MiamiFishy
Aquarium Advice Activist
Hey fellow aquarists, its been a while since my last post.
Sorry Im still working on getting that digital camera to post some pics of my 29 gall tank.
I got 3 problems that I need help with...
1. My tank has develop this veil-like, membrane if you will of some sort of algae. It has attached itself to the rocks, some of my decor plants ( plastic...sorry) and glass. Even my filter intake has some of it. Its not hair like, at least it doesn't look hairy, more like a small piece of paper, like a membrane or veil that swings with the water current. I have tried to python it out, yet it has a strong hold on what ever it sits on.
2. Since I moved all my original 4 zebras and 2 corys to their new tank ( this was about 3-5 months ago?) I have only lost one zebra and my females have laid eggs down, now I have about 15 zebras all getting big and look healthy and happy. This is the problem, my one big "White Shark" female zebra seems to be so happy that she keeps laying eggs, so I have about a dozen zebra fry all over and under the gravel.
I have used a lenght of plastic tubing with O2 hose to syphon some out, yet I cant vac my gravel to remove all the uneaten food.
3. I definitely need to vac my gravel, give it a good jank at that white algae, but since I have a Phyton vac, if I use it, what ever fry and eggs are in the gravel will die since my cold water has low pressure, I use hot water and cold water to get the required amount of vac ...
So you guys see my dilemma here, I need to vacuum the gravel, but, if I do it, I would be killing my fry, ( which with the above mention plastic tubing and hose I have been able to rescue some 10 or more fry...yet its very hard,...and I can only get the ones on the edge of the gravel- close to the glass. I know there are more in the center! )- But If I don't vac soon that algae will take over the tank, and as it is, all that waste and algae are starting to change my water pH. HELP...What to do!!! I don't want to have my little fry become sardines a la steam! nor a algae soup!
All your help and advice will be taken very dearly serious!
Tank specifics:
Tank size: 29 gal Fresh Water
Light: One fluorescent original stock 32? light tube/
Filter: Penguin 350b ( with four media and two bio-wheels )
Air: air stone hanging from the right side, air line in gravel tube for a nice gentle bubble wall.
substrate: gravel small medium size
Decor: two large concentrations of plastic decor on sides of tank, 3 ring bridge on centre.. media size leaves bush behind bridge covering intake.
( sorry, cant remember the names for the plants.. like snow flakes with a string thru the middle stuck one on top of the other???? )
pH: 7.4-7.2?
Hardness 3 ? ( means, it takes 3 drops of solution to get from blue to orange?)
Ammonia: 0.0 0.5
Nitrate: 0.0 ? ( sorry I might get this two confused on the spelling .the bi product of the ammonia bacteria.)
Nitrite: 10 - 20 stable ( the bi product of the above producer bacteria )
I hope you guys understood that last part... I seem to always get my Nitrite and Nitrate order confused.
Thank you in advance for all your suggestions and kind advice! my fry and buddies will thank you!
Sorry Im still working on getting that digital camera to post some pics of my 29 gall tank.
I got 3 problems that I need help with...
1. My tank has develop this veil-like, membrane if you will of some sort of algae. It has attached itself to the rocks, some of my decor plants ( plastic...sorry) and glass. Even my filter intake has some of it. Its not hair like, at least it doesn't look hairy, more like a small piece of paper, like a membrane or veil that swings with the water current. I have tried to python it out, yet it has a strong hold on what ever it sits on.
2. Since I moved all my original 4 zebras and 2 corys to their new tank ( this was about 3-5 months ago?) I have only lost one zebra and my females have laid eggs down, now I have about 15 zebras all getting big and look healthy and happy. This is the problem, my one big "White Shark" female zebra seems to be so happy that she keeps laying eggs, so I have about a dozen zebra fry all over and under the gravel.
I have used a lenght of plastic tubing with O2 hose to syphon some out, yet I cant vac my gravel to remove all the uneaten food.
3. I definitely need to vac my gravel, give it a good jank at that white algae, but since I have a Phyton vac, if I use it, what ever fry and eggs are in the gravel will die since my cold water has low pressure, I use hot water and cold water to get the required amount of vac ...
So you guys see my dilemma here, I need to vacuum the gravel, but, if I do it, I would be killing my fry, ( which with the above mention plastic tubing and hose I have been able to rescue some 10 or more fry...yet its very hard,...and I can only get the ones on the edge of the gravel- close to the glass. I know there are more in the center! )- But If I don't vac soon that algae will take over the tank, and as it is, all that waste and algae are starting to change my water pH. HELP...What to do!!! I don't want to have my little fry become sardines a la steam! nor a algae soup!
All your help and advice will be taken very dearly serious!
Tank specifics:
Tank size: 29 gal Fresh Water
Light: One fluorescent original stock 32? light tube/
Filter: Penguin 350b ( with four media and two bio-wheels )
Air: air stone hanging from the right side, air line in gravel tube for a nice gentle bubble wall.
substrate: gravel small medium size
Decor: two large concentrations of plastic decor on sides of tank, 3 ring bridge on centre.. media size leaves bush behind bridge covering intake.
( sorry, cant remember the names for the plants.. like snow flakes with a string thru the middle stuck one on top of the other???? )
pH: 7.4-7.2?
Hardness 3 ? ( means, it takes 3 drops of solution to get from blue to orange?)
Ammonia: 0.0 0.5
Nitrate: 0.0 ? ( sorry I might get this two confused on the spelling .the bi product of the ammonia bacteria.)
Nitrite: 10 - 20 stable ( the bi product of the above producer bacteria )
I hope you guys understood that last part... I seem to always get my Nitrite and Nitrate order confused.
Thank you in advance for all your suggestions and kind advice! my fry and buddies will thank you!