Thanks you EagleC and TretraLinz I feel so much better after finding this forum. I have ordered a test kit on ebay so am waiting for it to arrive - I only have a PH test kit. I will definately try to get some filter media and put this in the tank tonight. I do have plants in the tank and I have been leaving the light on for 20 hours as I read (on another site) that it would help the bacteria to develop. Do you think that is correct?

No, the lights will help the plants and algae grow that may have a beneficial effect on reducing the toxins but the bacteria grows mainly on the filter media in the darkness inside the filter! The bacteria is not light dependant at all.

Thanks again for your help

Your plants only need the lights on for up to 10 hours a day. I keep mine on for only 8 hours.

HTH

can any one help me ive had my tank about a year and all of a sudden it wont stay clear i replaced all the filters over time and do regular water changes but 2-3 days latter its cloudy again can u help please leanne thanks

absolutely brilliant goldy ive been keeping fish for six and half years relatively well altho still making mistakes to this day i can say ive touch wood (touching my head ) only had a couple of fatalities one of which was about six months ago and sally was six years old so one of first i got. i must say ive done alot of the things listed in your "essay" all the time since begining things like cleaning filter in used tank water but i never really knew why i was doing it,i just continued doing it cos it seemed to work and ive just understood it completely after reading all that. ya know when something just seems to click into place in your brain and you think ah so thats why well ive just had one of them moments. im sure the lights in room got momentarily brighter as i read it. i too have printed it all out for future reference and now i know what cathie meant too il be able to avoid new tank syndrome for the tweenies. thanks alot melissa x

Wow you have done well pleased to hear it, and you are welcome

just read the original post and all other comments,its very helpful and although i'll need to read it a few more times to take it in properly its easier to understand than some of the other articles i have read.thanks

I've just read the origanal posting o fishless cycling and the various links and comments. I wish I had read it sooner!
I had a coldwater tank for around two years and have just "graduated" to tropical. I set my tank up about a month ago. I had a chinese plec from my cold water tank which I aclimatized to tropical temperatures and transfered to the tank along with several rock ornaments, I also have live plants and have transferred all the gravel from the previous tank of goldfish to the new tank, though it was washed in tap water first as advised by my lfs.
As advised by my lfs, I left it about 2wks b4 putting any fish in. Again as advised by my lfs I put 2 dwarf gouramis and 6 neon tetras into my 29l tank. Needless to say half the tetras have died.
At present I am testing twice weekly for pH,KH,GH,NO2,NO3 and ammonia and performing weekly 10% water changes. I feed enough to be eaten in 5mins once daily.
The lights are set up for 10hrs a day and I have one airstone as well as an over the top filter.
Current readings are pH-7,KH-6,GH->14,NO2-0,NO3-50-100,Ammonia0.6.
Should I be doing daily 10% water change and testing daily? Are there any other tips to help prevent any other fish losses?

Any advice greatly recieved, I don't want to lose any more fish!

Quote:
Hi Ravenblack, welcome to the site. As you might have gathered your experiences of lfs advice are by no means unique. It's unfortunate.
The best advice I can give you is to continue 10-15% water changes daily.(see article on stressless water changing)
To continue testing ammonia and nitrite levels daily but to use a proper liquid test kit rather than the horrendously inaccurate dip strips. API liquid test is the best imo and costs about £15-20 for the mini master kit (NH,NO2,NO3,PH) which will last you a year or so. Post again after you get the kit if your results are different - but in a fresh topic.
Check the fish daily, check breathing rates, gill colour, mobility and fins. If they're hanging at the surface with red streaked fins, brown gills and breathing heavily desptite the water changes(or just some of those symptoms) then you can use Prime, AmGuard or AmmoLock to reduce the toxicity of the ammonia in the water. Prime is supposed to work on nitrites as well so that would be first choice.
Good luck and let us know how you get on.