Two Tanks, too many fish!

[Rivercats]

First, it will be easier to stop using the test strips and just use your API tests. It will also be easier for people to follow your readings. Siince you posted you have both ammonia and nitrites then your tank is cycling. Neither number is bad at this point.

Your nitrate number is high tho. Do a nitrate API test on your tap water to see if you have alot of nitrates in it and post that information. This will tell if your waters high nitrate reading is partly to do with high nitrates in your tap water. If this is the case you are going to have to look into alternative water options. Or I noticed you don't have a planted tank but if you got just one or two little plants of water sprite and either floated them or planted them in your substrate they will really use up alot of the excess nutrients in your water. Water sprite absorbs nutrients (such as nitrates) mostly through their leaves as they have very shallow poor root systems so you wouldn't need to worry about what your substrate is. This would also help remove any ammonia/nitrite/nitrates in the new tank.

 

[Magicmarymac]

Thank you for Responding

First, it will be easier to stop using the test strips and just use your API tests. It will also be easier for people to follow your readings. Siince you posted you have both ammonia and nitrites then your tank is cycling. Neither number is bad at this point.

Your nitrate number is high tho. Do a nitrate API test on your tap water to see if you have alot of nitrates in it and post that information. This will tell if your waters high nitrate reading is partly to do with high nitrates in your tap water. If this is the case you are going to have to look into alternative water options. Or I noticed you don't have a planted tank but if you got just one or two little plants of water sprite and either floated them or planted them in your substrate they will really use up alot of the excess nutrients in your water. Water sprite absorbs nutrients (such as nitrates) mostly through their leaves as they have very shallow poor root systems so you wouldn't need to worry about what your substrate is. This would also help remove any ammonia/nitrite/nitrates in the new tank.

I tested my tap water on 10/8 and posted all zero except for nitrate, which was 5.

I got some plants yesterday and will keep my eye out for water sprite, Petsmart didn't have any.

I apologize for the confusing results, my test strips are all gone now, so all results will only be with the API kit.

I sincerely thank you for responding.

 

[librarygirl]

If you only have 5-10 nitrates in your tap yet your tanks are 40+ that indicates either not enough water changes and/or overfeeding and not cleaning the substrate. If you used water from the 12 to fill the 36 that could be why nitrates are high in the 36 as well. What's your water change schedule? If your nitrate is potentially 80 in the 36, I'd do a couple of 50% water changes (do one, wait an hour or two, then do another--vacuum the substrate very well also); this should get them down to about 20 which is much better. Then keep monitoring the tank daily for any potential ammonia/nitrite spikes; you might or might not get them but if they start rising over .25 do an extra water change until they level off on their own. Then during the week keep track of the nitrate progression; in the larger tank they shouldn't get as high as they did in the 12. Ideally you want to keep nitrates <20. Do you have any fish in the 12 or did you move everything over?

 

[Magicmarymac]

The 12 has an injured Betta, 3 Juill Cory, and a snail. The Betta was injured when the bottom of the filter fell off when I was catching the other fish and he ran into the impeller. Ow.

I will up the water changes ASAP.

Thank you!!!

 

[Magicmarymac]

Update

12 Gallon Old Tank

The injured betta is moving around much better today. He lost a section of his top fins, but does not appear to have any damage to his body. The three julii appear to be much "happier" now that the albino cory have left for the 36. The snail is just plain huge.

50% PWC
PH 6.6, Ammo 0, Nitrite 0, Nitrate 40

36 Gallon New Tank

50% PWC
PH 6.6, Ammo 0, Nitrite 0, Nitrate 40 (possibly 50)

No losses.

Thank you!

 

[Magicmarymac]

Ph Question


For the first time I did the high end PH test on both tanks and the new 36 was a whopping 8.0. Could that be because of the substrate, which is 50% CaribSea Flora Max and 50% CaribSea Super naturals?


