Somewhat new 75 gal. lots of questions. pics

[Ryanman]

Hey all, I recently set up this 75 gallon tank. I am new enthusiast and really am enjoying the hobby so far. I am looking for a forum community to bounce ideas off of, ask questions, and generally soak up some experience from others.
Here is my setup:
- 75 gal. 3 foot tank
- Fluval 306 filter (I have a second canister filter [cascade 700] not set up yet because I’m not sure if it is needed)
- The Lights are actually for aquatic turtles so they are higher uv output lights (both the lamp and the tube lights are higher uv)
- 2 long air stones, one bubbling clam hooked up to top fin air 8000
- Freshwater master test kit.
Livestock
- One powder blue dwarf gourami (deceased from dropsy)
- Four gold dust lyre tails (one deceased unknown causes)
- One red platy
- One male blue gourami
- One Dalmatian molly (looking feeble the balloon molly has been following him around nipping at him and he just kind of floats with it)
- One balloon belly molly
- Two Plecos (one albino)
- Three snails (one new baby not sure where he came from)
The snails were acting funny for a while, almost dead, but they keep growing huge and pepping up.
- One orange platy (fin rot clearing up nice in a hospital tank from pet store)
- Many plants (including a java plant not sure what the others are called maybe you can help)
I have had normal levels in all of my tests except the last one, my nitrate spiked to near deadly levels (between 40 and 80 ppm). I did a rapid water change and treated with some sea-chem prime. Should I be worried? I test every Sunday. The mistake I think I made is thinking I could wait a long period of time before vacuuming the gravel. How often should I vacuum the gravel (I lose a lot of water when doing this and it is very frustrating)

As far as feeding goes I feed them tropical flake food daily and bloodworms/algae every Wednesday.

Should I consider putting salt into my tank in small amounts to help with fish stress? Will the salt effects my live plants? Will it help one species of fish while harming another?

How often should I vacuum?

Are there any disease preventatives I should be adding to the water occasionally for disease prevention?

I want to slowly add a few more fish. I am looking for fish now that are compatible with all of my livestock and will be hearty (I have brought home a few diseased fish from pet smart) I would like maybe one larger colorful "showstopper" fish and maybe a few small schooling fish. Is my tank setup right now large enough to accommodate another 15 inches or so of fish?

Where can I find a zebra pleco that isn't 500$ lol?
I have so many more questions but this is enough info for people to take in as it is. I will check the nitrate levels in 45 min and post the new current level.

 

[Ryanman]

More Pics

More pics....

 

[dalto]

- Fluval 306 filter (I have a second canister filter [cascade 700] not set up yet because I’m not sure if it is needed)

More filtration rarely hurts. I personally would want more than a 306 on a 75 but it really depends on your stocking and how much flow you want.

I have had normal levels in all of my tests except the last one, my nitrate spiked to near deadly levels (between 40 and 80 ppm). I did a rapid water change and treated with some sea-chem prime. Should I be worried? I test every Sunday. The mistake I think I made is thinking I could wait a long period of time before vacuuming the gravel. How often should I vacuum the gravel (I lose a lot of water when doing this and it is very frustrating)

Vacuuming the gravel probably is part of your issue but the bigger issue is probably that your water changes are either too small or too infrequent. How much are you doing and how often?

Should I consider putting salt into my tank in small amounts to help with fish stress? Will the salt effects my live plants? Will it help one species of fish while harming another?

There is no reason to use salt as a preventative or to reduce stress. It is an age old fishkeeping myth.

Are there any disease preventatives I should be adding to the water occasionally for disease prevention?

Nope

I want to slowly add a few more fish. I am looking for fish now that are compatible with all of my livestock and will be hearty (I have brought home a few diseased fish from pet smart) I would like maybe one larger colorful "showstopper" fish and maybe a few small schooling fish. Is my tank setup right now large enough to accommodate another 15 inches or so of fish?

