NooB needs Help please

[Magicmarymac]

I am very sad and a bit frustrated.

My Marineland Eclipse 12 (13 watt, 5000k) has gone from 28 fish with old tank syndrome in October 2012 to getting cleaned up, planted, pretty, and the bioload pretty much under control.

1 male betta
6 ottos
3 ghost shrimp
3 cherry shrimp
dozens of tiny snails (Mystery Snails mostly)
3 Assassin snails

In fact, even back then when I had way too many fish in this tank the ammonia never read more than .1... until today. The only thing that has changed is that on 1/31 I did a 50% PWC, added plant tabs to the substrate (gravel), and added two more assassin snails (making it 3).

This is the first time I have added plant tabs and I followed the instructions and added five. I have been adding Flourish excel and Comprehensive Supplement for the Planted Aquarium for a couple of weeks now.

Yesterday I woke up to cloudiness, so I (yes, no doubt stupidly), replaced the filter pad and added charcoal in a bag. Today I checked the water, with my API test kit, and the numbers shocked me!

Ammonia .5 (it has never even once approached GREEN, just yellow with a very slight tinge of green)

Nitrates 30 (always guessing at this number, call it 20-60)

Nitrates .1 (I have not seen anything but pure blue until today)

I did a 30% PWC immediately and added extra Prime. I also pulled out a couple dozen more tiny Mystery Snail babies to take to the LFS for their Puffers.

I will do another PWC when I get back.

Any suggestions would be sincerely appreciated.

Thank you,

Mary

 

[Rivercats]

The tank looks good and it sounds like your having a mini-cycle. What is the tanks ph?

 

[Magicmarymac]

The tank looks good and it sounds like your having a mini-cycle. What is the tanks ph?

Consistently 7.6 regular PH or 7.4 high range.

 

[Magicmarymac]

The tank looks good and it sounds like your having a mini-cycle. What is the tanks ph?

Oh. And thank you. I guess I'm more focused on parameters than on how it looks.

Of course there IS the additional bio load of a bazillion Mystery Snail babies.

 

[phishfriend]

I think it may have been the root tab. Some tabs will breakdown very quickly. If the aren't deep enough in the substrate. I believe API root tabs are know to do it.

 

[Magicmarymac]

I think it may have been the root tab. Some tabs will breakdown very quickly. If the aren't deep enough in the substrate. I believe API root tabs are know to do it.

I believe they were API.

Thank you.

 

[Wepwawet]

Replacement of your filter media is making it mini cycle imo. I would probably do 50% water change for a cpl days till the bacteria catch back up. But keep testing and water change is all you can do

 

[Magicmarymac]

Replacement of your filter media is making it mini cycle imo. I would probably do 50% water change for a cpl days till the bacteria catch back up. But keep testing and water change is all you can do

Just to clarify, I did not replace the bio wheel, just the pad with carbon.

My LFS sold me some Microbacter7 by Brightwell Aquatics, "Complete Bioculture for establishing Biological Filtration and rapidly improving water quality in all marine and freshwater aquaria." The ingredients are listed as, "Purified water, proprietary blend of natural enzymes, and non-pathogenic, beneficial bacteria microorganisms."

 

[phishfriend]

Just to clarify, I did not replace the bio wheel, just the pad with carbon.

My LFS sold me some Microbacter7 by Brightwell Aquatics, "Complete Bioculture for establishing Biological Filtration and rapidly improving water quality in all marine and freshwater aquaria." The ingredients are listed as, "Purified water, proprietary blend of natural enzymes, and non-pathogenic, beneficial bacteria microorganisms."

Just so you know, Those "Bactria in a bottle" are a roll of the dice. Some say they work while other say its a waste of money but it won't hurt your system.

 

[Magicmarymac]

Just so you know, Those "Bactria in a bottle" are a roll of the dice. Some say they work while other say its a waste of money but it won't hurt your system.

When he handed it to me I almost said, "No thank you," because I had read this here. I decided to go with it since this isn't a new tank and I am not relying on it.

