Hello, newbie here

[BJMRamage]

Hello all,

New member here (obvious since I am posting here).

To start, I have 2 kids- 4 years and almost 1 year. This can keep me busy and sometimes not doing what I should with my tank.

I've had a freshwater, 55-gallon tank for maybe 5 years now, maybe more. There are about 14 (maybe up to 18, I can't remember offhand) fish. Silver dollars, cichlids (bought as Severums and thought fine in the tank until they ate $27 of fish in a day), clown loaches, algae eater, Pleco and rainbow fish. Some fish are still from the first few rounds of fish the first month.

I've just switched from 2 HOB filters to a Fluval 306. So quiet, though just installed it a few hours ago. The water before would be clean and clear for a while, switch to cloudy, then back and forth. And noisy as I would not change or add water as often as I should.

Anyway, found this site after looking up canister filters and trying to get a good filter media setup. And placement of the intake and output tubes. ALSO, a BIG thing I need to know or help with is an algae (guessing it is that) bloom. It is a dark green or brown or black Hair-like or fur coating on things.. I am colorblind so not sure he exact color.

I will post a thread specifically about those but if anyone has anodes, that would be great. And typing this on an iPad so not wanting to go crazy here tonight.

So...loved reading the threads tonight and seeing so many helpful folks on here.

[fort384]

Welcome to AA!! We are glad to have you!

[BJMRamage]

Thanks.

I see there is an iOS app. (Though still pre-ios7)

[fort384]

Indeed there is. It is based off of forum runner - once forum runner updates, we will get a new version as well. It works fairly well for checking in on the go, but offers a lot less functionality than the full site.

[Aquaenthused]

New here also, but have quite a bit of NW cichlid experience and 2 kids as well, for your tank size and population you are a little overwhelmed. Just because they are capable of tolerating certain conditions doesn't mean that you are doing them or yourself any justice. Have you considered lessening your stock to a mid sized center piece fish ( or a small group), a school of 3-5 mid sized ditherers, a single small bodied pleco and maybe a single dojo loach or similar lower maintenance fish set up? Or maybe get a larger aquarium set up if you want to keep your current one? Not trying to be mean, just saying...

[BJMRamage]

I actually haven't purchased fish in a while. The great LFS closed down a year and half ago.

The Severums we bought there and thought we were told they'd be like the size of a gourami. NOPE they are close to the size of a hand.

No other tank in the near future. Not sure about sending any fish elsewhere.

[Aquaenthused]

At least severums aren't the worst of the lunkers from the Americas.... There's no miracle that can make tank maintenance easier on an overcrowded bio load from h-e double hockey sticks like yours.... Your algae situation won't get much better, the amount of filamentous algae you're describing can only be completely cleared by methodically raising the water conditions and maintained through weekly, monthly, and yearly maintenance routines along with a lot of moss duckweed, water sprite and more filtration than you can imagine... I hate to see a hobby that's supposed to be relaxing stress a hobbyist out....

[Proflooney]

welcome to the forum

[BJMRamage]

OK, good to know...the algae is on the rocks and artificial plants.

I've heard of removing the large pieces with it and then letting them air dry and trying to scrap it off.


And thanks for the welcomes.

[Arklatex]

I've heard you can spot treat it with hydrogen peroxide. Turn off the filter and squirt it in the algae. Then let it sit awhile and turn the filter back on. You still need to figure out the root cause of the problem.

[BJMRamage]

Maybe I can pull out some smaller rocks and do a test with the peroxide.

and yes, I need to find the issue...maybe too much feeding or too much light for some time. I have done my best to curtail that but perhaps i was a bit late. OR as some noted overstocked.