I do 50% WC's weekly on all my tanks, including my 220g heavily planted and have done this for over 30 years with excellent results. Larger WC's remove more ammonia if present and also keeps excess nutrients, dissolved organic and inorganic levels lower. Fish don't get stressed from a weekly large WC if it's done properly with temps matched properly. My plants and fish seem invigorated after these changes and often times spawning occurs the next day with several species.
I need help - my tank is full of gunk
- Thread starter callisto9
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Just curious, what are the size of your other tanks?
Her fish are dying, and ammonia is above 0, algae is rampant... and she's been doing 45% or so water changes frequently, so I think trying a different method to get things stabilized is worth a shot.
Doing larger WC with the EI method is one way to do things, but imho with smaller tanks, larger water changes can stress out the fish because you are changing parameters pretty drastically. Even if the water temp is the same, city water can have different nutrients and metals, and also includes co2 which does alter pH of the tank.
There are definitely many ways to do a tank, I've done everything from Walstad method to now dipping my foot into ADA waters. There are no right or wrong, just pros vs. cons. How much maintenace, time and money can you contribute as well as what types of plants and fish you want to keep all factor in to which method will work.
So, not saying that your method is wrong, but again I think maybe since this tank hasn't yet started fert dosing and is not stabilized yet, it is worth doing the things I suggested first to see if the ammonia spikes and fish deaths can be stopped.
I have tanks ranging from 2-6gs, 12g, 20g, 2-55g, 1-220g all planted right now. I dose PPS-Pro and run tanks from high light, high tech to low light, low tech, My small tanks get the same WC as the bigger ones. I also use city water and top off with RO.
If the fish were all dying at once that would be one thing but this has been going on for awhile. The loaches were having issues flashing/darting from the time she got them which in loaches often indicates gill ick.
We'll just agree to disagree on this issue and over my 30+ years I've done about every kind of tank method around. Over the past few years I've gone mostly to dirted tanks as those are the types I've found I like working with the best.
If the fish were all dying at once that would be one thing but this has been going on for awhile. The loaches were having issues flashing/darting from the time she got them which in loaches often indicates gill ick.
We'll just agree to disagree on this issue and over my 30+ years I've done about every kind of tank method around. Over the past few years I've gone mostly to dirted tanks as those are the types I've found I like working with the best.
Sounds good, I'm glad you found what works for you Rivercats I really enjoyed my dirt w/ gravel Walstad tanks (for their ease while I was in grad school and raising two girls, mostly!) and also enjoying my little nano ADA tank for it's tank aesthetics, and lush groundcovers... although it's been very costly time and money wise!
Erin... sorry if I've confused you with this alternative dosing method. You'll definitely want to follow setup and maintenance of whatever dosing plan you are following. I believe the link I gave you earlier for the low maintenance method of fert dosing also includes links to higher maintenance and higher tech methods if you'd like to compare them. And also includes a link to Tom Barr's journal. He's mastered planted tanks using different methods and is a great resource!
ps- if you use the airline tubing for siphoning debris, I forgot to mention that larger debris can sometimes cause a plug in the line. Don't remove the line, or stop the siphon, just pinch the plug and it should continue on out.
I really enjoyed my dirt w/ gravel Walstad tanks (for their ease while I was in grad school and raising two girls, mostly!) and also enjoying my little nano ADA tank for it's tank aesthetics, and lush groundcovers... although it's been very costly time and money wise!Erin... sorry if I've confused you with this alternative dosing method. You'll definitely want to follow setup and maintenance of whatever dosing plan you are following.
I believe the link I gave you earlier for the low maintenance method of fert dosing also includes links to higher maintenance and higher tech methods if you'd like to compare them. And also includes a link to Tom Barr's journal. He's mastered planted tanks using different methods and is a great resource!ps- if you use the airline tubing for siphoning debris, I forgot to mention that larger debris can sometimes cause a plug in the line. Don't remove the line, or stop the siphon, just pinch the plug and it should continue on out.
I actually run the dirted 220g high tech and I capped with Eco-complete instead of sand or gravel. I run very high light with Metal Halides and T5HO's, dose PPS-Pro, but only use liquid carbon which has shown you can have high lights and no CO2. The tank is 100% planted and has mostly non-green plants. This is my time consuming tank and we don't want to talk about money... lol!
I can imagine! My 7g high tech nano has cost me more, money and time wise, than my 75g Walstad tank ever did.
But I do love my little nano, now that I've worked out the kinks with the co2.
OP
OP
callisto9
Aquarium Advice FINatic
Thanks for all the input Rivercats and Sherry. I think watching your dialogue back and forth highlights exactly why I get so frustrated with this hobby. LOL I wanted it to be simple. I want a clean tank, some fish and some plants. The idea of doing multiple water changes and dosing a mixture of three different ferts is NOT the way I wanted to go.
I haven't started with the PPS dosing yet because I wanted to get my tank stabilized first, and I don't feel like it is.
I think it's important to note there that there are SEVERAL ways to keep a tank and SEVERAL (successful) ways to clean it. I'm searching for the easiest and cheapest. What's funny is that the little 4 and 6 gallon tanks I had were more enjoyable because they were simple and a lot less work. I have, in the back of my mind, decided that I might just let this 20G run its course and eventually go back to a smaller tank instead.
I haven't started with the PPS dosing yet because I wanted to get my tank stabilized first, and I don't feel like it is.
I think it's important to note there that there are SEVERAL ways to keep a tank and SEVERAL (successful) ways to clean it. I'm searching for the easiest and cheapest.
What's funny is that the little 4 and 6 gallon tanks I had were more enjoyable because they were simple and a lot less work. I have, in the back of my mind, decided that I might just let this 20G run its course and eventually go back to a smaller tank instead.It's kinda like baking a cake... there are many different recipes, but all use basically the same ingredients.
Walstad method is your basic sheet cakes with some icing
low maintenance ferts methods are simple layered cakes with filling
high maintenance ferts methods are your wedding cakes
high tech & custom builds are those cakes on that Food Network "Ace of Cakes" show
Anyhow, don't give up. Things will look better after the debris is cleared... and then it'll be exciting again!
Also, I don't know if I mentioned it, but there's this book... 
Walstad method is your basic sheet cakes with some icing
low maintenance ferts methods are simple layered cakes with filling
high maintenance ferts methods are your wedding cakes
high tech & custom builds are those cakes on that Food Network "Ace of Cakes" show
Anyhow, don't give up. Things will look better after the debris is cleared... and then it'll be exciting again!
Also, I don't know if I mentioned it, but there's this book...
