Add another filter? over stocked?

[rreekers]

so i have a 60g hexagon tank:

-2 pearl gouramis
-3swordtail 1m2f
-5 silver tip tetras
-1 BN pleco (about 1.5 inch maybe 2in)
-1 nerite snail
- 6 khuli loaches
- 4 guppies 1m 3f
- 2F gold dust mollies


do you think that my tank is over stocked? i was told that it was, but i am not really sure.. what is your opinion?

do you think i need to add filtration? i currently have a Fluval 305 canister filter on the tank, air stone, and 23inch flexible bubble wall

would a circulation pump help?

 

[Viperchaos]

Not at all, the stocking is fine.

Although something has come to me.. is your tank taller than it is wide?

 

[Koikid88]

You'll know if you're over stocked if you can't keep ammonia down. What are your water parameters?

I hope the pearl gouramis are a male/female pair, because with my experience, pearls are the most aggressive gourami. With 2 males, 1 or both will constantly be stressed.
My pearl also didn't like the guppies when I had to remove him from the main tank. Went after the fancy tail ones.

 

[rreekers]

Not at all, the stocking is fine.

Although something has come to me.. is your tank taller than it is wide?

yes it is taller than it is wide... from the bottom of the substrate to the top is 29 inches... and at the widest point corner to corner is 29 inches

 

[rreekers]

my tank

 

[rreekers]

You'll know if you're over stocked if you can't keep ammonia down. What are your water parameters?

I hope the pearl gouramis are a male/female pair, because with my experience, pearls are the most aggressive gourami. With 2 males, 1 or both will constantly be stressed.
My pearl also didn't like the guppies when I had to remove him from the main tank. Went after the fancy tail ones.

i had a trio 1m2f.. but while revamping my tank, i had some of my fish in a 5g bucket because they were really in my way... well the 2 gouramis that i put in there were jumpers 1 jumped i found it dead, went to find something to cover the bucket with... came back and the 2nd one was on the floor dead (i cried for at least an hour)

i went to the LFS in search of another male and female, but there was only females in the tank ( i looked for 25 mins along with having 3 employees help) so right now i have 2 females.

i have not had any problems with my guppies that i have seen, but i will keep an eye out (thanks for the heads up)

i will run a water test and share the results in a few mins:

 

[rreekers]

i ran my parameters, i tested 2 separate containers of water, used a different test kit for each container of water
test #1... PH:8 Amm: .25 Ites: 0 Ates: 10
Test #2 ..PH:8.2 Amm: .25 Ites:0 Ates 10-20


i changed out around 60% of the water yesterday... so im assuming that i need to get another filter?

 

[GodFan]

Only worry is the amm. Should be 0. But if you can control the ammonia then the reason they say you are overstocked is because of oxygen worries in a tall tank. Just make sure there is enough surface agitation and get an air stone and it should be fine.

 

[Mumma.of.two]

Have you changed anything in the tank recently? New filter pads?
Get a bottle of demineralized water and test the ammonia. If the results the same (.25ppm) then you know it's the test kit. If it's a clear 0 then you know it's .25ppm in the tank.

 

[KaylNeko]

Sorry--little off topic but...

I hope the pearl gouramis are a male/female pair, because with my experience, pearls are the most aggressive gourami.

Really? Everything I've read says they're the most peaceful and chill. Is that just if you have a MF pair?

 

[NYgiantsRP]

Your stock is good and as long as you keep up on water changes, and gravel vac, the one filter will be fine. I had a pearl and it was very passive. Actually was a little too passive. Got picked on alot by my moonlight and angel.

 

[Saltair]

I agree with checking you tank ammonia against your source water. when I cycled my first tank I couldn't figure our why my ammonia was always at .25 even when I got to 0 Nitrite. I compared the water in the tank to my tap and they looked the same. In the end I determined that my tests where actually at zero it is just hard to judge the color difference sometimes.

 

[rreekers]

I agree with checking you tank ammonia against your source water. when I cycled my first tank I couldn't figure our why my ammonia was always at .25 even when I got to 0 Nitrite. I compared the water in the tank to my tap and they looked the same. In the end I determined that my tests where actually at zero it is just hard to judge the color difference sometimes.

sometimes my tap water has ammonia and other times it doesn't

 

[Scouser]

sometimes my tap water has ammonia and other times it doesn't

Yeah it's the same for me, what I do is do smaller % changes but do a few a week.

So where I may do a 70% change I will do 2 35% changes, this way the tank isn't dosed with too much ammonia at one time and my BB can convert it to be removed as trAtes by the next change

 

[rreekers]

i try to do water changes every 4 or 5 days about 35-45%

 

[rreekers]

Have you changed anything in the tank recently? New filter pads?
Get a bottle of demineralized water and test the ammonia. If the results the same (.25ppm) then you know it's the test kit. If it's a clear 0 then you know it's .25ppm in the tank.

i rearranged the tank yesterday... added more driftwood and a ton of new plants...

i have not messed with my filter in about 2 weeks

 

[Mumma.of.two]

i rearranged the tank yesterday... added more driftwood and a ton of new plants...

i have not messed with my filter in about 2 weeks

You could have kicked up a lot of crap in the rescape causing the ammonia. Keep an eye on it and check your test kit against some water you know has no ammonia.

 

[rreekers]

OK I will keep an eye on it and go from there