skate Posted January 26, 2006 Report Share Posted January 26, 2006 Santa gave me a beautiful tank for christmas.(Its 34L and everything came in the same box) My 1st one! So far, we have had white spot, fin rot, and something has taken out my neons also. This tank has only been up and running for about 5 weeks! How do the bugs get in? Infected fish? will all of these bugs contaminate my plants? I feel like I have to get in there and scrub everything, but dont want to move the fish. Trial and error huh? The man in the fish shop keeps telling me "she'll be right" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sharn Posted January 26, 2006 Report Share Posted January 26, 2006 'shell be right' should be 'its cycling'... if you would a link to cycling im sure someone can help you out or do a search for it. how many fish do you have in there and what filtration are you running? the bugs are more likely oppertunistic blighters who only take hold when your fishs immunity is down due to stress from the cycling, once its all over and done you should see the problems subside. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jude Posted January 26, 2006 Report Share Posted January 26, 2006 Hi and welcome How many fish did you have in there? It's not a huge tank and it should be started off with just one or two fish until the tank has cycled. After that, the fish should be added slowly. In case you are not familiar with it, cycling describes the process where good bacteria build up in the tank. These bacteria convert the baddies (waste products) into more harmless products. Even after that, small and reasonably frequent water changes are still advisable. As Sharn says, look up cycling in this forum. There is heaps of information on it. Don't give up, we all keep learning in this hobby. Cheers Jude Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caper Posted January 26, 2006 Report Share Posted January 26, 2006 I agree with Jude...keep up with regular water changes... Those with more knowledge will tell you more but if tank is still cycling, I think you'd probably be better off doing frequent water changes...but smaller amounts...then once things settle down...just regular changes...would that be correct folks, frequent and small till tank settles? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skate Posted January 26, 2006 Author Report Share Posted January 26, 2006 Thanks heaps you guys! I felt like I was going nowhere here! Now youve given me something to go on. Will keep you posted! thank you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dimebag Posted January 26, 2006 Report Share Posted January 26, 2006 hey skate, i would also suggest finding a new fish shop? some places will just sell u any thing and every thing they can.when i started out i was sold a clown knife and told yea it will be fine in a 60l comunity tank... every day i woke up to 1 or 2 less fish - wasnt really choosy either, ate guppies, neons, even a small tiger barb!! maybe someone else from gizzy could tell u where to get some advice instead of sheel b right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skate Posted January 26, 2006 Author Report Share Posted January 26, 2006 Hiya Dimebag, Quite frankly, Im done with the fish man and all of his advice. Trouble is, being in a metropolis such as this, we are very limited for choice. I really need a quarantine tank, but my tank is so small, I would probably need another! I have come on to the net in a hope to find accurate information and maybe a new fish supplier? So far so good! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
me love fishy Posted January 26, 2006 Report Share Posted January 26, 2006 Hiya Once you have been through the cycling process, which can take a couple of weeks or so, be aware that with small tanks (one of my tanks is a 60L, which I consider small) water quality can change quicker than in larger tanks, so small frequent water changes are a good idea. And with a 34L tank even when fully stocked with fish you won't have heaps of fish in there, be careful of overcrowding, so choose your fish wisely. Good luck with your tank, fish are such cool pets but do require more work than you initally think, all the best and just keep trying there is always more to learn with fishkeeping, I've had tanks for 4-5 years and I am still learning. :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mustcooktea Posted January 26, 2006 Report Share Posted January 26, 2006 Hi Skate I'm in Gisborne too and although the guy at the local fish shop is nice and is able to get anything I have wanted I don't trust him for advice on stocking my tanks. This is after he originally sold me two comets for a 13 litre tank! However we can't shop around since he is the only shop in town and we aren't exactly handy to any other centres. While your tank is cycling I would do partial water changes very frequently, perhaps every second day to help stop levels becoming toxic. Let us know what