Welcome, Guest. Please login or register.
May 21, 2013, 05:21:18 AM
Home Search Search Login Register

+  Pet Goldfish - Aquarium Forum Community
|-+  Aquarium
| |-+  General Goldfish Discussion
| | |-+  Beneficial bacteria and water changes		 « previous next »
Pages: [1]
Author Topic: Beneficial bacteria and water changes  (Read 1475 times)
teetsymomo
Full Member
***

Karma: 21
Posts: 120
Beneficial bacteria and water changes
« on: November 20, 2010, 09:52:03 PM »
How often do you have to add beneficial bacteria to a goldfish tank? Is it something that needs to be done at every water change with my other chemicals? I didn't realize I should have put it in when I was cycling my tank. also, how often should I change my water. I have a 5 gallon right now, but I plan on getting something bigger.
Logged
Mindemae
Hero Member
*****

Karma: 256
Posts: 2456
Re: Beneficial bacteria and water changes
« Reply #1 on: November 20, 2010, 10:06:02 PM »
You should add it when you first set up a new tank, right to the gravel and also to the filter media.
Then you should add it to your filter media everytime you do a water change.
When you are first cycling your tank you add it to the filter once a week and only do a water change if you see the ammonia or nitrites spike.  Fish often die as a result of new tank syndrome.  That is why a tank should be cycled before you add any fish to it.
after your tank is cycled then you want to do a partial water change every week or every other week depending on how high your nitrate levels are.  You should test your water once a week and do a change if necessary.  Ammonia should read zero, nitrites should read zero pH should be anywhere from 7.2-7.6 and your nitrates should never go beyond 40ppm.  If you do a nitrate test and see your nitrates are between 30-40, I would go ahead and do a 25-50% water change.
A 5 gallon tank is very small and will be rather hard to maintain good water quality.  For one fancy goldfish, the recommendation is 10 us gallons per fish.  Your fish will need room to grow and good oxygen.  Do you have a filter and air bubbler of some kind in your tank?
Logged
Mindemae
Hero Member
*****

Karma: 256
Posts: 2456
Re: Beneficial bacteria and water changes
« Reply #2 on: November 20, 2010, 10:14:06 PM »
Ok, I went and looked at your picture of your fish and I see that you do have a filter in his tank!  That's good!  So just add beneficial bacteria right to the filter media that is inside that filter.  I use Stresszyme by API.  They do see that at petsmart. Wink
Logged
Nossie
Hero Member
*****

Karma: 481
Posts: 5469
Re: Beneficial bacteria and water changes
« Reply #3 on: November 21, 2010, 03:40:17 AM »
I agree with Minde Smiley
But since you have such a small setup, I'd say you should test the water every second/third day. Nitrates rise very quickly in smaller systems! I did the same when I had the 10 gallon running Smiley And it was necessary, I had to change water every third day and I changed 60-70% of it each time |: So be extra careful with the water!
Logged
Hanna
Hero Member
*****

Karma: 257
Posts: 3108
Re: Beneficial bacteria and water changes
« Reply #4 on: November 21, 2010, 04:10:59 AM »
I agree with Nossie and Mindemae.
Another good bio booster is Stability by Seachem. You also should use water conditioner to remove chlorine, cloramine and heavy metals from tap water Smiley
Logged
teetsymomo
Full Member
***

Karma: 21
Posts: 120
Re: Beneficial bacteria and water changes
« Reply #5 on: November 21, 2010, 11:32:17 AM »
The two chemicals that I have on hand it API Goldfish Protect and a sample of Aquasafe from Tetra (it came with the setup).

I just want to make sure I'll be doing this right. during water changes, I will be adding the Goldfish Protect, Aqua-safe, Bio filter booster and/or API stresszyme booster.

I don't want to put more chemicals than needed in his tank.
Logged
Mindemae
Hero Member
*****

Karma: 256
Posts: 2456
Re: Beneficial bacteria and water changes
« Reply #6 on: November 21, 2010, 11:49:54 AM »
The API goldfish protect is really no different than the Aqua Safe.  They are both water condtioners that take out heavy metals and chlorine and chlormines.  I would just use the goldfish protect OR Aquasafe AND a bacteria booster like Stresszyme by API, which you can easily get at walmart, or pet retail places such as petsmart or petco.  API also makes a water condtioner which may be less expensive for you called Stresscoat.  Just add the water condtioner of your choice to the new water that you are replacing in your aquarium.  The Stresszyme is not a chemical but live good bacteria that will eat the ammonia in your tank and convert it to a less toxic form.  Add it to your filter whenever you do a water change to keep the numbers of the good bacteria up in your tank. Smiley
Logged
fantailer
Sr. Member
****

Karma: 121
Posts: 1626
Re: Beneficial bacteria and water changes
« Reply #7 on: November 21, 2010, 05:11:28 PM »
I use something that takes out Chlorine and Amnonia.
Logged
Pages: [1]  
« previous next »
Jump to:  
Page created in 0.513 seconds with 17 queries.