What am i doing wrong??

[powermatt5000]

I currently have a 20 long and a 55 gallon tanks. I have had more fish die than I can count.

The 20 long has gravel substrate, 2 small pieces of drift wood, plastic plants, heater, bubble stick with pump, and a marineland penguin 200 filter. This tank has been "set up" for over 2 years.

The 55 gallon has gravel substrate, 2 heaters, 2 large pieces of drift wood, plastic and 2 new live plants, and a marineland 350 filter. No air stones of any kind. This tank has been "set up" at least 9 months.

I have had more dead fish than I care to count. All my fish have been purchased from local pet stores in the Indianapolis area. When my water is tested for a return it always tests "fine".

I've read the book, I've subscribed to the magazines, I do regular water changes, I have a gravel siphon. What am I doing wrong?

 

[Aces11]

You say your tank has been "set up" but has it been cycled?

 

[bruinsbro1997]

to AA!

I currently have a 20 long and a 55 gallon tanks. I have had more fish die than I can count.

The 20 long has gravel substrate, 2 small pieces of drift wood, plastic plants, heater, bubble stick with pump, and a marineland penguin 200 filter. This tank has been "set up" for over 2 years.

The 55 gallon has gravel substrate, 2 heaters, 2 large pieces of drift wood, plastic and 2 new live plants, and a marineland 350 filter. No air stones of any kind. This tank has been "set up" at least 9 months.

I have had more dead fish than I care to count. All my fish have been purchased from local pet stores in the Indianapolis area. When my water is tested for a return it always tests "fine".

I've read the book, I've subscribed to the magazines, I do regular water changes, I have a gravel siphon. What am I doing wrong?

Do you change your filter media or something every so often? Do you add any chemicals to the tank? If so what kind? "Fine" could mean a lot of different things. Do they test with strips? What are the levels that come back?
In case you haven't read:
1.The (almost) Complete Guide and FAQ to Fishless Cycling
2.I just learned about cycling but I already have fish. What now?!

 

[ilostnemo]

over years and 9 months i say his tank is cycled...

 

[-Mac-]

Matt, If you can find your way clear, buy your own API Master Test Kit for test kits and do the parameters and post them here. Your tanks should both be cycled after all this time, so the problem is most likely in fluctuating parameters or some unknown water condition that "fine" doesn't reasonably answer.

 

[powermatt5000]

to AA!

Do you change your filter media or something every so often? Do you add any chemicals to the tank? If so what kind? "Fine" could mean a lot of different things. Do they test with strips? What are the levels that come back?
In case you haven't read:
1.The (almost) Complete Guide and FAQ to Fishless Cycling
2.I just learned about cycling but I already have fish. What now?!

Matt, If you can find your way clear, buy your own API Master Test Kit for test kits and do the parameters and post them here. Your tanks should both be cycled after all this time, so the problem is most likely in fluctuating parameters or some unknown water condition that "fine" doesn't reasonably answer.

They (PetCo) use the test strips when testing my water, and yes I do use API Stress Coat, and Stress Zyme with my water changes, and "try" to change the filter pads around 4 to 6 weeks.

 

[jetajockey]

I agree, you should get a liquid test kit so that you can see what the water parameters are for yourself. What is your water change schedule like? What is the death rate like exactly? How long do the fish live in the tank, etc? What kind of symptoms do they show when they die? There are multiple things that could be part of the problem.

 

[powermatt5000]

I agree, you should get a liquid test kit so that you can see what the water parameters are for yourself. What is your water change schedule like? What is the death rate like exactly? How long do the fish live in the tank, etc? What kind of symptoms do they show when they die? There are multiple things that could be part of the problem.

Right now the problem is with the 55 gallon. Petco had there neon tetras on sale 5/$5. I know neons don't have the best reputation for being "hardy" and Petco doesn't have the best reputation for having quality fish. I was buying them 5 at a time around every 3 days with a 5 gallon water change about the same rate. I was replacing dead neons faster than I could goto the store. The only thing in the tank were 2 cories and now there dead as well.

 

[-Mac-]

They (PetCo) use the test strips when testing my water, and yes I do use API Stress Coat, and Stress Zyme with my water changes, and "try" to change the filter pads around 4 to 6 weeks.

Test strips are notoriously inaccurate. If that's what the store is using then you are not getting good readings about your water's parameters. For better information about your aquarium's conditions it is recommended by most of AA to use the API Freshwater Master Test Kit to test the water. It's cheaper at Amazon than your local PetCo/Smart or lfs.

What type of filter are you using in your aquarium?

 

[bruinsbro1997]

The problem I see is that you're changing the filter media ever four to six weeks. The problem is that most of the beneficial bacteria lives in the filter pads, so you're getting rid of all that when you throw the cartridges out. I would suggest, if you just replaced the cartridge and still have the fish in the tank, try to fish-in cycle. It's tricky but can be done.

 

[Maltimomma]

Check with Foster and Smith online. I think they have the API freshwater test kit even cheaper than Amazon.

 

[powermatt5000]

Test strips are notoriously inaccurate. If that's what the store is using then you are not getting good readings about your water's parameters. For better information about your aquarium's conditions it is recommended by most of AA to use the API Freshwater Master Test Kit to test the water. It's cheaper at Amazon than your local PetCo/Smart or lfs.

What type of filter are you using in your aquarium?

I've been using the marineland 350

 

[powermatt5000]

Mac- I've been using the marineland 350

 

[powermatt5000]

Bruinsbro- I thought of that to. My marineland 350 filter has slots for up to 4 filter cartridge/pads. I tried changing them out on a rotation so there's always at least 1 old one in there. How often do you recommend changing the filter cartridges?

 

[bruinsbro1997]

Bruinsbro- I thought of that to. My marineland 350 filter has slots for up to 4 filter cartridge/pads. I tried changing them out on a rotation so there's always at least 1 old one in there. How often do you recommend changing the filter cartridges?

I actually don't recommend changing them at all, I still have ones that are a year old running in my AquaClear HOB. To clean them, all you need to do is to get a bucket of old tank water when you're doing a PWC and rinse and slosh all the crud off it.
If it's ABSOLUTELY necessary for you to change them, then just take them out one each month while keeping some old ones in there, let it run for a month, and then take the old one out.

Hope this helps!

 

[joel618]

I think the filter changes may be the problem. What type of food do you feed? How do you acclimate the fish?

 

[BillD]

How often do you change water and how much at a time? What temps are the tanks kept at? Neons don't need really warm water, low 70s is fine. Same for most corys. I like to do an extra large water change every once in a while, around 75%, as opposed to the usual weekly 50%.
AquaClear filters don't use cartridges, but rather foam inserts that last for years. Most cartridge types can be cleaned to a point but eventually clog because the fibers mat, and need replacement.

 

[-Mac-]

I don't know a whole bunch about your filter as I'm using Aquaclear. That said, I'd find a way to have all four cartridge slots filled and only change ONE of them each month. Also, if those cartridges use carbon, find a way to diy pads that don't have carbon, since carbon apparently can release toxins back into the water after a certain point.

 

[powermatt5000]

I think the filter changes may be the problem. What type of food do you feed? How do you acclimate the fish?

I use tetra flake food if I remember right, and float the bags. I really don't have anything to setup a drip system.

 

[powermatt5000]

I think the filter changes may be the problem. What type of food do you feed? How do you acclimate the fish?

Tetra flake food, and float the bags