Think I found the problem with ammonia

[pgrhodes1]

I have a 47 gal bow front with a SunSun 303B canister filter rated for 100 gal. Am I overstocked (keep in mind they are all small).

2 Angle Fish
12 Neons
1 rainbow shark
4 Dalmatians
5 orange polly of some sort
1 clown loach
1 algae eater the kind that only gets 6 inches
2 white shirt tetras

**** beginner mistake.....

 

[20cc]

how much biomedia you have? you should have at least 2-4 liters

 

[Mebbid]

How old is your tank? How long has it been since your last fish addition? What are all of your parameters including pH, ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate? What test kits are you using? What dechlorinator are you using? How often and how much are you feeding?

I have never actually seen a lack of bio media as the cause of ammonia in a tank so that's really not something I would be worried about. The tank should adjust over time to the ammonia being produced by the fish.

 

[Rivercats]

Have you checked your tap water for ammonia? Also what is your ph right now? If ph falls to 6.5 or below biological activity slows and if ph drops to 6 or below biological activity stops and BB begin to die off. When this happens you will see ammonia levels in the tank begin to rise.

 

[pgrhodes1]

Master test kit. Just checked water after a 50% change this AM:

Ph: 7.8
Ammonia: between 0 and .25
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 10

Checked my tap and it is 0 for Ammonia. Last fish added a week ago Friday.

I'm beginning to wonder if this will EVER be right. Trying very hard but getting frustrated. Have too much money in it to quit now but boy am I tempted.

 

[Rivercats]

If .25ppm is all your showing that isn't too big a deal. You filter should be able to break that down in no time. Have you recently added any new fish causing the bio-load to be higher to where more BB would have to be made?

 

[pgrhodes1]

God help me. Just told my husband that fish keeping may not be for me....he got a really sick look so asked what was wrong. He informed me he was at the fish store yesterday and bought me 2 beautiful fish for Xmas and they needed to be picked up before Thanksgiving weekend. Wait for it.......they are DISCUS and he paid $50 bucks a pop. Told him to tell them I don't want them but he said no refunds. If fish die which they probably will they will replace if within seven days. That would just give me more fish!! Doing my research and these fish are hard keepers at best. AND I have high PH...

 

[FrankoQ]

God help me. Just told my husband that fish keeping may not be for me....he got a really sick look so asked what was wrong. He informed me he was at the fish store yesterday and bought me 2 beautiful fish for Xmas and they needed to be picked up before Thanksgiving weekend. Wait for it.......they are DISCUS and he paid $50 bucks a pop. Told him to tell them I don't want them but he said no refunds. If fish die which they probably will they will replace if within seven days. That would just give me more fish!! Doing my research and these fish are hard keepers at best. AND I have high PH...

Why not go negotiate with the LFS and maybe you save 2 beautiful fish.
maybe you don't get a full refund but a partial.

 

[Rivercats]

Oh boy, not good. Discus also need high temps of 82-84 and IMO won't mesh with your stock. I honestly would go to the shop and explain nicely that hubby was trying to be nice and surprise you but has no clue about fish and also didn't know Discus wouldn't work in your set up as ask for a store credit instead of a refund. They may go for it considering the circumstances.

 

[pgrhodes1]

Just tried calling them and they are closed until Tuesday.

 

[Rivercats]

You'll have to wait but by asking for store credit they still get to keep your money so they are more adapt to do it over a refund.

 

[BKLNsushi]

Don't give up! I'm new as well to the aquarium world. As with everything, mistakes will be made. No one becomes an expert over night.

 

[20cc]

ill take the neons off your hands...

 

[pgrhodes1]

Hi All, Hubby (for a while) and I had long talk about said purchase. He is very upset. Said he spoke with store owner for over 2 hours to make sure these fish would work in my tank. I explained they will say ANYTHING to sell 2 $50 fish. To make a VERY long story short he said he is getting the fish period and will take care of them himself if I don't. So any help you can give me on these fish would be greatly appreciated....I'm hoping to at least give them a fighting chance....another installment of "as the fish turns" will soon follow.

 

[FrankoQ]

is he getting a separate tank for the discus?