# never thought of it but i got a problem!



## blackmaskelongatus (May 25, 2007)

well i did a test and told my buddy and he told me my tank is not cycling 
my test was
ph: 7.5
nit: 0.25
amo: 0.50

i have 5 reds in the tank and a purple spilo and 1 elong! i knoe it's risky but knoe fin nips and knoe fighting! so far it's ok!

how do i get my tank to start cycling?


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## Doktordet (Sep 22, 2006)

If you have another tank around which is cycled, try getting some media from it (rocks, substrate, even some bacteria from the filter). Or you could go out and grab some biospira to get things started. Frequent water changes, do not overfeed, and be vigilant on your parameters.


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## GN121406 (Jul 28, 2007)

add a powerhead. make the water move. add some feeders


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## blackmaskelongatus (May 25, 2007)

i am never gona addd feeder's i just did a 25% water change and added some prime and added bacteria! could it be because of to many water changes to often! but i am gona do a test right now and see where i am at and i have a nice current in the tank by the filter! but i will ke a power head soon!


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## Grosse Gurke (Jan 3, 2003)

Water changes wont affect the cycle. How long has the tank been set up?


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## blackmaskelongatus (May 25, 2007)

seriously a wile!!

i have not changed much with how i clean my tank! just started to use prime and bacteria! last yr or so!


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## ChilDawg (Apr 30, 2006)

Did you just add the elong and spilo or the spilo and reds, or any of the ps involved? (I got that from the "so far it's okay" comment. The peace probably won't last...) That could cause a minicycle. That, plus the fact that the three species aren't all that compatible, could be reason to separate them.

The other question is the following--you never told us how large the fishes in question are (I assume I know the elong's size unless it's a different one, but still...) or how large the tank is.


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## blackmaskelongatus (May 25, 2007)

so what would be best to do from here on?


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## ChilDawg (Apr 30, 2006)

Give us the feasible options for tanks. If nothing seems to jump out as an option that would work, it could wind up being that we'll tell you to return some fishes...

(Make sure to include any tanks you could feasibly buy as options, too...)


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## blackmaskelongatus (May 25, 2007)

ChilDawg said:


> Give us the feasible options for tanks. If nothing seems to jump out as an option that would work, it could wind up being that we'll tell you to return some fishes...
> 
> (Make sure to include any tanks you could feasibly buy as options, too...)


i have many extra tanks just my parent's wont let me have another one set up!

could the snails be a cause of the problem?


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## Guest (Aug 4, 2007)

When you change the water do you add chlorine remover? Also you have too many fish in a 75 gallon. Even if they don't bite each other it dosn't mean thats good for them.


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## ChilDawg (Apr 30, 2006)

No, the snails are only a symptom of you overfeeding...the problem is that you changed the stocking level so quickly. Your tank might have been cycled in the past, but certainly adding so many fishes to it at once could easily have thrown it off kilter. You're better off only having the elong in there.


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## blackmaskelongatus (May 25, 2007)

of if i took the spilo and the elong out and put them in there own tank that will help and let me do a test noiw and see what i am at!



piranhaseeker said:


> When you change the water do you add chlorine remover? Also you have too many fish in a 75 gallon. Even if they don't bite each other it dosn't mean thats good for them.


prime removes chlorine,chloramine,ammonia,
detoxifies nitrite and nitrate
provides slim coat!

o and it smell's bad!


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## ChilDawg (Apr 30, 2006)

That's not going to make it all that much better. Plus, if you're throwing those guys into uncycled tanks, it's not a good idea. At this point, if you're down to one tank, choose the fish group you want the most and sell off the others...it's in the best interest of the fishes and in your best interest as you won't have to consistently deal with losses. (Be warned, though, many people here wouldn't recommend that you have 5 RBPs in a 75 gallon, so that group might not be your best bet...)


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## Grosse Gurke (Jan 3, 2003)

Like Childawg said.....you overloaded your bio-load. You cant increase the amount of waste your tank produces by 4X's and expect your bacteria to respond over night. The only fish in your current tank I would keep in a group are the nattereri. If you set up a new tank for the elongatus and spilo in one tank you should divide them.


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## blackmaskelongatus (May 25, 2007)

ok will do so if i keept say 3 red's in my 75g that will do fine? and have the elong and spilo in there own space of 30g will that be ok?

and i did the test and here it was
amo:0.25
nit:0.25

is this better?


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## Guest (Aug 4, 2007)

I guess its better but test your nitrate.


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## blackmaskelongatus (May 25, 2007)

piranhaseeker said:


> I guess its better but test your nitrate.


 yea i did nit:0.25


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## Guest (Aug 4, 2007)

You did NO2 (nitrite) not NO3 (nitrate).


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## blackmaskelongatus (May 25, 2007)

that is just the n o2 ok i do the no 3! 5 min's


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## blackmaskelongatus (May 25, 2007)

NO3 0 ppm!


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## Guest (Aug 4, 2007)

Wow, I would think you would atleast have some nitrates but all i can say is keep doing water changes because it dosn't look like you have any bacteria.


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## blackmaskelongatus (May 25, 2007)

well i add bacteria to the tank i have a bio wheel could it be i have knoe carbon on the tank? 
i took it out because i use black water extract!


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## blackmaskelongatus (May 25, 2007)

found out what the problem is!..
i had a peace of wood in the tank and it was rooting and that must be the problem! so i see how things go from here on and keep you updated!


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