water quality?

[Sekal]

Hi. I have a 25g freshwater tank with 3 angel, 1 blue gourami, 1 gold gourami, 2baby gold gourami, 2 small bulldog preços, 3 very small car and an African clawed frog, very small also. I have java moss, moss balls and another one that I can't remember the name. Tank is a bit overcrowded I know, but it's working fine for a month now. I feed them twice a day New life spectrum flakes and some other pellets for the frog.
Amónia levels are perfect.
I made a 50% water change 2 days ago. Add filtered water and some conditioner but the water keeps getting cloudier and smelier. It got worse from morning till evening.

 

[Mumma.of.two]

By perfect you mean ammonia is zero? What about nitrite? Also nitrate? Cloudy, smelly water suggests a bacterial bloom.
http://www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/246850-bacterial-blooms-explained/
I know you know that tank is over stocked but you really need to look into rehoming some of those fish. The majority of fish sold are very young and problems arise quickly as they mature. It's best to address these problems before they happen.

 

[Cactuspixie]

Hi. I have a 25g freshwater tank with 3 angel, 1 blue gourami, 1 gold gourami, 2baby gold gourami, 2 small bulldog preços, 3 very small car and an African clawed frog, very small also. I have java moss, moss balls and another one that I can't remember the name. Tank is a bit overcrowded I know, but it's working fine for a month now. I feed them twice a day New life spectrum flakes and some other pellets for the frog.
Amónia levels are perfect.
I made a 50% water change 2 days ago. Add filtered water and some conditioner but the water keeps getting cloudier and smelier. It got worse from morning till evening.

If your tank wasn't properly cycled before you began to stock it, you are likely to witness it crash very soon.
As Mumma said, you need to rehome some of he livestock or get a MUCH bigger aquarium.
In the meantime, I would suggest feeding once a day, testing EVERY day, and doing a large water change whenever you get a reading above zero for ammonia or nitrite. I would routinely do a 25% pwc TWICE a week until the overcrowding is resolved. Make sure when you do your pwc you a thoroughly vacuuming the gravel.
Good luck!

 

[Sekal]

Hi again!
Thanks momma. The link is very detailed!
The tank was not properly cycled before. It was working about a week with a very poor filter and an old betta i have (still do. The guy is persisting on staying alive). Now i have a canister filter (200gph) with 3 sections. Bioballs, ceramic, and activated coal (coal that i have to replace soon).
the readings just now!
gh----60
kh----0
ph----6.0 (for the first time . it was always above 7
No2--10
No3--80
Amonia <0.02
No2 and No3 are constant for the last 3 weeks. Never higher or lower! API test strips.
I know my good bacteria is not coping with it. It hadn't got the time to settle in yet.
I know my tank is overcrowded, but for what I've read that mean's fish territory problem and more frequent water changes.
Do a major water change, and cleaning the gravel like Cactus said will also remove the few good bacteria i have, so that's not the solution! For what i read that caused the problem.
By the way, i was just reading my original post and it's not 3 very small car, it's 3 very small cae's.

 

[Sekal]

This is a Quote:
"Water changes are not essential in clearing bacterial blooms, as left alone, they will usually dissipate within a matter of days."

 

[Sekal]

man, the auto correction on the computer is killing me.
here's what i have in the tank.
1 blue gourami over 1"
1 gold gourami over 1"
2 baby gourami under 1"
3 angel fish over 1"
2 bulldog pletco about 1"
1 c algae eater over 1"
2 cae under 1"
1 African clawed frog about 1,5"
hornwort plants
java moss plants

 

[BBradbury]

Hello Sek...

Aquarium fish have very small stomachs and it takes next to nothing to fill them. Instead of feeding twice daily, gradually reduce the feeding to a good variety of a little flaked and frozen food just twice weekly. Fish stay healthy by foraging around the tank looking for a missed leftover. Your tank will stay much cleaner too.

Large, frequent water changes are a must for any tank. Remove and replace half the water every week and you'll guarantee your fish safe water conditions.

B

 

[Mumma.of.two]

ATM water changes are what is needed. They will not clear up the bacterial bloom but they will protect your fish from high ammonia and nitrite. The nitrite is too high right now so you need to do another water change. The tank was never balanced so over vacuuming/cleaning the tank has not caused a bloom. The initial cycling process is.
http://www.aquariumadvice.com/artic...g-but-I-already-have-fish-What-now/Page2.html
Here is another article for you to read through. It explains what you need to do.

 

[Rivercats]

If you ph is 6 then you biological activity has stopped and BB begin to die off. You need to do the WC's as already suggested but you also need to increase Kh which is the buffers in your tank that keep ph stable. You need to add some crushed coral in the filter or put some in a media bag and hang it under your outflow. In the mean time while this begins to work I suggest using some baking soda (not my favorite thing to do but works in a pinch). Add a 1/2 teaspoon into a cup of tank water and dissolve before adding to the tank. Check your Kh and Ph in about an hour. You can do this once more today if needed. You don't want to just instantly bring your levels up but slowly over a couple days so as not to shock the fish. Once you get your ph squared away then you can start cycling but continue to monitor your ph.

