Hi,
This is my first post on here, but I thought I would jump straight in!
I have a 56 litre (sorry, I am from the UK, can't think in gallons, but think it is about 10!) tank I intend to use mainly for growing up plants for my other 2 tanks, but also as a hospital/quarantine/breeding tank.
I have been regularly testing it since set up about 6 weeks ago. Plants went in 3 weeks ago. Test results last night were:
pH 7.2
Nitrates - 10mg/l
Nitrites and ammonia=undetectable
I have however picked up snails from a dodgy batch of plants and got hair algae from somewhere. Snails treated initialy with a copper based drug followed by a 50% water change. The odd small one appears which I take out, will probably have to treat properly again soon
Despite the good test results I have a gut feeling all is not well in there. There are a lot of particles in the gravel - I was silly and didn't wash it first and the water is a bit darker than the other aquaria.
I was advised to use "polyfilter" an all singing, all dancing pollutant removing filter disc, to get rid of the hair algae and anything else pollutant wise in there. The problem is it becomes spent (turns a brown colour) after only 3 hours in the aquarium which suggests my suspicions are correct.
Any ideas what is causing this or what to do, I am a bit clueless as the test results are quite good! In addition have pregnant platies I would like to put in there but don't really want to as I am a bit suspicious - would rather loose a brood to the other tank members than both the females due to nasty water!
Any help appreciated!
Paul
This is my first post on here, but I thought I would jump straight in!
I have a 56 litre (sorry, I am from the UK, can't think in gallons, but think it is about 10!) tank I intend to use mainly for growing up plants for my other 2 tanks, but also as a hospital/quarantine/breeding tank.
I have been regularly testing it since set up about 6 weeks ago. Plants went in 3 weeks ago. Test results last night were:
pH 7.2
Nitrates - 10mg/l
Nitrites and ammonia=undetectable
I have however picked up snails from a dodgy batch of plants and got hair algae from somewhere. Snails treated initialy with a copper based drug followed by a 50% water change. The odd small one appears which I take out, will probably have to treat properly again soon
Despite the good test results I have a gut feeling all is not well in there. There are a lot of particles in the gravel - I was silly and didn't wash it first and the water is a bit darker than the other aquaria.
I was advised to use "polyfilter" an all singing, all dancing pollutant removing filter disc, to get rid of the hair algae and anything else pollutant wise in there. The problem is it becomes spent (turns a brown colour) after only 3 hours in the aquarium which suggests my suspicions are correct.
Any ideas what is causing this or what to do, I am a bit clueless as the test results are quite good! In addition have pregnant platies I would like to put in there but don't really want to as I am a bit suspicious - would rather loose a brood to the other tank members than both the females due to nasty water!
Any help appreciated!
Paul