PWCs ?

[stepho725]

I've had my tank about 4 months now.
15 nitrates
0 nitrites
ph is about 6.5

Right now I'm using the strips for testing and I know I need to invest in a master kit but spending $35 on it when everything is fine in my tank has been a little difficult for my boyfriend to accept it as necessary.

Anyways - I've been doing PWC about every 5 days at 30%. Today I am going to do one after about 9 days. (Using pots really sucks! Definitely need to invest in the syphon that connects to the sink) I haven't yet gotten a syphon but have a bamboo shrimp and snail and pleco doing a good job cleaning the bottom and will be getting 4 Corys in a few weeks.

So should I stir up the bottom before my PWC?
How much should I change? I had heard 30% for a while but.now am seeing info on other websites saying 50-75%!! And that 30% isn't enough to do anything.
And lastly can I go the full two weeks between PWC after today?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Aspencer]

Test strips can be very inaccurate...if you water parameters are truly what you stated, your tank is in good shape but you will not really know until you have an accurate test kit.

Depending on your tank size and what stock you have, toxins build up at different rates. A good way to know what schedule you need is to test your water a different times to see at what rate your toxins build up and then do water changes as necessary.

Changing 30 to 50% at each water change is good. As for two weeks, who knows?

 

[blert]

What size tank are we talking about?

Buy your test kit online. Fifteen (or so) bucks from Amazon beats $35 from the LFS any day.

Don't stir up the substrate, instead use a gravel vac.

If you are not overstocked and are only truly seeing 15ppm nitrate after nine days I think you would be fine going with a 50% every two weeks PWC schedule. Just keep an eye on things.

 

[stepho725]

29 gal. I'm understocked right now but plan on finishing my stocking within the next couple months. I've had a lot of evaporation ....probably like 5% ...do I take out an additional 50% or just 50% all together?

 

[ktomminello]

If you have water evaporation you should be topping off with fresh water, as for the water change- 30-50% of your total tank. Don't stir up what's on the bottom- use a dropper or a turkey baster and suck the stuff up every few days and get rid of anything decaying (food waste, plant matter) and keep an eye on your parameters, top off when evaporation happens (ph drops and electrolytes dissipate and ammonia builds up) and understocked isn't necessarily a bad thing if you're wanting to slack on water changes, just make sure you keep algae eaters and low bioload bottom feeders, plecos are a no no, lol, I digress, if you keep up with minor things daily you honestly can go a while without a huge water change. Just keep on checking your water parameters. If you're motivated enough to perform minor maintenance daily you can go about a month with a low bioload understocked tank.

 

[stepho725]

Ha! Well I've got a bristlenose pleco and yes hes constantly pooping!! I also have two blue gouramis and a flame dwarf gourami, 2 neons, a bamboo shrimp, mystery snail, and some baby snails who hitched a hike on bamboo(I know I'm not supposed to have both types of gourami - didn't learn it until it was too late but so far so good - no aggression and little interaction. The neons came in a group of 5 but 3 died during the cycle, plan on adding more soon and adding some corys thus completing my stocking)
I will try your turkey baster suggestion.
Was thinking of getting one of those battery operated vacuums and need to buy a big python too.
What do you guys think about those LiveMeters? For live ph, nitrate and ammonia levels.

 

[ktomminello]

live meters

I used master test kits for a very long time... I'll be honest with you and tell you, I only use a basic strip on freshwater tanks everyday unless I notice something doesn't look right. As far as live meters go, if you're ocd, not sure of yourself, are a beginner or have a tank with special parameters I, personally, think that they are a neat little gadget if you have the money to blow, but I don't really trust them or understand how they work, sorry. I may only use daily test strips on my freshwater 40g community and 20g hospital, but I still master test my planted 10g and my saltwater 40 and 10g because, well, they are difficult tanks and I think that with the live meter my readings would be highly inaccurate at times and freak me out more then anything.