Old 12 Gallon, no plants
Ph 6.4, Ammo 0, Nitrite 0, Nitrate 40

New 36 Gallon, some plants added this week
Fish-in cycle in progress
Ph 8.0, Ammo 0, Nitrite 0, NItrate 40

I revised my profile and list of fish in each tank. I thought I would be moving the two guppies into the smaller tank, but the injured betta seems to be feeling better, so they are staying with the hoard of (mostly) tiny fish in the 36!

Thank you for any thoughts you may have on the Ph.

 

[Magicmarymac]

PH testing and more

October 19

I'm having a bit of trouble distinguishing colors, I tried to attach photos but it didn't work.

PH:
Tap 7.4

36 gallon 7.8
12 Gallon 6.4

Ammo
Tap 0
36 .25
12 .10

Nitrite
All 0

Nitrate
Tap est 3ppm
36 est 60ppm
12 est 60ppm

Did another 40% PWC on 12, tomorrow 50% on 36 and will then plant the floating plants. Unfortunately my Python is broken, so I have to use buckets and fill with a 1/2 gallon pitcher.

Thank you

 

[librarygirl]

Looks good except for the nitrates (the readings of ammonia aren't to be concerned with yet but if they get higher do an extra water change). If your tap only has 3 and the other tanks are that high something is wrong. What filters are on each tank? Also do you suck up waste from deep within the gravel when you do water changes? You're either undercleaning and/or overfeeding.

 

[Magicmarymac]

The 12 is a Marineland Eclipse 12, with a built in filter. It has worked very well over the years -- until lately when the intake started falling off, which includes the cover to the impeller. This is how the Betta got injured. (((Shudder))). I am thinking about getting a 20 high to replace it, but that means I can't move the cycled bio wheel --unless there is an external filter it would fit in. . .

The 36 bowfront is from an Aqueon kit which came with an Aqueon 30 (?), and I added a second filter, a Marineland 2?? (I'm at work, so guessing on the numbers.

I plan to do more testing (and probably water changes) tonight.

Thank you very much for responding.

Mary

 

[Magicmarymac]

Oh, yes, I do clean the gravel mulm when doing the pwcs.

I usually feed only once a day and with a day off every few days. I also only feed what they can eat in a couple of minutes.

It is a problem on the 12 as the Betta is not getting around very well and the "Julii" are extremely shy, so I don't ever see them eat.

I am hoping to return the 3 "Julii" and the two Swartzies to a good, but not really very close, store this weekend.

I probably will also give them the two guppies as the males behavior annoys me. Chase, chase, chase… which is probably why the other female died. :-(

(OK, i admit it, maybe the un-cycled tank MAY have had something to do with it.). :-/

Mary

 

[Magicmarymac]

When my Python is fixed I will be able to do the PWCs more frequently. That should help--a lot.

 

[Magicmarymac]

Vacation Feeding???

The end of November I will be on vacation for a week.

I plan to get timers for the aquarium lights, (especially on the 36 as it is the only one with plants), and do a large PWC on both tanks. .

Is there anything else I should do?

Thank you,

Mary

 

[Magicmarymac]

Long overdue thanks

Are you adding all of the fish from the 12 gal to the 36 or just some of them?

Almost none of those fish are suitable for the 12 gal save the betta and the snail. I'd keep those in the 12 gal and move the rest to the 36. Adding water from the 12 won't do much to cycle it. YOu said you added some filter media from the 12 gal to the 36 which will help a lot, but probably won't cycle it instantly (especially since you'll need to keep some of the media in the 12 for the betta).

Since the 12 is so crowded I wouldn't fishless cycle the 36; you're probably best to move some media from the 12 gal into the 36 gal filter and then move the fish over to the 36. Test both tanks daily and do water changes as needed (when ammonia and/or nitrites rise over .25) until the tanks stabilize (the 12 might go into a mini cycle from removing media BUT since only the betta and snail will remain it might be ok).

I just wanted to thank you for your patience with me so long ago. Because you were kind I kept with my education and now have MTS and much healthier living spaces for my aquatic friends. I don't post much online anymore due to the not-so-nice responses from some folks, but Rivercats has been kind enough to take me under her wing and continue with my education through PMs.

Again, sincerest thanks!

(and I continue to learn more every day from this site)