fish you have in the tank so that we can give you better advice. Things will settle down eventually, once your tank has cycled. Good luck MCT Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lmk Posted January 26, 2006 Report Share Posted January 26, 2006 Hi Ya Skate!! I'm from Gissy too and the LFS seems to have the same advice for everyone when starting out. "Throw all your fish in and she'll be right!!" Yeah right!! I too found out all about cycling tanks this way!! I started with a Aqua One 34Lt also and found out that with a smaller tank the balance of fish numbers does have to be JUST RIGHT!! Now have 4 tanks (It's only taken a 1 1/2 years to get to this stage. I think this is a disease called Multiple Tank Syndrome on this site ) but you've come to the best place for lots of expert advice. I'm having trouble with baby Angels at the moment but have been give sooo many tips it's just GREAT!! By the way I still go to the local shop but I've made sure I'm armed with lots of info when I go in there. Have just purchased 2 GORGEOUS Hoplo Catfish from there so fingers crossed all is good!! Best of luck with your tank and keep asking those questions Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted January 26, 2006 Report Share Posted January 26, 2006 OK you Gisbornites. There has been a suggestion you start your own fish club rather than travel through to Napier for meetings. What about it? Keen to give it a go? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skate Posted January 27, 2006 Author Report Share Posted January 27, 2006 Righto, in my beautiful tank, I have 1 neon left (another 1 bit the dust this morning) 5 glolites (big fatties), 1 bristlenose, 1 male blue ram, 2 glass bloodfins, 2 baby platys, 2 harlequins, shivers, there is a few pisces in there! And im still doing water changes every dayish. How do you know when to slow down on the cycling? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skate Posted January 27, 2006 Author Report Share Posted January 27, 2006 OOOps or should i say slow down with the water changes! How do you know when things are just right in there? When the tank has cycled? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tanksman Posted January 27, 2006 Report Share Posted January 27, 2006 You need a water test kit - You should test for ammonia each day and you will see it spike and fall away as the bacteria get on top of it - and you should also test for nitrites which will also spike and fall away as those bacteria get on top of it. So get a test kit and you can confidently know whats going on. Your water changes should be only to dilute any spikes that are toxic too fish - since they are in the tank before cycling is complete. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Feelers Posted January 27, 2006 Report Share Posted January 27, 2006 Can a 34L house that many fish happily? (I wouldnt know just asking) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sharn Posted January 27, 2006 Report Share Posted January 27, 2006 IMO itd be fairly stocked but all of those fish are relatively small averaging 3cm or so. as long as you keep up on those water changes youll be fine since your doing water changes daily you probably wont get much ammonia reading unless you do the test before you do the water changes. wait a few more weeks before you miss a day and see what the reading is after that. sounds like your on the right track now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skate Posted January 28, 2006 Author Report Share Posted January 28, 2006 A gizzy fish club sounds pretty groovy, but just let me get my last baby off to school first!!! hahaha. Yeah im going to keep up with the water changes, Im a bit nervous though, Ive got to go away for 4 days (oh my god, 3 days away from the kids!) and I have left strict instructions for my wee tank. Just hope the water gets changed while Im gone! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evilknieval69 Posted January 28, 2006 Report Share Posted January 28, 2006 oh no the kids doing the crucial water changes better leave a good list skate.lol. hope all goes well with the tank **EVIL** :bounce: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stagger lee Posted January 28, 2006 Report Share Posted January 28, 2006 Hi Skate i also have an aquaone 34 ltr tank. This is just a small one for my office, and i have bigger tanks at home. I found it more difficult to set this one up than the others, you have to be so much more precise when doing things! But it's all good now and i am sure yours will be looking good in no time Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skate Posted January 29, 2006 Author Report Share Posted January 29, 2006 thankyou stagger, its looking pretty fab at the moment, but ive been doing the whole h2o changes heaps. I just dont think the tank is big enuff! haheheha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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