980aquarium

[Saradeanes]

I’ve just purchased the 980aquaone aquarium(215ltr). Got it set up using stability and all the nitrate etc levels were spot on after a week. I put on some tetras ballon mollies and within 5 hours all dead. Think it lack oxygen as they were swimming top of tank. Have just put in an air stone. Any other suggestions on oxygen in tank this size.:

 

[King Fisher]

One week doesn't sound long enough for a tank to cycle. Does your tank have built in filtration? If so, what type?

 

[Saradeanes]

I used a product called stability to cycle the tank. Apparently it speeds things up. I took water into shop after a week for level check and all levels spot on and have been having it tested every 2 days and levels still spot on. It has ceramic noodles and carbon filters in the filtration system. I’ve put an air hose in bottom of tank and noticed that the neon tetras(which survived) are swimming up bout midway of tank instead of bottom after adding it.

 

[ZxC]

What are your "spot on" readings?

 

[Saradeanes]

Ph 7.2 and nitrate,nitrite an ammonia 0

 

[King Fisher]

It's a bit uncommon to have 0 nitrates in a cycled tank but not impossible?? I'd keep an eye on that. It's also very uncommon to chemically cycle a tank in a week. If you had established media from a cycled tank then I'd be more inclined to believe it's cycled. Just some advice.

The air stones will help oxygenate the tank if your filter isn't agitating the surface water? What kind of filter does it have?

 

[Saradeanes]

Specks in book are Filter flow rate 1000ltr/hr. Has biological filtration. 215 Ltr water. Nitrates sit between 0 an 5.0 but sort of in between. I take water to shop and they do test for me. I have bought a test kit. It’s the first time I’ve got an aquarium and have gone on the shops advice on what to do. The product they sold me was called stability and is supposed to prevent new tank syndrome. You put 30 ml in first day then 2.5 for next 6 days which I did and then had water tested and the readings have stayed same for last week.

 

[ZxC]

Did you use a dechlorinater?

New tank syndrome is caused by not cycling the tank -- Not building enough beneficial bacteria to convert toxic ammonia (produced by fish) into less toxic nitrate.

To build a large enough population you need an ammonia source (in your case it was the fish) a bacteria population (which you added) and TIME.

You've got an ammonia source (fish waste)
You've got a small population of bacteria
You do not have time.

But, if there is no detectable ammonia or nitrite then that should be okay.

Look for 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite and 5-20 nitrate.

 

[Saradeanes]

I’ve had a go at the test kit and seems ammomia 0 nitrite 0 and nitrate is between 0-5.The colour chart with kit never matches colours really. I’ve got a couple of live plants in tank and was told my nitrate had to be 0. Can I ask why you say between 5-20? I only have rain water as I live in country and don’t have chlorinated water live people in city. I’ve noticed since I introduced air stone the fish are swimming mid tank and looking good. I wonder if the stability product doesn’t give you enough time to aerate the tank?

 

[King Fisher]

Nitrate isn't bad necessarily. You can have up to 40ppm for most fish and definitely plants. You want 0 on ammonia and nitrites.

If the airstones are working then you are lacking in circulation and/or water surface agitation (movement). I'd keep the airstones in.

 

[Saradeanes]

I filled aquarium to within 1 cm of top frame as per instructions and think maybe the outlet should be jus above water to aide in circulation instead of completely below water. What do you think?

 

[King Fisher]

Ya I wouldn't cover the outlet entirely with water. You want it to ripple the surface. Similar to a stream or wind across a lake.