PWC's Causing Fish/Shrimp Stress!?

[scottsheldrick]

Hi All,

Before I start, please see my tank info below:

Dimensions (cm) 60L x 27D x 27H
44L

Filter - Fluval U1 (Will be upgrading to the U2 shortly)
1 x Air pump/air stone

Lighting:

14W LED 2730 lumens
Light Frequency: White LED - 10000K , Blue LED 460nm

(I have the 60-80cm model of the light in the link below for more info)

30 -120 CM Aquarium LED Lighting 1ft/2ft/3ft/4ft Marine Aqua Fish Tank Light | eBay

(I have placed a folded A4 sheet of paper over 3/4 of the light to dim the lighting slightly for my fish but I have not covered where the plants are placed in the aquarium. The light is on a timer for 7 hours p/day)

ph - 7.4
kh - 5
gh - 6
Ammonia - 0.25
Nirtrite - 0
Nitrate - 0
(Yes, well aware i'm going through another cycle as I replaced a filter about 3 weeks ago in a tank that was barely established without the proper knowledge about nitrogen cycles.. I also have to replace the current filter according to 'aqadvisor' but will do so with both filters running until the cycle is completed again).

Livestock:
1 x ancistrus pleco (juvenile)
3 x kuhli loaches
~9 x Red cherry Shrimp
9 x neon tetras
1 x trumpet snail (juvenile)

Plants:
3 x pongo (pictured)
1 x baby tears (pictured)
2 x other smaller plants that I have no idea what they are

Other info:
1 x small piece of driftwood
2 x Indian almond leaves
Gravel substrate w/ a small amount of crushed coral through it.
Currently performing 1 to 2 30-50% PWC a day to keep the ammonia below 0.5
I use Seachem Prime as my conditioner
Waiting for Seachem Stability to come in the mail to fastrack my cycle which will also be used at every PWC.
Plant Fert - I use Seachem Flourish once or twice a week.
I turn my air pump/stone off for about 8 hours overnight so I can get some sleep lol (its not the quietest thing in the world!).



I have noticed that my last 2 x 50% PWC's have upset my loaches, pleco and RCS.

The loaches hang out near the top of the tank, the pleco rasps to the internal filter near the surface and the shrimp swim around like crazy looking for a way out of the tank.

The neons don't seem to really care..

This all lasts for an hour or so until it is business as usual.

I have tested my tap water and it is 6.8/0/0/0 and kh is 0 so I have to throw in a 'KH UP' tab after every PWC to maintain the kh buffer.

My main issue is that I'm currently in a cycle so I need to perform daily PWC's to keep the ammonia/nitrite levels low. I dont know why all of a sudden my livestock is getting stressed after every pwc but I would like to put an end to it.

I thought it may be heavy metals in the new water but doesnt seachem prime detoxify those?

Please help - I know I can't stop the PWC's but I feel so bad every time i stress everyone out.

Thanks in advance!

 

[BBradbury]

sco...

Long post. But, I want to give you a tip on cycling a tank with fish. You should be testing daily for traces of ammonia and nitrite. If you have a positive test for either, remove 25 percent of the tank water and replace that with tap water treated with the standard additive, like Seachem's "Safe". Don't remove more water, you'll starve the bacteria and delay the cycle. 25 percent will get the water chemistry into a safer zone for the fish and grow the bacteria.

B

 

[scottsheldrick]

sco...

Long post. But, I want to give you a tip on cycling a tank with fish. You should be testing daily for traces of ammonia and nitrite. If you have a positive test for either, remove 25 percent of the tank water and replace that with tap water treated with the standard additive, like Seachem's "Safe". Don't remove more water, you'll starve the bacteria and delay the cycle. 25 percent will get the water chemistry into a safer zone for the fish and grow the bacteria.

B

Thanks, i guess i was doing 50% changes because the positive ammonia readings were making me nervous. Ill try put the 25% changes to work and see how we go. Would you know what the "safe" levels of ammonia and nitrite are before catastrophe strikes? I mean, to what level will seachem prime detoxify them ie. 1ppm and under at the normal dose? I believe you have to double or triple the dose in the event of a nitrite spike but it still doesnt mention to what level it is able to detoxify it..