New Tank, New Fish, New to the Hobby, exited to know everything

[Joan Brugal]

hi, Mi name is Joan Brugal. I'm from the Dominican Republic. I recently bought a 3.5-gallon tank with some plants, basic gravel, 2 widow tetras (i think), 3 guppies, 1 nerite Snail (i think), a sponge filter with a 2.5w pump and a small light. My goal is to try and achieve the best water, and health conditions for my fish and maybe in the future have a bigger tank a breed guppy. i bought some test kits. I have a thermometer that is showing 30 degrees Celsius (86 Fahrenheit), My snail showing some white spots, my PH is 6.4 (trying to reach 7 with API PH UP), my GH is <3d, my KH is 0-3d my cl2 is 0-0.8, my NO2 is 0-1mg/l, my NO3 is 0-10mg/l. Using Nutrafin Cycle to maintain my tank and feeding my fish some tetra color tropical Granules.

Anyone have some suggestions? do I need to feed something to my snail? do the plants need something extra? one guppy died 4 days after i setup the tank, the other fish seem ok.

 

Edited November 1, 2023 by Joan Brugal

[Guppysnail]

Welcome to the forum. Congratulations on your new tank.  
 

Did you use water conditioner?  There are many not good things in water that conditioner takes care of. I recommend a good one like seachem prime, Fritz complete or amquel. 
 

Different heavy metals in tap water can be toxic to your snail. The conditioner fixes that. Also chlorine in any amount is toxic. Chloramine is often used by water companies in place of chlorine. There is no test strip for that. Conditioner makes it safe. 
 

A much better alternative to ph up is crushed coral. Guppies and snails need the calcium it provides and it will increase your ph to a level they are happy at in a slow safe manner. It’s a longer term solution and provides more stability and less shifting. You can use it in a media bag in the tank or add it to your substrate. It will be more economical in the long run as well as better for your new friends. 
 

Congratulations again.  
 

Nerites need algae and biofilm. All missing in a new tank. They do not eat commercial food. Open a fresh green bean each day for awhile and remove the seeds. Sink with a fork. Eventually your snail will find it. 
 

 

[Joan Brugal]

Nice! thank you for the tip, i will order some crushed coral, i think is going to be perfect to regulate the PH and add some hardness.

Will the PH stop going up if i leave the crush coral?do you recommend leaving them on a bag in the tank or spreading it in the gravel?

isn't the Seachem Prime Water Conditioner the same as Nutrafin Cycle?, the store owner told me that is was the same thing and recommended me the Nutrafin.

About the Fresh green bean. what portion do i need to feed the nerite every day? 1/2 inch? 1/4 inch?

the temperature of the tank is ok? everywhere i see the recommended is max 82f and i have 86f? should i worry?

about the plants, i dont know what types i had, i just picked up the ones i like from the store, i see that people use some liquid fertilizer for the plants. do i need some? i see that aquarium co-op has one, Easy Green All-in-One Fertilizer

 

Edited November 1, 2023 by Joan Brugal

[Ben P.]

As far as temp goes I keep a lot of my tanks at higher than recommended temps, I find it makes disease less common and less long lasting.  And what you want to do with the crushed coral depends on what look you like.  Some keep it in a bag, other scatter it.  Best of luck!

[nabokovfan87]

On 11/1/2023 at 1:51 PM, Joan Brugal said:

Welcome to the forums!

I did notice your temperature seems a bit high.  If you do have a heater in the tank, be sure to lower it to the 76-78 degree range (basically that green band on the thermometer).

It will have add oxygenation to the water and help with those fish in particular as they like that temperature range.

[Guppysnail]

On 11/1/2023 at 6:15 PM, Joan Brugal said:

Will the PH stop going up if i leave the crush coral?do you recommend leaving them on a bag in the tank or spreading it in the gravel?

Yes the ph will stabilize and not continue going up. As the crushed coral depletes over a month or two you will notice a decline in ph. Add more. Spread or bag. Your choice. 
 

On 11/1/2023 at 6:15 PM, Joan Brugal said:

isn't the Seachem Prime Water Conditioner the same as Nutrafin Cycle

No. But nutrafin cycle releases beneficial bacteria to start the nitrogen cycle making the tank safe long term. I’ll attach a video explaining that. Water conditioner gets added every water change any time tap is added to your tank. It makes tap water fish safe. Two completely different purposes. Often larger store employees are not fish people and give misinformation. 
 

for your snail just an inch. Changing daily keeps it from fouling your water. 
 

