Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Ok here is the deal... I notice many of you cycle your tanks with small amounts of fish eh? I have sustained a number of around 40 gold fish "they are tiny" eating alot lol... In a 18 gallon tank

Anyway at one point I think they killed themself with ammonia. Although the system never smelled.

To get to the point now I have about 40 goldies in there.. my nitrites read 0ppm. Does this mean everything is being processed? I need to get other testers all I have right now is nitrite and ph..

Ohh and its not like it costs alot to get the fish.. I got 100 fish many died "pump malfunction or whatever other calamity happened" But 100 cost me 6$. Best of all they seem happy they boil the water when I feed them.

you wont really know unless you test ammonia and nitrate

you really need all three tested atleast twice over a period to give you the whole picture

So, let me get this right...

You had about 40 goldfish (or was that 100 goldies and 60 died?)... OK one day... dead the next..... you think maybe because of ammonia...

You now have another 40 goldfish.... have a nitrite and pH test but no ammonia test.....

Still feeding them the same (maybe more) as before.... still testing the same as before.....

Goldies OK one day (today)..... ???? the next????

Something killed the last lot, and goldies are pretty tough

Suspect you could probably answer your own question..... seriously though, get a test kit that can measure ammonia.

PS .... if you had 100 goldies (even if only small) in 18 galls (70ltrs) they probably wouldn't have grown up as goldies at all....

They would have become sardines

And yep that is "Fish Abuse"

+1

as above

Yep - and just because they are cheap doesn't mean it is okay to kill them through neglect. Rant over.

Keeping away from the 'fish cruelty' angle this is taking, The standard procedure for setting up an aquarium is:

Get a SMALL amount of fish perhaps 10% what the tank will hold when set right.

Test for amonia (should be 0)
continue to test for amonia at regular intervals.
When the amonia starts to climb, begin to test nitrite (should be low)
continue to test amonia and nitrite at regular intervals.
You should see the amonia spike high, then creep back to 0
Follow the same procedure with nitrite.

When both have returned to satisfactory levels you're all good to go.

and during this process - make water changes as necessary to keep ammonia and nitrite at safe levels. What is safe will depend on temp and pH.

some good points KP.......will note them for future reference....not sure this has been covered on this forum before

sarcasm sure does fit that Avatar chicken boy

careful, he'll throw you to dr. satan (and no fried chicken for you)

waka waka waka

for homework, every member shall watch house of 1000 corpses

never have been good at homework - so will be giving that a miss. that is bad stuff