Shopping List

[fishouttawater]

As I have said on other posts, it is a long ways to the nearest LFS, soooo, since I am going to have a chance this weekend, I was wondering if someone might take a moment to help me make up a list. I am totally inexperienced at this, so until a situation arises, I don't know what can/will/might happen. I picked up nearly one of everything at the WalMart that was close (40 miles). So I currently have on hand: (don't laugh, I just thought maybe I could be somewhat prepared, I was wrong)

Ammonia Quick Dip Strips
5 test in One Quick Dip Strips
TetraAqua, AquaSafe
TetraAqua, Easy Balance
Jungle:
pH Increaser
pH Decreaser
ACE (Ammonia Chloramine Eliminator)
Ick Clear
Fungus Clear
Quick Cure
Tropical Fish Flakes
Goldfish Crmbles
Goldfish Pellets
Bloodworms
Algae Discs

Have I opened all of this? Nope. Do I know what all of it even is? Nope. Just knew I wasn't going to drive back at $2.15 per gallon of gas. This weekend I am going to go 300 miles to the nearest LFS. I would like to be prepared for anything else that could possibly go wrong.
I have in my tank now, 2 very healthy rainbow sharks and 1 pleco. 5 not doing so well tiger barbs, 2 platys, and 1 mollie. The tank is 29 gallons. No other fish will be added until all is under control. This tank needs to be properly cycled, and in the meantime, my goal is to save the fish in there. i do not however have to drive so far to get fish. People in town trade and there is a mediocre fish prison 40 miles away. So my goal now, is to get what i need now, and for later planning.

Thanks again, all of you have been wonderful.

[turtlehead]

pH Increaser
pH Decreaser

NO

[garfieldnfish]

First a couple of questions. I don't see any goldfish listed among the fish you have. Why the goldfish food? For tropical fish that is too low in protein. I would feed it maybe once a week until its used up but not as a stable diet. Also the common pleco and the sharks will eventually get too large for a 29 gal. So you may pick up a larger tank on your trip or maybe return them to the store. They should be ok in the tank for a while though if they are still small. Is your tank still cycling? It sounds like it. If so you are way overstocked for the cycling phase. What you may do is call the store and ask them to order you some bio spira, which will instantly cycle your tank and could safe your fish.
What I might get is
Maracyn
Maracyn II (both antibiotics)
algae scraper
net
medium sized vacuum
turkey baster
bucket to be used only for fishtank (that way no soap residue gets into it)
Melafix (for torn fins and and wounds)


Toss out the ph de- and increasers. A fish can adjust to a ph value (if done slowly) that is stable even if it may be less then ideal for that particular fish. A fluctuating one, however, could the lethal. Sort of like the bends in divers. I would leave the naturally occuring ph value of your water and not mess with it. This should only be done IMO if you attempt to breed a fish and it requires a certain ph value in order for the fish to spawn, other then that I would leave it alone.

[fishouttawater]

Well, the ph increaser and decreaser are among the things that haven't been opened., like i said, i picked up one of everything off the shelf except algae destroyer, cause algae doesn't faze me. there is no store to order from, thus the trip. these are the things i need to know. the tank and inhabitants were bought before it occured to us that the formula isn't fish+water+food=done. we are learning, and that is why we are trying to find out what we really need since it is such a trip. we realize NOW about cycling. we realize NOW about the tank size. we will rectify the tank size thing later this summer, they will be fine until then. the reason for the goldfish flakes is two things, one: they are really the only thing available locally, thus better than nothing, and two: we had goldfish for years, until our last one passed away last month. goldfish....seem to be easy for us, these guys, are not.

[garfieldnfish]

As far as food goes my fish have more choices that I do if I open up my fridge. There are so many things. In addition to flakes, pellets, wafers I also feed freeze dried earthworms, tubifex worms, krill, brine shrimp, live grindal worms, frozen mysis shrimp, Formula II frozen algae (all my fish love that) and about a dozen more cans and packages. I also feed mine fresh veggies like zucchini and cucumbers and your tigers (and most likely the other fish as well) would love you for it if you bought a veggy clip, microwave a slice of zucchini for 10 sec and using the clip or a plant weight feed it to them. I also microwave and shell frozen peas once a week. This is like a laxative for fish and prevents bloat, a common problem with fish that are being fed ****flakes and pellets.
BTW you sound like I when I started with fish keeping, except I bought a 1.5 gal and put 2 goldfish in it. It took about 10 minutes of reading in the book we bought along with the fish (Aquariums for Dummies, how fitting) to realize we needed a bigger tank quick. Now 1 1/2 years and 10 fish tanks later I have learned most but still not all there is to know.
Where do you live to be 40 miles for the nearest Walmart? I seem to have one of those at every corner. Also the bio spira can be ordered on line. Use it as keyword to search in Yahoo and it will give you a site to order from. And most likely you will find out some info on it. It's basically a bag of biobugs to add to your tank and will immediately convert the ammonia, and nitrite, thus instantly cycling your tank, a little expensive but easier on the fish.

