Nitrate

[Caliban07]

Alright. I'll do another water change today and scrub the filter in some warm water and give everything a good cleaning. I noticed yesterday the inside of my tank has a slimy coat is that normal to get with snails? I got a bit of an infestation las time I put hornwort in the tank. Or should I scrape that off?


Sent from peliper

How big are the sinking wafers? Wafers can big a big nitrate booster, especially 3 every night. The Cory's probably won't get through them and they will be dissolving into the substrate.


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

 

[coralbandit]

DO NOT clean your filter in anything but tank water!
Chlorine in tap will damage the BB.
A good rinse in the bucket while making waterchange is all a filter (media) needs.
+1 on possibly overfeeding.
Reduce feeding till you no longer have to remove any at all.
Many also skip a day a week (or more) without problems.

 

[Trainer_Ruby_]

DO NOT clean your filter in anything but tank water!
Chlorine in tap will damage the BB.
A good rinse in the bucket while making waterchange is all a filter (media) needs.
+1 on possibly overfeeding.
Reduce feeding till you no longer have to remove any at all.
Many also skip a day a week (or more) without problems.

I use a 10g that I don't have set up and fill it with whatever water I take out of the tanks when cleaning filters. I've seen the corys eat the majority of the wafers and the Molly's and danios normally pick off the rest. They're about 1/8in diameter roughly


Sent from peliper

 

[Trainer_Ruby_]

This is about all the food they get a day. They only get pellets at night and about that much flake in the morning and at night


Sent from peliper

 

[Caliban07]

TView attachment 270352his is about all the food they get a day. They only get pellets at night and about that much flake in the morning and at night


Sent from peliper

That is ALOT of food. They say a fishes belly is roughly the size of its eyeball. I would cut that portion significantly. I guarantee that is the cause of the high nitrate.


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

 

[Trainer_Ruby_]

That's also for 20 fish and the dojo eats a lot of it
That's also a misconception a fishes stomach is a lot larger than than its eye

Sent from peliper

 

[Caliban07]

That's also for 20 fish and the dojo eats a lot of it


Sent from peliper

I know you are trying to do what you believe is necessary for the fish but please believe me, that is way too much food daily. That's why your nitrates are off the charts, they should be 5-20ppm ideally. Fish will always look like that are starving but as long as they have a nice round belly (not bloated) they are fine.

Also remember that the more fish eat the more they poop. The more poop the more ammonia and ammonia inevitably become nitrate as you know.


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

 

[Trainer_Ruby_]

I know you are trying to do what you believe is necessary for the fish but please believe me, that is way too much food daily. That's why your nitrates are off the charts, they should be 5-20ppm ideally. Fish will always look like that are starving but as long as they have a nice round belly (not bloated) they are fine.

Also remember that the more fish eat the more they poop. The more poop the more ammonia and ammonia inevitably become nitrate as you know.


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

Very valid point


Sent from peliper

 

[dcutl002]

How long has your tank been setup? Other than the hornwort, is it planted?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[coralbandit]

What are tank specs?(I'm new here).
size and stocking?
Overfeeding does not only mean food is left over as C7 said.
ALL food eaten is still converted to waste IMO even faster!

 

[Trainer_Ruby_]

It's a 20g that's been running for about 2 and a half months 10 zebra danios 3 sailfin mollies 1 juvenile dojo 6 corydoras cats plants are luigia hornwort Amazon swords and bacopa


Sent from peliper

 

[dcutl002]

What are tank specs?(I'm new here).
size and stocking?
Overfeeding does not only mean food is left over as C7 said.
ALL food eaten is still converted to waste IMO even faster!

The size of the tank, type of filter, lighting, planted or not, substrate

Water parameters = ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, ph, KH, GH, temp.

Size = tank size
Stocking = mostly referring to fish, but could be plants.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Trainer_Ruby_]

The size of the tank, type of filter, lighting, planted or not, substrate

Water parameters = ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, ph, KH, GH, temp.

Size = tank size
Stocking = mostly referring to fish, but could be plants.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I've listed most of that previously on this thread.
Lights:900 lux led
Filter: penguin bio wheel 150
Substrate:cichlid sand
Ammonia:0
Nitrite:0
Ph:~7.2
KH:don't know
GH:don't know
Temp:79-80

According to the water report of my city I have moderately hard water. There's no exact number and I don't know how to find an exact number

Sent from peliper

 

[dcutl002]

It's a 20g that's been running for about 2 and a half months 10 zebra danios 3 sailfin mollies 1 juvenile dojo 6 corydoras cats plants are luigia hornwort Amazon swords and bacopa


Sent from peliper

OK. I do not believe that you are FULLY cycled. Keep doing water changes, plant, plant, plant, and use Prime.

I have so many plants I have to add nitrates. Mine are almost always zero.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[dcutl002]

I've listed most of that previously on this thread.
Lights:900 lux led
Filter: penguin bio wheel 150
Substrate:cichlid sand
Ammonia:0
Nitrite:0
Ph:~7.2
KH:don't know
GH:don't know
Temp:79-80



Sent from peliper

Lol. I was answering coralbandit's question.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Caliban07]

Ruby just cut way back on feeding. Do one wafer (the fish eat those too not just Cory's) for your fish Id just crush about half a dozen flakes up. Twice a day is ok if you are really worried and a treat once a week bloodworm etc.


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

 

[Trainer_Ruby_]

Ruby just cut way back on feeding. Do one wafer (the fish eat those too not just Cory's) for your fish Id just crush about half a dozen flakes up. Twice a day is ok if you are really worried and a treat once a week bloodworm etc.


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

Will do. Thank for all the help guy and galls


Sent from peliper

 

[coralbandit]

Lol. I was answering coralbandit's question.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thanks !
New here ,not to fish(keeping/breeding since 1980's with 1,000g now!)
Was really wondering about the OP specs!
He answered.
I agree you may not be completely cycled especially if you cycled with fish since the beginning.
Also agree to feed less ESPECIALLY if not completely cycled.
Fish can go way longer then most think without food.

 

[dcutl002]

Gotcha. I guess I'm too much of a Walstad nut. I cannot have a tank without lots of plants.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Trainer_Ruby_]

Thanks !
New here ,not to fish(keeping/breeding since 1980's with 1,000g now!)
Was really wondering about the OP specs!
He answered.
I agree you may not be completely cycled especially if you cycled with fish since the beginning.
Also agree to feed less ESPECIALLY if not completely cycled.
Fish can go way longer then most think without food.

Can't fish go a week and still be fine?


Sent from peliper