 

[Sekal]

Adding salt, coral or baking soda? Isn't that gonna damage the plants?

 

[Cactuspixie]

Adding salt, coral or baking soda? Isn't that gonna damage the plants?

Not if you follow the advice you've been given. If you do nothing you will start to lose fish as well as plants. If you are really worried about the plants, you can always put them in a bucket with an air stone until you sort your tank out.

 

[Rivercats]

Adding salt, coral or baking soda? Isn't that gonna damage the plants?

Never salt as that is bad for plants even tho some use small amounts of it. But baking soda and crushed coral add buffers, ie: calcium, to a tank. Calcium is a macro nutrient for plants and in a planted tank you need to keep a Kh of at least 4. This is also enough calcium (buffer) to keep a stable Ph so it does not fall. This is where weekly 50% WC's come in. Most peoples tap water is hard, high in calcium and magnesium which means each week if you do a 50% WC you are usually adding in enough new buffers to keep you ph stable. Have you tested your tap water for Kh and Gh?

 

[Sekal]

Hi guys!
so i did this morning another water change (about 20%).
2 hours later i go and do my measures.
I've got the exact same measures as i did before.
GH---30
KH---0>40
PH---6.5 (DROPPED A LITTLE)
No2--10
No3--80
Amonia<0.02

I'm starting to seriously doubt my testing skills. either that or the API test strips are really bad!!!
Although my water is more clearer and the smell is not that intense anymore, so that means that the bacteria is starting to work.

 

[jwh0818]

Hi guys!
so i did this morning another water change (about 20%).
2 hours later i go and do my measures.
I've got the exact same measures as i did before.
GH---30
KH---0>40
PH---6.5 (DROPPED A LITTLE)
No2--10
No3--80
Amonia<0.02

I'm starting to seriously doubt my testing skills. either that or the API test strips are really bad!!!
Although my water is more clearer and the smell is not that intense anymore, so that means that the bacteria is starting to work.

No. What you need is an api master test kit. Those test strips have been known gor being inaccurate. Get the liquid test kit

 

[Sekal]

I've had these crazy levels for about 3 weeks now and the fish are still amazing. No signs of stress or diseases.
Another thing, i've reduced the feeding to one time a day which made them a little ticked of but i can live with it!!!!

 

[jwh0818]

I've had these crazy levels for about 3 weeks now and the fish are still amazing. No signs of stress or diseases.
Another thing, i've reduced the feeding to one time a day which made them a little ticked of but i can live with it!!!!

Definitely look into a liquid master test kit

 

[Rivercats]

You need to watch your ph and definitely need liquid test kits. Once your ph drops below 6.5 biological activity begins to slow down. If ph drops below 6 biological activity stops. You either need to boost your Kh which will increase ph or you need to do a WC to add buffers back into the water if it drops any lower. Also do you have your temp turned up to 84 or 86?

 

[BBradbury]

Hello Sek...

The water keeping hobby is as complicated or as simple as you want to make it. The make up of your tap water isn't important. Most of the fish you get in the pet store will adapt to most of the public water supplies. You don't need to know the pH, hardness or any of that. It's confusing at best. What you do need to be doing is following a large and frequent water change routine. The small water changes do little to maintain a stable water chemistry for the fish and plants.

If you change half the tank water every week to 2 weeks, and replace the old water with pure, treated tap water, your fish and plants will take care of themselves. Feeding is simple too, feed a variety of a little freeze dried if you like and some frozen foods too. Feed a couple of times a week. The fish will forage for the leftovers and the tank stays much cleaner.

Pretty basic, really.

B

 

[Rivercats]

Hello Sek...

The water keeping hobby is as complicated or as simple as you want to make it. The make up of your tap water isn't important. Most of the fish you get in the pet store will adapt to most of the public water supplies. You don't need to know the pH, hardness or any of that. It's confusing at best. What you do need to be doing is following a large and frequent water change routine. The small water changes do little to maintain a stable water chemistry for the fish and plants.

If you change half the tank water every week to 2 weeks, and replace the old water with pure, treated tap water, your fish and plants will take care of themselves. Feeding is simple too, feed a variety of a little freeze dried if you like and some frozen foods too. Feed a couple of times a week. The fish will forage for the leftovers and the tank stays much cleaner.

Pretty basic, really. B

Actually when a tank is cycling and ph is dropping to a point it will slow or stop the cycle then you do in fact need to know the ph and kh of the tank. It's not confusing. We aren't talking about fish adapting to tap water readings.

 

[Brotherbonje]

Hi I'm new I don't know how to send stuff hope this sends!