New Member - New Tank - Ottawa's Water

[JGoedhard]

I live on Southvale (near Elmvale). Does any one have any filter media that they can give? Thanks for the bio media Charlie and washefuzzy

I got my fish from Petsmart and so far my experience is not a good one.
My small tank (10G) 3 weeks old went through 10 different fish (Goldfish, 3 at a time, 1 from the beginning still alive in it) and my medium tank (33G 2 weeks ago) which I got because for the 10 gallon not being big enough went through 6 Goldfish and now holds 2 Medium Black Moors since the 7 of this month and got a test kit for testing PH and Ammonia for the time being.

On the 33G
The filter I'm using is an
AquaClear 70 with a Foam - Charlie/washefuzzy Bio Media - BioMax and an
AquaClear 110 with Foam - Charlie/washefuzzy Bio Media - BioMax

The 10G tank, well a standard tank kit from walmart. I still see them today. Aqua Culture. Also has the markings REGENT on the filter.
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Aquaculture-Starter-Kit-10-Home-Aquarium-1-ct/10312734

Each tank have a couple of Hornwort plants

The Medium tank stinks two day ago, 50% Water Change before the testing kit, has a bit of brown algee and it also finally started to get cloudy a bit.

Ottawa Water is PH 7.6 and Ammonia is 0.5. What is with this water?

Started using Prime Water Conditioner Test before the 9th tests were conducted before I was using Aqua plus.

So far the PH stays the same 7.6 and Ammonia is

I'm using the API Testing Kit

NiRi = Nitrite
NiRa = Nitrate
- = I didn't run this test


33G  WC  TIME - Am. - NiRi - NiRa
5/8     N   1145   0.5     -        -
         N   1825   0.5     -        -
         N   2345   0.5     -        -
5/9     Y   1500       50%    
         N   1600  0.25    -        -
         N   2225   0.5     -        -
5/10   N   1125  0.25    -        -
         N   1815  0.50    -        -
         N   2300  0.50    -        -
5/11   N   0750  0.50    -        -  
         Y    1100      10%
         N   1500  Charlie Bio Media Added
         N   1845  0.75    -         -
         Y   1930       50%
         N   2100  0.35    -        -
5/12   N   1420   0.8    0.0      -
         N   1820   0.5    0.0       -
         N   2215   0.5      -         -
5/13   N   0935  0.75    -         -
         Y    1220      30%
         N   1400   0.5      -         -
         N   1930   washefuzzy Bio Media Added
         N   2145   0.35    -         -
5/14   N   0700   0.4      -         -
         N   1240   0.4      -         -
         N   2130  0.25     5        5
         N   0645   0.1      5        -
         N    1200    0       5        -
         Y    1215       50%
         N    1500  Added Duck Weed
         N    1630  0.1    0.25     5
5/16   N    0020    0     0.15     2
         N    1200    -        0        0
         N    2230  0.1      0        0
5/19   N   2215     0       0        0
5/21   N   1100   0.05    0        0


10G  WC  TIME - Am. - NiRi - NiRa
5/8     N   1145   1.0     -        -
         Y    1540     -       -        -
5/9     N   1600  0.75    -        -      
5/10   N   1815  0.35    -        -
         N   2300  0.35    -        -
         Y    2310  Fish freaking out 50%
5/11   N   0750  0.15    -        -  
         N   1500  Charlie Bio Media Added
         N   1845   0.0     -         -
5/12   N   1430   0.0    1.0      -
         N   1840   0.0   0.25    0.0
         N   2215     -     0.25     -
5/13   N   0935    -      0.10    1
         Y    1220       50%
         N   1400  0.1      0       1  
         N   2145    0       0       2
5/14   N   0710    0       0       -
5/15   N   1500   Added Duckweed
         Y   2100   50%
5/18   N  1500      added another fish to tank
5/19   N  2000    0        0       0


I will add or edit more later

[bt]

It sounds like you're still mid-cycle.

No more fish until ammonia is 0, at the earliest.

[brotherluv]

Have you been using anything to de-chlorinate your water before putting fish in the tank or did you add prime after?  what type of filter are you using in the tanks?  I wouldn't add more than one fish to tanks  like that if you insist on not doing a fishless cycle...

[JGoedhard]

To de-clorinate, I was using Aqua plus Water Conditioner with P.H.E. and with every water change until I saw it recommend on this forum to use Prime and since it being an Ottawa based forum, I started using what everyone else used in Ottawa.