Thise temps are very high. For your stock 76-77 is great and as high as I would go. Let it lower on its own once you adjust the heater down. Do not add cool water. 

 

[Guppysnail]

Ok I did not watch this entire one on water conditioner but these folks usually have great info. Please do watch the nitrogen cycle video. It’s how fish stay alive in tanks. 

 

[Joan Brugal]

On 11/1/2023 at 6:36 PM, Guppysnail said:

Let it lower on its own once you adjust the heater down

i don't have a heater, that's the natural water temperature. i was thinking of putting some little frozen blocks to gradually lower the temperature.

[Guppysnail]

On 11/1/2023 at 6:55 PM, Joan Brugal said:

i don't have a heater, that's the natural water temperature. i was thinking of putting some little frozen blocks to gradually lower the temperature.

No if that is the room temperature you are better o just leave it and add another airstone to get a bit of cooling that way or just leave it be. Constantly trying to adjust temp is more harmful to fish. 

[Joan Brugal]

You mean something like this? I dont have an airstone i just have the sponge filter 

https://a.co/d/i376Uqj

[Guppysnail]

Your sponge is fine. Adding an extra one of those stone may get you a degree lower ** may. But the warmer the water the less oxygen it holds so increasing bubbles will help fish breath easier at the higher temperatures 

[Galabar]

I grabbed a chart of temperature fluctuations (by month) for the Dominican Republic.  I would try not fighting the temperature:

30C is Ok (as long as it doesn't go much above that).  There is probably no need for ice.  It looks like you are just exiting your hottest time.

Edited November 2, 2023 by Galabar

[Joan Brugal]

yeah, is very hot in the Dominican Republic i don't think the water temperature will lower much on winter.

[Joan Brugal]

i think I'm going to buy these. i will go to the local shop and buy an air stone or maybe buy the one that is on aquarium coop

 

 

Edited November 2, 2023 by Joan Brugal

[Guppysnail]

This is a perfect start. A wonderful starter kit. 🤗 good choices. 

[Joan Brugal]

order placed! i will give updates when everything arrives and a few days of using the products. one other question. is it normal for a guppie to go to the bottom of the tank for a short period of time and then suddenly go back to normal ? should i be concerned? 

[Joan Brugal]

i just did a water test. and it showed somewhere these values.

NO3: 25 mg/l

NO2: 5 mg/l

GH: <3d

KH: 0d

PH: 6.8

Cl2: 0.8 mg/l

 

i noticed that the test showed today some Nitrate and Nitrite, is that a good thing? does it means the cycle is in motion? should it never appear in a test? yesterday's test it didn't show any NO3 nor NO2.

I'm using the API PHUP and i see that is slowly increasing the PH.

[Guppysnail]

Once you are cycled the no2 will read zero. Did you test ammonia?  If you do not yet have the ammonia test no worries. Seeing the no2 (nitrite) you should do a water change.  

[Joan Brugal]

i don't have ammonia test strips yet do you recommend doing a 20% water change or more? about digital ph and TDS testers or the kits that have testing solutions, what do you think is best for more accurate testing or do you think is better with the strips i noticed that in your website aquarium coop you dont have digital nor testing solutions, only strips

[Guppysnail]

Digital is massive expensive. 

Since you do not have the conditioner just do 25% each day but boil it first and let it cool to get rid of chlorine each day as long as you see nitrite - no2. Once you get your conditioner if you still have any nitrite or ammonia do 50% with conditioned water. 
 

From there keep no3 -nitrate below 40. 

[Joan Brugal]

Good News! (i think), Did an ammonia test a showed 0.5 mg/l and according to the instructions adjusting it to the PH 7 is 0.003mg/l and is harmless. Did an oxygen test too and it showed 4.0 ml/g and according to the instructions is good. Yesterday a removed the tanks top and added an airstone and the temp is now 28 celcius (82-84 farenheit), i saw on amazon some fans that lower the temp a few degrees but i don't know if i need to lower more. My nerite Snail was a female and started to lay eggs all around my tank, i took it out of the tank a changed it for another but right now is in a separate vase just to see if it lay eggs.

A little bad news is that i a still have 5mg/l of No2 (Nitrate) witch i think is high i bought the SERA toxivec that removes ammonia, nitrate and nitrite but i haven't used it yet the instructions scare me.....

Do you think i have a female guppy or they are all male? i see them male.

Edited November 4, 2023 by Joan Brugal