponds and koi than I'll ever know!

Tristan spreads out to destroy more groups....
Posted by psychotic net stalker Roy "Tristan" Hauer to the Jehovahs Witness
religious newsgroup:

NNTP-Posting-Host: 4.255.242.132

"Carols Nightmare" wrote in message
ups.com...
hahahahaha, way to go **** head Carol, youscrewed up and neglected to
make a few changes in the forged headers etc. Your loosing it
carol............bye bye!


From: "Carols Nightmare" aka Roy Tristan Hauer
Newsgroups: alt.religion.jehovahs-witn
Subject: Carol Gulleys coveted email addy.please do not
abuse it!
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"Tristan" wrote in message
...
JB...accoding to instuctions on the bottle of Amquel I just read
yesterday AMQUEL + IIRC it staated in plain words....that ringers and
some other type test kits can not be used and expected to get correct
results when amquel is used. sop perhaps that is why you are getting
these high readings in additon to a new tank basically cycling.
Virtually all test kits fall into the two types mentioned.......and
you wil continue top pick up nitrate etc even though its locked up and
inert.....enough water changes down the line and it will drop to zero
as the amquel is diluted. Part and parcel of using amquel or any of
the locking type chemicals.


-------
I forgot more about ponds and koi than I'll ever know!

"Tynk" wrote in message
ps.com...

Zëbulon wrote:

=============================
For now keep doing partial water changes until the cycle finishes. Don't
disturb the gravel or filter material as the good bacteria are tying to
hang
on and multiply. Keep feeding sparingly and keep us posted.
--
ZB....

Actually, they *should* vacuum the gravel during the cycling period.

That's not what I was told to do unless there was decomposing food on it.
And that advice has always worked for me. :-)

The nitrifying bacteria secrete a glue like substance and adhere to
every surface. They are NOT going anywhere. Vacuuming gravel isn't
going to budge them.

Then vacuum it. I'll do as I've always done since it works so well for me.

It would do more harm to the health of the tank *not* to vacuum during
a cycle.

