Readings go haywire!

[fish_4_all]

My tanks have went nuts. Here are readings from a month ago and then this month. Both tanks have had 3 water changes since then, most recent, yesterday. 2/5 water change with aquasafe.

Tap water (unchanged)
NH3-0
NO3-0
NO2-0
GH-50
KH-80
pH-7.2

Tank 1 (hob, AquaTech) (no discoloring on floss in 4 months) water gets very green after 3 days of water change, green enough not to be able to see bottom of 5 gallon bucket, lots of algae growth on glass
Old/new
NH3-0/0
NO3-40/80
NO2-0/0
GH-100/150
KH-180/120
pH-7.2/7.8

Tank 2 (undergravel) water is crystal clear, a little algae growth on glass
Old/new
NH3-0/0
NO3-40/160
NO2-0/0
GH-75/150
KH-120/80
pH-7.2/7.8

Tank 1 - 2 clown loach, 4 cory cats(smaller ones) 1 betta, 2 tetras
Tank 2 - 6 frogs, 3 botia loaches, 2 swords, 1 betta
All fish healthy and seem happy, I know the nitrates are high and need to come down. Plants in both very happy and growing like mad, anacharis and java moss. Except java fern in tank 1 will not grow but doesn't die. 15 watt flourescent on each with one (1) 25 watt long behind tanks

What is going on, nothing new added, fish same size, lighting the same, only change, larger plants. Is it the heat? Is something changing? AM I losing my mind?

Will do water change tomorrow and then check and post again.

 

[Fishyfanatic]

Test your phosphate level.

 

[fish_4_all]

Sept 4

Tank 1 / Tank 2
NH3- 0 / 0
NO3- 40 / 80
NO2- 0 / 0
GH- 150 / 150
KH- 80 / 80
pH- 7.8 / 7.8

Tank 2 had water changed last night, Tank 1 this morning. Observation in both tanks shows a lot of snail shells that were left over from loaches cleaning the mess of snails I had in both tanks. Could their breaking down be the cause? Will get phosphate levels as soon as kit arrives. Not sold locally.

 

[fish_4_all]

Level did drop to about half of the bad stuff. Will see what a water change does in 3 days or so. I also have a lot of anacharis in tank 2 and it grows well but the part you would plant has a tendency to rott. Could this be causing it also?

 

[Fishyfanatic]

I'd do a 50% water change in both tanks. The Nitrates are way too high. Then tomorrow I'd do another 50%.

 

[fish_4_all]

I will try that, thanks. I was also wondering if the food mix I have been using could be contributing to this problem. I crushed some algae wafers, added some crushed shrimp pellets and crushed tropical flakes so they have a good variety every day. I think they eat ost of it as I never see much on the gravel but there is a lot of waste every time I clean the tank. I also took 2 small caves that were in there that had a lot of junk under it. The HOB filter tank doesn't get much junk on the bottom but the undergravel does. Will be removing the undergravel when I can afford another HOB for that tank.

 

[Fishyfanatic]

So you only have an UGF on the 2nd 10 gal tank? Ditch it. They are Nitrate factories. A hob is a much better option and is less maintenance. Be prepared for the removal of it though. It will kick up ALOT of nasty gunk. What I would do is purchase a hob for the tank, then run it on the tank for about 2 weeks. Then take out the undergravel filter. When taking it out you'll most likely have to do a 100% water change because of the nasty gunk that will come out. But YMMV. Some only have to do about 50%, but I had to do a 100% because of all the gunk. HTH.