[fishouttawater]

we do have a walmart, but it isn't a supercenter, so we don't have fish supplies. we have to go to goodland to get a slightly larger selection. as for cost, right now i don't care whatsoever about cost, i did look at things online, but since i have no idea what i am looking for, and would like to get a couple plants, and need to get out of town anyway, i am making a list, and calling the gas cost, "shipping and handling"

[Lexus]

pH Increaser
pH Decreaser
ACE (Ammonia Chloramine Eliminator)

I would return all this because it is crap. Walmart will return it with or without the receipt and you can get the credit or money towards Melafix which they carry. Thats what I would pick up... Plus some aquarium salt, also at the Mart.

I can't think of anything to pick up from the LFS though.

[fishouttawater]

okay, good deal, i do have my receipts, cause i never throw anything away out of my purse. i missed the melafix somehow, will have to look again. everything else, i think i might be able to take care of there, i do remember shrimp pellets etc. i can order stuff online. you guys are taking away my excuses to go. but this is a good thing. thanks

[turtlehead]

I would pay www.bigalsonline.com a visit and buy all the things you need, the best deals.

[Damon]

The tetra easy balance is worthles also. Doesn't work at all. No way to prevent waterchanges.

[TheOldSalt]

Sounds to me like you seriously need the help of a good mailorder pet supply, preferably one with a really good catalog full of helpful information. Foster/Smith is one of the best:
1 800 443 1160.
Give 'em a call and say you want the aquarium catalog. ( it's free ) You'll be oh-so glad you did. You'll find oodles of stuff you never knew existed.

Along with Melafix, get some Pimafix. At walmart you can get some of the fizzing "buddies" tablets in the blue box. Some of these work surprisingly well.

[fishouttawater]

Thank you for that idea, I think a catalog to look at with a description of the products available will be a WONDERFUL idea. ****I called them on my lunch hour and they were super nice and offered catalogs for any other pet we might have too. ****I had never heard of such a place. ****I am glad to say, we have no other pets, we got the fish cause they were supposed to be easy. ****LMAO. ****

I really do live in a small world, maybe I should take a peek outside some time.

On another note to show how stupid I am: I believe one of my tiger barbs packed his bags and left. I have searched for 2 days for him, finally on my lunch hour I removed the ornaments and looked, I got on the floor with a flashlight and looked under everything in the living room......sigh, can't say I blame him though, with me as a keeper, I would run away from home too.

[fishfreaks]

i think you should forget about the quick dip tests and go with the aquarium pharmacuticals freshwater master test kit and forget all about the ph decreaser and ph increaser

[Julie]

I agree with the AP master test kits, they sell for (here) about $20. includes 2 step ammonia, which is needed when you use Prime, Novaqua and Amquel (two different products should be used together)water conditioners(which bind ammonia and nitrites and you only use(Prime) 1ml per gallon! 1 capful for every 50g! much less than other conditioners, They run about the same as most other water conditioners.) On top of those two, if you use any other chemical to bind or destroy ammonia, nitrites, you will need the Nessler based ammonia test(2 step ones). (nitrite, ammonia and PH are for sure included,I believe nitrate is included but they use to come with GH, but my last one had the nitrate test instead, so I do not know which one yours will have. If it doesn't have nitrate pick it up.

IME, the strips are unreliable even without using the chemicals.

So, I would forget about the PH decreaser/increaser (you just want a nice steady PH anyways)
Get:
AP master test kit
Prime (I love it, I just can't help it)
I like RidIch, most fish are great with it, but I am sure any of them are ok.
If you get these meds, try not to use them until you KNOW what disease it is. So often people medicate fish with the wrong meds, results in a fish(just like us) becoming some what immune to the meds.
I like M1 and M2 also(maracyn)
siphon for sure, if you don't have one now.

[fishouttawater]

Yeah got the siphon thing going, pretty damned good at it too now. Thanks for all the advice, I do have to agree on the dip tests too, I kind of wish they were like the EPT tests, just say YES or NO. I can't determine the colors and the chart to save myself. Stupid thing is all but worthless to me. Thank you everyone for your thoughts.