YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[BIGFOOT]

Well I did it. I took the plunge. I bought fish for the first time online. Dan from Gulf Coast Discus said I will be the happy owner of Blue Diamonds at 10:00 am on Tuesday morning. I really cant wait!!!!!!!


Just one question:

I got a 75 gallon that has been on a fish-less cycle now for 2 months. The water test out at 0 ammonia 0 nitrite and 5 nitrate. Do i need to change 100% of the water prier to putting fish in? If so How long before they arrive?

[Doug A]

Brian,

Your nitrates aren't very high after doing a fishless cycle. Have you done w/c's recently? Just to be on the safe side I would do a very large 75-100% w/c a day or 2 before the fish arrive.

[BIGFOOT]

Yes I have been changing water after it cycled to prevent nitrates from climbing to high. I plan on do a 100% water change the morning of about 5 hours from arrival. Would this be good?

[Suzanne]

2 months - I'm in awe of your patience!

[BIGFOOT]

2 months - I'm in awe of your patience!


Hi Suzanne

It took 20 years to learn PATIENCE!!!!!!! LOL

[Doug A]

Do you age your water?

If you have enough aged water to do a 100% wc then you should be fine. If not I would do the large w/c a day or two before arrival to allow the water to stabilize.

JMO

[BIGFOOT]

Yes I do age my water in 55 gallon barrel. I plan age water in a second container of 30 gallons.

[Doug A]

Sounds like you're all set then. :)

Good luck with the new fishies. :D Make sure you post some pics once they get settled in. Everybody loves pics.

[kaceyo]

Have you been feeding the filter with ammonia? If not you need to add some and make sure the filter is still cycled. Add enough ammonia every day to bring it up to at least 5ppm to feed the bacteria. It should drop back to 0ppm within 24hrs. Do a 100% wc the morning they are coming without any ammonia and add fish when you get them.

Kacey

[Jarrod]

Brian...congrats on the plunge!!...and patience is a virtue so I'm told..lol..my self some days I'm not long on it....but thats just me....anyway sounds like your on the right track with it!....best of luck and hope it all goes super well with the new ones!!...always a real joy to get new fish and get them acclimated and watch them settle in and grow and enjoy them! I'm looking to take another plunge myself and get something into my mt 29 I got and set up maybe another 40-55 gal here. Congrats again and hope you take pics and stuff when you get them!!
Jarrod

[Doug A]

Kacey made a good point that I forgot to mention.

[BIGFOOT]

Have you been feeding the filter with ammonia? If not you need to add some and make sure the filter is still cycled. Add enough ammonia every day to bring it up to at least 5ppm to feed the bacteria. It should drop back to 0ppm within 24hrs. Do a 100% wc the morning they are coming without any ammonia and add fish when you get them.

Kacey



I have been adding ammonia for two months every 24 hours and I never miss a day butt I will test it again just to be on the safe side of life. Thanks for the tip.

[lkleung007]

Congratulations Brian and enjoy them...just keep up with the water changes and you will be fine. For new Discus and newly cycled sponges, I do at least 50% WC daily and check ammonia and nitrite daily. I don't think you need to worry about nitrates as long as you keep up with the WC...it won't hurt however to check nitrates every few days just to be sure. You may also want to check your tap water to be sure there is no nitrates in it.

Not only you but I also waited about 25 years before taking a deep breath and getting into Discus...now I have 14 fish tanks and still running out of tank space...LOL!!

Regards, Lester

[BIGFOOT]

Not only you but I also waited about 25 years before taking a deep breath and getting into Discus...now I have 14 fish tanks and still running out of tank space...LOL!!

Regards, Lester


I can only Dream of the day I run out of room for right now. Butt my set of Discus have even arrived and I already got my eye on the next strain of fish I want. lol

[Ardan]

That will be a great day! on Tuesday:)
Ardan

[kaceyo]

Sounds like you're doing it right. The first order is almost like waiting for Christmas morning when we were kids.
Enjoy,

Kacey

[RyanH]

Be sure to get some pics up when you get a chance. :)

[BIGFOOT]

Be sure to get some pics up when you get a chance. :)



You know I will because I will be a proud papa!!!!

[White Worm]

Congrats...you have been givin some great advice here and I am also glad that someone asked how you were doing your water changes and if you aged and conditioned it before going into the tank. Some overlook that important point and if someone is using straight from tap without storage and age, could end up disastrous depending on your water source. You should be fine. Let us know how the fish turn out and of course pics! Mike

[Ricarte]

I picked up some Mosaic Leopards and Blue Diamonds from Dan this past weekend. He has some really nice and healthy fish. I know you will enjoy them.

[kaceyo]

Ricarte,
Dan gets some beautiful Mosaics. Any pics?

Kacey

[BIGFOOT]

Congrats...you have been givin some great advice here and I am also glad that someone asked how you were doing your water changes and if you aged and conditioned it before going into the tank. Some overlook that important point and if someone is using straight from tap without storage and age, could end up disastrous depending on your water source. You should be fine. Let us know how the fish turn out and of course pics! Mike


Thanks Mike and everybody

For the encouraging words. I am happy to report that as Dan said the fish would arrived at 10:00 am and that is exactly the time they got here. Healthy and a little pee off cause they got stuck in a bag(lol):D Butt serously folks he did a good job of packaging and getting them here on time. Which i think is a big plus. They werent in my tank more than 5 min huddled in the back corner then they came to the front of the glass to check out the new care giver(which is me, so happy it was me). The picture that Dan has posted of them does not do them any justice. I think they look much better than the pic and I also told Dan that on the phone tonight. The fish was not here more than a few mintues when Dan called to check on them. I like that its good Pr. As in the way the fish look lets just say I am glad I didnt buy from the lfs. lol.

Ps. I will get pics up as soon as I can. Thanks again Dan.

[Jarrod]

Now THAT'S the kind of sucess stories we ALL like to hear!!...congrats and glad it all worked out well!!:bounce: :bounce2: :drummer:

[BIGFOOT]

Thanks Jarrod