True, if there is uneaten food or decaying plants lying on it. It's
whatever works for YOU. What works BEST for me is to feed lightly and do
enough partial water changes to keep the the ammonia/nitrites at not lethal
levels until the cycle is finished.
--
ZB....
Frugal ponding since 1995.
rec.ponder since late 1996.
My Pond & Aquarium Pages:
http://tinyurl.com/9do58
~~~~ }((((* ~~~ }{{{{(ö ~~~~ }((((({*

Carol........SHUT THE HELL UP you clueless jerk!


On Wed, 17 Jan 2007 14:38:02 -0600, Zëbulon
wrote:


"Tynk" wrote in message
groups.com...

Zëbulon wrote:

=============================
For now keep doing partial water changes until the cycle finishes. Don't
disturb the gravel or filter material as the good bacteria are tying to
hang
on and multiply. Keep feeding sparingly and keep us posted.
--
ZB....

Actually, they *should* vacuum the gravel during the cycling period.

That's not what I was told to do unless there was decomposing food on it.
And that advice has always worked for me. :-)

The nitrifying bacteria secrete a glue like substance and adhere to
every surface. They are NOT going anywhere. Vacuuming gravel isn't
going to budge them.

Then vacuum it. I'll do as I've always done since it works so well for me.

It would do more harm to the health of the tank *not* to vacuum during
a cycle.

True, if there is uneaten food or decaying plants lying on it. It's
whatever works for YOU. What works BEST for me is to feed lightly and do
enough partial water changes to keep the the ammonia/nitrites at not lethal
levels until the cycle is finished.



-------
I forgot more about ponds and koi than I'll ever know!

"Tristan" wrote in message
...


Carol........SHUT THE HELL UP you clueless jerk!


Moved your trolling to this group now? How many more groups are you going
to destroy before you get it through your thick skull that you can't
terrorize people off these groups for your own warped gratification? Use
your killfile.

Does your Dr and wife know you harass and stalk and slander old women and
vets in wheelchairs online? Get back on your Thorazine Roy Tristan Hauer....
before eveyone knows what a lowlife scumbag you really are. Not that theyre
not aware you have serious mentalk issues.

Your already looking damn bad in the eyes of the public what with
slandering old women and tormenting disabled old vets. When you abuse and
troll others Roy Hauer... others just may just decide to harass you back.
Get back on yor meds.

Tristan, the slandering net stalking psycho 4Fer is Roy Hauer.

"Tristan" wrote in message
...


Carol........SHUT THE HELL UP you clueless jerk!


On Wed, 17 Jan 2007 14:38:02 -0600, Zëbulon
wrote:


"Tynk" wrote in message
groups.com...

Zëbulon wrote:

=============================
For now keep doing partial water changes until the cycle finishes.
Don't
disturb the gravel or filter material as the good bacteria are tying
to
hang
on and multiply. Keep feeding sparingly and keep us posted.
--
ZB....

Actually, they *should* vacuum the gravel during the cycling period.

That's not what I was told to do unless there was decomposing food on
it.
And that advice has always worked for me. :-)

The nitrifying bacteria secrete a glue like substance and adhere to
every surface. They are NOT going anywhere. Vacuuming gravel isn't
going to budge them.

Then vacuum it. I'll do as I've always done since it works so well
for me.

It would do more harm to the health of the tank *not* to vacuum during
a cycle.

True, if there is uneaten food or decaying plants lying on it. It's
whatever works for YOU. What works BEST for me is to feed lightly and
do
enough partial water changes to keep the the ammonia/nitrites at not
lethal
levels until the cycle is finished.



-------
I forgot more about ponds and koi than I'll ever know!

This is erroneous info. Getting rid of any accumulated junk in the
gravel is to your advantage and vac the gravel is not going to hurt a
thing. It will do more good than bad. Your not gonna suck out any
bacteria with a vac of the gravel.....thats for sure! Crude in a
gravelbed ina FW system is bad......crude in the substrate of a
sal****er suysten is beneficial. You have freshwater system, so get
rid ofg any junk as its working against your efforts.

On Wed, 17 Jan 2007 11:32:43 -0600, Zëbulon
wrote:


"JB" wrote in message
legroups.com...
I tried the suggestions on vacuuming my gravel for waste, cutting back
on my feeding to now once every other day and not very much... I've
completed two 25% water changes, and added AmQuel to try and Neutralize
the Nitrates and Nitrites..

So far I have the following...

Nitrate = 40ppm

Nitrite = 5.0ppm

Hardness = 150ppm (up from 75ppm from before)

Alkalinity = 0 (yes Zero.. It was around 40ppm Just yesterday)

PH = 6.8 (down from 7.2)

Now keeping in mind I did a 100% Water change last Tuesday 9th, and
have three 2" sword tail fish & about 14 or so fry in a net and with
the 100% change I cleaned all Decor & Gravel well, got rid of algae,
etc.. I don't know what I'm missing or can do to fix my levels..

My fish are just kinda "hanging around" most of the time... Sorry if
this seems like a identical repost, but it's more of an update and I
don't know what to do...
=============================
For now keep doing partial water changes until the cycle finishes. Don't
disturb the gravel or filter material as the good bacteria are tying to hang
on and multiply. Keep feeding sparingly and keep us posted.



-------
I forgot more about ponds and koi than I'll ever know!

YOU bwil stil have a indicatin of ammonia, nitrate and nitrite even
when yu use Amquel. Its still there and will show on a test, but its
locked up and rendered safe........it can take quite a few water
changes to eliminate that indication your getting., I would lay off
adding amny more Amquell.....Just the va of gravel, and really by now
there should not be anything left to gravel......but it wil not hurt,
doing it and as a means of pulling out water to make room for a water
change addition. Continue laying off feed.....Those fish are not gong
to starve.........

Why is it you do not have an ammonia test kit?

Just work at getting the nitrate and nitrite levels and ammonia whewre
they need to be. None of the other readings are gona do in the fish
in a hurry and can be worked on after yu get this tank up and cycled
right. Its never a good idea to make too many changes all at once and
what your doing now is fine.......


On 17 Jan 2007 07:57:21 -0800, "JB" wrote:

I tried the suggestions on vacuuming my gravel for waste, cutting back
on my feeding to now once every other day and not very much... I've
completed two 25% water changes, and added AmQuel to try and Neutralize
the Nitrates and Nitrites..

So far I have the following...

Nitrate = 40ppm

Nitrite = 5.0ppm

Hardness = 150ppm (up from 75ppm from before)

Alkalinity = 0 (yes Zero.. It was around 40ppm Just yesterday)

PH = 6.8 (down from 7.2)

Now keeping in mind I did a 100% Water change last Tuesday 9th, and
have three 2" sword tail fish & about 14 or so fry in a net and with
the 100% change I cleaned all Decor & Gravel well, got rid of algae,
etc.. I don't know what I'm missing or can do to fix my levels..

My fish are just kinda "hanging around" most of the time... Sorry if
this seems like a identical repost, but it's more of an update and I
don't know what to do...



-------
I forgot more about ponds and koi than I'll ever know!