I do still have a hard time with the recommendation that I should never replace these pads on a bio wheel system. I have one bio wheel in the 12 and two on the 36, Emperor and Penguin. The pads in the 36 are also constantly infested with snails and the impeller in the twelve jammed up with snails. Luckily I was there to clean the 12 impeller before it burned out.

 

[Wepwawet]

The reason not to replace is two fold. 1 it's not needed unless your pad is falling apart. 2 it houses a good amount of bacteria.

Now we all also know that "back in the day" before someone came along and told us it was bad ppl would change them when doing pwc come next "x" day they got out the test kit and all was normal.

If you want to change them more often barring keeping super sensitive fish have at it. For a cpl days after your fish may give you a dirty look but other than that all should keep on trucking.

 

[Magicmarymac]

Today's readings:

Ammonia .2. Dropped from .5
Nitrite 0. Dropped from .1
Nitrate 40 Possibly higher-hard to tell
PH 7.2. Dropped from 7.4 HR or 7.6 not HR

Thank you!

Mary

 

[Magicmarymac]

The reason not to replace is two fold. 1 it's not needed unless your pad is falling apart. 2 it houses a good amount of bacteria.

Now we all also know that "back in the day" before someone came along and told us it was bad ppl would change them when doing pwc come next "x" day they got out the test kit and all was normal.

If you want to change them more often barring keeping super sensitive fish have at it. For a cpl days after your fish may give you a dirty look but other than that all should keep on trucking.

Lol

I am 62--but teachable.

I am working on this personal issue of wanting to put a fresh, clean, and beautiful pad in to complete the cleaning process.

My poor husband is still flummoxed, (betcha haven't heard that one for a while--if ever), by the concept of weekly PWC.

Thank you for your patience.

Mary

 

[Wepwawet]

Are you using tap water? If so put some in a bucket with an airstone to gas over night and test it your Nitrates are high just wondering if the water starts that way or is something in the tank causing it

 

[Magicmarymac]

Lost an Oto. :-(

 

[Rivercats]

Sorry about your oto but remember they are hard to acclimate as most are wild caught and losing some when adding them to a new tank is not uncommon. They also do best if added to a tank that is at least 6 months old.

 

[Magicmarymac]

Sorry about your oto but remember they are hard to acclimate as most are wild caught and losing some when adding them to a new tank is not uncommon. They also do best if added to a tank that is at least 6 months old.

Thank you for responding.

Unfortunately, that is exactly what is frustrating. This is not a new tank, I have had it running for about five years, it has been wonderfully stable since October, and the Oto's have been in it for months. The last month in particular they have seemed happy, not hiding or startling as much, playing loop-de-loop, and with nice round tummies.

Epic Fail.

M

P. S. I may have had aquariums on an off for most of my 62 years, but I am still a Noob because I really only started educating myself in October, 2012!




See, Noob, Just the other day I bought a baby Betta and put it in the bowl the eggs HAD been in. Now he waits there while the fry occupy the Evolve4. At least it is heated and has a sponge filter. Sigh.

 

[Magicmarymac]

Today's results for the 12.

Looks like…

PH 7.2
Ammonia .1 ????
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 5 ppm

Yesterday I did a 30% PWC in the AM and a 50% in the afternoon.

 

[Magicmarymac]

Are you using tap water? If so put some in a bucket with an airstone to gas over night and test it your Nitrates are high just wondering if the water starts that way or is something in the tank causing it

Tap water tested, sat overnight without an air stone as all of my air pumps are on temporary duty. *. If this is really important I may be able to hook one up.

Looks like:

PH 7.6
Ammonia close to 0
Nitrate 0
Nitrate between 0 and 5

*my air pumps:
One in Evolve4 for Cory fry
Another hooked up to Baby Betta in large bowl with sponge filter and heater
Third hooked up to 12 gallon

 

[Wepwawet]

Well now we know what your starting with. Just keep up with the water changes till the spike stops coming. Keep us posted. If it continues after a cpl days