How much bio-load?

[Becks]

What bio-load will my tank support? I want to add another fish but I know I can't go on like this forever!.... How does one know/guess when to stop?

I have a new Aquapod 24 with 4 fish resident. (details on info page) I want to add someone with an appetite for fuzzy green algae.

TIA, Becks
PS. The cardinal is eating again and I think will survive and prosper indefinitely.

 

[roka64]

It looks like you are pretty close to maxed.
Fuzzy green algae, is it hair algae?
What/how much/how often do you feed?
How long do you run your lights?
The reason I am asking, is if you have hair algae, adding fish to eat it won't really work. It tends to grow faster then they can eat it.

 

[melosu58]

I kind of agree that you are about full. Another fish to eat the hair algea would be a bandaid solution. Try to get rid of the hair algea by limiting its fuel.

 

[lando]

I would say that is about it for what you have listed. Adding more LR to your tank would help stretch the bioload capacity a bit but with four fish already I would say you are at your limit.

 

[Becks]

I'm feeding mysid shrimp - I have just reduced feeding to every other day. On feeding days I give 3 or 4 tweezer pinches. Just enough to make sure everybody gets one or 2 bites. I do this in the morning and again at night on feeding days. Is that too much?

Am also planning to replace all the man-made filter media with LR rubble and upgrade the pump. These two things should happen today or tomorrow.

Is there a rule of thumb for knowing how many fish you can put in a system?

 

[roka64]

Is there a rule of thumb for knowing how many fish you can put in a system?

This really depends on what you are stocking, messy eaters would mean fewer fish. Better filtration will also help, as Lando stated.

 

[melosu58]

There is an inch rule but I dont subscribe to it because all fish are different and some eat different than others. It basically depends on the fish.