Getting quality stock is all about finding a good source. The big box stores often don't have the best quality stock. For stocking levels, the 1" per gallon rule is a rough guideline at best. Try using aqadvisor.com it will take into account your filtration levels as well as your tank size.

Where can I find a zebra pleco that isn't 500$ lol?

These can easily be had for the low, low price of $200-250 each.

 

[Ryanman]

Thanks for the response,
I typically fill up a 5 gallon water jug once a week. I usually don't have a problem with water conditioning. Could this be what killed my gourami and platy? The spike in nitrate levels? I just tested it and its lower but still an alarming 20 - 25 ppm.

Will adding the second filter help this? it shouldn't effect the nitrate levels correct because nitrates are derived from nitrite after being processed through the carbon in the filter.

Also i have been reading gravel is a poor substrate for planted tanks, however my plants seem to be thriving. Is it easier to maintain ferts., or redo with a different substrate. i.e. fluorite and sand.

WHen adding the new water from the jug to the tank i try to match the temperature within 2 to 3 degrees. is this okay considering its only about 7% of the tanks total volume?

Thanks again.

 

[dalto]

Changing only 5 gallons per week in a 75g tank is not enough. I would change at least 20% of the water per week. and see where that gets you for nitrates. As you add more fish you may need to change more than that per week. I typically try to target having less than 20ppm of nitrates before my water change(and less after).

As you suspect, adding the second filter will not lower your nitrates.

 

[Lotocus]

I think two things you can never have too much of is filter capacity and water changes.

What did you mean when you said water conditioning was not a concern?


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[Mama Karoti]

Changing only 5 gallons per week in a 75g tank is not enough. I would change at least 20% of the water per week. and see where that gets you for nitrates. As you add more fish you may need to change more than that per week. I typically try to target having less than 20ppm of nitrates before my water change(and less after).

As you suspect, adding the second filter will not lower your nitrates.

Agreed. I change 20 gallons (33%) per week on my 60 gallon heavily, fully stocked tank.


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[Ryanman]

Changed 15% 2 days ago and 33% today retested and nitrate under 20 ppm.
Should i be concerned I am putting so much seachem prime in the tank? I use the correct amount per water change but with water changes every other day.... it can add up.

Also can anyone who has had a spotted African leaf fish tell me around what size fish they will eat? I want one but im concerned it may go for my lyretails.

Thanks again

 

[Chesmok]

You need to change out a lot more water each time for such a big tank. Get a few more platies and mollies as they like company.

Salt in moderation is good and helps fish in my experience. Melafix is a gentle natural disease preventative chemical, available at most pet stores. It can help, especially use it when adding new fish that might be sick. Or put new fish in a quarantine tank.

Your substrate is really big rocks so I wouldn't do a deep vacuum because that just stirs up rotting stuff. Just suck up really big noticeable pieces of leftover food or rotting plants etc. but don't do a really extensive vacuum because that does more harm than good. Just let the debris naturally sink to the bottom and leave it alone it will be plant fertilizer.

 

[dalto]

Do you really keep your aquarium half full like it is in the pictures? This would, of course, cause higher nitrates then if it was full. Half the water means twice the nitrates.

 

[treemanone2003]

Do you really keep your aquarium half full like it is in the pictures? This would, of course, cause higher nitrates then if it was full. Half the water means twice the nitrates.

Nice catch on the tank level !!! Op, with what's in there as far as plants/substrate/decos etc, your photo shows a half full tank. I would give a rough guess that you're really only looking at about 30 +/- gallons. You gotta fill that all the way up !!! Especially with a 306 in there. And at this time you don't need to think about adding another filter.

The best prevention meds you could have is a QT tank. Buying fish from anywhere and just introducing them to your tank will put you in a high risk bracket for bringing the bad stuff in.

Water conditioner. Never heard of too much harming fish. IMO, I think that's quite impossible. My best example I could offer about this is that you always treat the tank volume, not the amount of WC you're doing. Make sense ?

WC's. Yes the bucket brigade is hell !! We've all been there before. Invest in a Python or Aqueon WC system. Life will become a dream.