I started using Prime since the 9th.

On the 33G
The filter I'm using is an AquaClear 70 with a Foam - Charlie/washefuzzy Bio Media - BioMax and an AquaClear 110 with Foam - Charlie/washefuzzy Bio Media - BioMax

The tank and filter could be as old since the 80's and works very good.

Last time the tank was used and stored away was since 2006 till a few weeks ago

The 10G tank, well a standard tank kit from walmart. I still see them today. Aqua Culture.
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Aquaculture-Starter-Kit-10-Home-Aquarium-1-ct/10312734

[charlie]

I`m just about ready to clean my last canister filter, you are welcome to the grungy floss & i should be able to scoop some bio media as well,I`m in the Bank & Hunt Club area, let me know.
Errol

[washefuzzy]

If you put your problems on the "911 Emergency" you will get more help from members.  I lost a lot fish when I first started keeping fish than until I found OVAS forum. Now my fish actually stay alive.

[touchofsky]

I think your problem started with putting too many fish into an uncycled tank.  Goldfish are always thought to be tough, but I have found that the fancy varieties are quite delicate, and you are dealing with fish dying because of spikes in ammonia and nitrite (uncylced tank, as others have mentioned).

You have come to the right forum for lots of help, though, and you will be able to turn things around.  With the size of tanks that you have, I would leave it with the 1 goldfish in the 10 gallon, and 2 in the 33 gallon.  With fancy goldfish, the rule of thumb is 10 gallons per fish, but when they get big, they will outgrow a 10 gallon tank.  Once you get the cycles of the tank completed and the fish in the 10 gallon starts to grow, he could be moved into the 33 gallon tank.  The 10 gallon could then be used for smaller fish.  I wouldn't recommend keeping goldfish in a 10 gallon, they just get too big.  I have had fancies get bodies the size of baseballs.

If you can get the media from Charlie, that would really help things along.

[JGoedhard]

When I get the bio media from Charlie should I perform a Water Change on the 33G tank or should I leave it with a 0.5ppm?

edit: Already did a little Water Change (10%) as the fish looked a bit stressed and Ammonia level was climbing up to 0.75. Should I still do a 50% Water Change while I add the bio?

[bizfromqc]

When I get the bio media from Charlie should I perform a Water Change on the 33G tank or should I leave it with a 0.5ppm?

edit: Already did a little Water Change (10%) as the fish looked a bit stressed and Ammonia level was climbing up to 0.75. Should I still do a 50% Water Change while I add the bio?

It's a bit of a PITA but I'd personally recommend 30-50% WC daily until you get your ammonia and nitrites in check as well as using the Prime and getting the used media from Errol. You should start to see changes in a couple of days, ammonia will go down, nitrites will go up and eventually back down.

Stay diligent with the WCs and you're be rewarded with a nicely cycled tank, healthy fish and hey, some muscles after hauling the water buckets  More importantly, no new fish until everything is in check.

We've all been there, there's no shortcuts at this point, patience is key.

Eric

[JGoedhard]

Thanks Charley for the bio media, so far the 10G tanks Ammonia crashed to 0 four hours later of adding the bio media and nothing changed that I could tell in the 33G tank so I proceeded to the Water Change of 50% as I can't bear to watch them suffer.

In the 33G filter; two media floss cut up to replace the carbon media; little bio balls in the BioMAX pouch; a shakel; and drop of floss in the tank

In the 10G filter; a small piece of floss; some little bio balls in the filter and 3 in the tank; and a shake and drop of floss in the tank.

Poor fishy's, always wants food.

[touchofsky]

Adding the cycled media and doing the water change should help.  Try not to feed too much, I know it is hard with goldfish because they are so cute and such beggars for food 

[washefuzzy]

I live in the Emvale area. I can give you some filter media from an established tank. I've have set up tanks by stealing media from filters on the go. I have added fish in the new tank the same day.  I have never lost fish doing this.  

[JGoedhard]

Yesterday, I added Duckweed to the tank. Did I just ruin the cycle? Look at the first post for my testing log.

[exv152]

Duckweed shouldn't hurt your cycle. Plants soak up some of the ammonia, nitrites and nitrates.

[touchofsky]

You may find that the duckweed doesn't last long, because most goldfish love to eat it 

[JGoedhard]

I'm hoping that the Duckweed out grows before the fish eats it all.

[touchofsky]

I grow duckweek in other tanks, then scoop it into the tank with my goldfish and they eat it like salad