New tank advise needed

[cj5jeep80]

Hi I need some help here.
I own a 45 g jebo tank containing... Red tailed black shark 1, honey gouramis 2, red eyed tetra 6, and a small bg knifefish. I made the mistake of adding a good sized angelfish. I soon realized she wasn't happy in this small tank with fish zippin' around, so i bought a hagen 72x19x24 , large eheim filter, some Marineland led lights two big pieces of slate and the star of the show, a six foot long piece of driftwood i have had in my closet for years... It's gorgeous! Put it all together and started to cycle water with some debris from my other tank. After ten days I could no longer watch this angelfish suffer in the corner of the tank, so I moved her in the 130 gallon hagen along with the red t black shark, knifefish, gouramis,and in addition I bought her a friend, another black angel and they have become best of friends. Swimming back and forth together, rarely leaving each others side. After testing the water with a new kit i just purchased the nitrites and nitrates are high so I performed a 40% wc adding PRIME water conditioner to my water two days ago, and today still testing high I did a 30% wc and vacuumed and it still testing high for nitrites and nitrates. I need to know what should be done and how concerned I should be.The fish all seem to be fine but the test kit says different. I realize now I should not have rushed this process and I don't want to be responsable for the death of these wonderful creatures!
P.S. I would also like to know if you can suggust a schoaling fish that I can and to the tank without being eaten by the BGK fish.

Please help , I'm rather new at this and I could sure use a hand.
Thanking you in advance

 

[HN1]

Welcome to AA!

It honestly sounds to me as if you are off to a good start. Let your test kit be your guide. What type of test kit are you using? For schooling fish, I'd suggest larger bodied tetra (Lemon, bleeding heart, congo, etc.). Get them big though.

P.S. Pics are always welcome! I'd love to see your new set up.

 

[cj5jeep80]

Hey thx. My test kit is a Nutrafin Hagen master test kit. Should I be concerned about these nitrites and nitrates or just let it take its cycle?
Oh , what about black tetra are they schoalers? Also, would it be a bad idea to add a baby iridescent shark to this tank? Good no good?
Thank you.

 

[BigJim]

It would be a bad idea to add an ID shark. You'd be ok for a while, but they grow to about four feet in length and really need a pond.

What are your actual nitrite and nitrate readings? If you have nitrite issues, it sounds like you're finishing up the cyle. Keep up the daily PWCs and hopefully you won't have any issues. Have you tested your tap water for nitrates? I have a hard time believing your fish would cause nitrate problems in that large of a tank every day.

 

[CA_BroncoFan]

Welcome and I'm totally looking forward to pics, but as bigjim said I would just keep up with your water changes and the cycle will come around. Oh and did I mention pics...and keep up with daily water changes

 

[cabezon]

+1 lots of water changes. You did good with the media from the established tank, but were you adding ammonia? They should be OK. I like danios for my schoalers. and Green severums rock with the angels. at least in my tanks.

 

[cj5jeep80]

hey thx 4 your help everyone. Nitrite 3.3, Nitrate 60 to 70. I will certainly get a nice picture of this tank I just don't have the proper wire anymore to hook to my computer. I'll need to have a photo cd created at the pharmacie. Soon to come
I will continue my pwc and try to decided on a schoaling fish. If I were to get a large bunch of black tetra do you think that might work? Thanks again 4 everyones help.

 

[BigJim]

If those readings are in parts per million, I can't believe your fish are still alive. Do a huge PWC immediately. If your tap water is that bad, you might have to get an RO/DI system.

 

[cj5jeep80]

Hi there
Thx BigJim. I changed 20% of the water yesterday , today went to work, came home and did a 30% water change at about 4pm. I just tested the water now 7 30pm nitrites are at 1.6 nitrates at 50 , and as for my tap water the nitrites read zero. I'll keep up my pwc and certainly let you know. The fish seem to be doing great.. I need to get these numbers down though!
Oh I wonder if you might suggest a largish single fish I could keep in this tank maybe something calm as this tank of mine has a calm, slow, and mellow feel. Maybe a discus, is that a good match?
Thanks again for your concern.

 

[cj5jeep80]

Good Morning
I'm just getting ready to do yet another water change. I don't get it.My tap water is at zero, and yet after all of these water changes the nitrites are still really high this morning. Could it have something to do with my driftwood log I have in there??
Also, is it a good idea to mix different types of angelfish in this tank? I have 2 black and would like to add at least another black and a couple of koi to the mix and maybe some other types. Do you think they will get on fine together? I think I'm going to stick to angelfish. Thank you

 

[mfdrookie516]

what does your filter look like? my only thought would be that there is a bunch of "gunk" in the filter causing the nitrates, i went through that before i figured out you gotta clean them once a week, though while you're cycling, that could be a not so good thing to do.

 

[cj5jeep80]

no my filter is a brand new eheim 2217 only been running a month or so and is rather clean looking.

 

[cj5jeep80]

I just don't understand how I can do all of these water changes this morning included 40% WC, and the results of my nitrite test don't change at all and the tap water and prime mixture I am replacing the water with tests 000000.? Might someone explain this to me? Thx

 

[mfdrookie516]

if you do a 50% pwc with water showing no ammonia, nitrite, or nitrate, and your reading isnt cut in half, you're getting false results.

 

[cj5jeep80]

that's exactly whats happening I don't get it. How could I possible get different readings? In fact I have two different test kits here Hagen master and a Mini Master, and both read these levels.Nothing else I can do to bring down nitrite levels?

 

[Jason7894561230]

To the Angel fish question since o-one has answered, yes you can. I find that they tank becomes better looking when you have koi, black veil,marble and so on. They will be fine.

 

[lionheart]

Good Morning
I'm just getting ready to do yet another water change. I don't get it.My tap water is at zero, and yet after all of these water changes the nitrites are still really high this morning. Could it have something to do with my driftwood log I have in there??
Also, is it a good idea to mix different types of angelfish in this tank? I have 2 black and would like to add at least another black and a couple of koi to the mix and maybe some other types. Do you think they will get on fine together? I think I'm going to stick to angelfish. Thank you

you have high nitrites levels because you stocked before cycling
the stock are producing more waste than the current level of good bacteria can handle
you are still cycling
you need to do daily water changes to keep levels down
this is another reason why nitrates are constantly high
as its the by product of nitrites
check your tap water for nitrate levels
but keep up the daily water changes

 

[lionheart]

After ten days I could no longer watch this angelfish suffer in the corner of the tank, so I moved her in the 130 gallon hagen along with the red t black shark, knifefish, gouramis,and in addition I bought her a friend, another black angel

this is the major problem
to cut down on the waste why the cycle completes i suggest you move the red tail black shark knifefish gouramis back to there original tank
and just cycle with the angels
seen as you can not keep them in the same tank as others
this should reduce your levels
but you will still need to do daily water changes
but at least the bioload wont be so great

 

[cj5jeep80]

Okay. Great . Thanks 4 all the help This is a very helpful site for me.Very greatful!
I have moved the gouramis, and black shark, and I will certainly keep these WC's up! The numbers were down a bit tonight. Good sign. Thanking you all Again.

 

[cj5jeep80]

Hey everyone.
I did a 40% WC this morning before golfing and just got home to test my nitrites at 0.8. A little better. Should I do another WC tonight, or should I wait till Monday after work? Thx