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[Ryanman]

I have done a lot of work,
No i don't keep the water level that low, i was changing because of the high nitrate levels.
I have been doing 50% water changes now weekly, the nitrates still climb pretty quickly.
I'm looking into a nitrate filter but they all seem very expensive, so I may try a aquaponic setup as well.
The filter keeps up great, always 0 ppm ammonia and 0 ppm nitrites.
Fish are healthy except my other gourami died of dropsy.
I did get a few more platys already 3 females to one male now.
I switched my substrate from those rocks to sand. See attached pic.
One of my platys is sick now in my QT, but i'm not quite sure what she has, her fins are clamped and she lays around a lot. I think it my be bacterial so i have treated with a little Epsom salt.
Anyone know about that leaf fish? does its mouth get big enough to eat a fully grown platy?

 

[dalto]

How much are your nitrates increasing between water changes?

 

[Ryanman]

How much are your nitrates increasing between water changes?

Water changes weekly and they go from about 15 ppm to between 50 and 60 (and the first couple times 65-70) ppm (when i test right before PWC).
Tank is not overstocked by any means, which is why I am kind of confused some of the fish are dying and some keep getting sick. My water parameters have been perfect with the exception of the occasional high nitrate levels.
Has anyone tried the nitrate filters? are they worth the money?

 

[treemanone2003]

Water changes weekly and they go from about 15 ppm to between 50 and 60 (and the first couple times 65-70) ppm (when i test right before PWC).
Tank is not overstocked by any means, which is why I am kind of confused some of the fish are dying and some keep getting sick. My water parameters have been perfect with the exception of the occasional high nitrate levels.
Has anyone tried the nitrate filters? are they worth the money?

Just a thought. Have you tested your tap water right out of the faucet and are you on a well or city water ? Another test would be to pour a glass and let it sit for 12-24 and test that. When you do WC's, are you treating for the water you're changing or tank volume ? It's recommended to treat the tank volume.


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[Ryanman]

Ok this is getting frustrating. My new addition Opaline Gourami i believe to have dropsy now... Water levels are perfect nitrates below 30ppm. Im starting to think there a doomed species. I am on city water, I have not tested it right out of the tap, however i have tested right after a 50% change and there is a significant drop in nitrate so Im thinking its not the tap water (I will test when i get back from work at 2 just to be sure). Also I do treat the whole tank volume every PWC, I use Seachem Prime cap and a half. I am starting to think there is some sort of disease, parasite or bacteria, that is just lingering in my tank. My platys are ok two of them are sick (well as is said acting funny clamped fins ect.) I really don't want to treat the whole tank with any sort of medicine (especially because i have active charcoal layer in my filter ( I know I don't need this charcoal).

 

[dalto]

Having 30ppm+ nitrate growth every week with the limited stocking you appear to have is NOT normal. I really think we need to find the source of the nitrates.

Is possible it is coming from the substrate? Maybe take a small amount of substrate and put it in a glass with some tap water and make sure nitrates are not rising.

 

[treemanone2003]

This has got me quite baffled too as nothing is making any sense. I was going to go for the substrate next as well. Are all the photos of the same tank ? It looks as though there's two different substrates ?


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[Ryanman]

This has got me quite baffled too as nothing is making any sense. I was going to go for the substrate next as well. Are all the photos of the same tank ? It looks as though there's two different substrates ?


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Yes its the same tank I switched from gravel to the sand. There are 2 different sands. Black sand I boight from the lfs. And pool filter sand on the other side (washed very well, ect.
I have noticed now some of the fish do have white poop but I feed them red flakes. So maybe a parasite?

 

[trennamw]

Is it possible you have a lot of crud under the gravel? If stuff is decaying in there, that could spike the nitrates.

I wouldn't do preventative antibiotics, even the natural Melafix. As we are learning with humans, too much antibiotic use encourages resistant bacteria, and kills gut bacteria that make up good immunity.

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