 

[ktomminello]

Oh, and I have kept a group, formerly 4, but my kisser died of old age, I'm assuming (was an adult when I got him and had him for a few years) of different types of gourami- 1 snakeskin, 1 three spot blue, one paradise, and (RIP) pink kissing together- much like their betta kin, can be kept with others of their species- SOMETIMES, and normally they have to be female with only one male sounds like your tank is average stocked, and taking your stock into consideration (neons have a slightly tighter water parameter requirement then gourami, danio, pleco and other labyrinth fish -I know, I pleco is a catfish not a labyrinth, but it does have a labyrinth organ- who can breathe air at the surface of the tank) which would kind of explain their passing (nitrite process got them). Long story longer, I don't think you'll be able to make it more than a couple weeks without a change, and hey, if you have the money gravel vacs and pythons are awesome, but not really a necessity for a 29g

 

[stepho725]

OCD sounds about right!! Thanks for the input. I think before I get one of the LiveMeters I will invest in a big python and a master kit.
Just finished my water change. God it is a PITA using the pan! Takes about 30 trips back and forth. Blargh!
I test daily with my strips too. I am going to test for a second time in a few minutes just trying to let things settle. I did a 50% tonight and sucked up a bunch of crap off the bottom. The tank looks great but there is dust looking stuff and some dog fur particles floating around again. It drives me crazy! Should be gone soonish.
I'm kind of nervous about the 50% change and I cleaned my sponge in my filter...was that a dumbie move? Will my little friends be okay ya think?

 

[stepho725]

Ah - the blues are male and female and the dwarf is a male it seems. I'm hoping no problems arise but as I said so far so good.
Do you think my tank is already stocked enough or could I add the 4 neons and 3-4 cory?
Yeah I think I will stick with the 30% - 50% once every week to two.
I've seen some slight aggression between the male and female. He chases her a bit. I'm going to keep an eye on it.

 

[blert]

IMO, don't bother with those "stick on glass" meters, they are garbage. Highly inaccurate at best and they ugly up the tank. If you really want to spend the money on a 24 hour monitoring system get a proper controller with quality probes, but that is pretty expensive.

 

[ktomminello]

Trouble in paradise?

OCD will help you right now- you most likely wiped a ton of beneficial bacteria. You sound like you have diatoms which indicate a problem, usually a problem with the nitrification process. Simply make sure to add something with beneficial bacteria and/or nitrifying bacteria. I have given corys a chance, but I personally am not a real fan of them, they have high rates of infection. I have a preference for fiddler crabs and oto cats, but that's all preference.

 

[stepho725]

Yah I think corys are super ugly actually but ppl say they have small bioload and are fun to watch. Id love some fiddlers but they would eat my beloved bamboo shrimp - right? Also i dont have anything that they can get out of the tank on plus id be scared they would escape. And idk what an Otto is - I will research.
When.I look very closely at the "dust" it is a lot of teeeeensy tiny little bubbles and then what looks like dust and some rogue dog hairs.
I add Prime to my tank with each PWC...does this have the beneficial bacteria? Also - my filter media also includes carbon and the ceramic things (AquaClear 50). I didn't wash off the ceramic at least :-/

 

[ktomminello]

oto cats are miniature catfish that are incredible algae destroyers that are very peaceful and usually, much like pleco, will pick a spot and thoroughly and slowly clean it. If you keep a school of them they are so amusing when it's night time (nocturnal) if kept in a group more than 7 they will attempt to swim, lol, but they are very bad at it. Plus they max out at 2 inches and bioload is very low.

 

[stepho725]

Cool I don't see them around here like ever.
What about the Prime - does that have the beneficial bacteria?
And those bubbles - is that the diatom or whatever?

 

[ktomminello]

I don't think so, if they are bubbles there is a chance of it being algae (especially if there is a lot of light in the tank), acidic water, or you might just have bubbles from your air pump. In any case it's not too big of a deal, just keep an eye on your water parameters. A warning about oto cats- they are wild caught and if not handled properly WILL die. They are very easy to care for, however, if you maintain a well filtered and balanced tank- you don't even need to feed them usually (unless you're like me and keep tanks understocked) and if you do need to feed them a school of 7 older juveniles/ adults I've noticed take pretty well to an algae wafer that has been softened and placed in an area that they can huddle and hide in. For the best success rate only purchase from a reputable lfs who can tell you where they were ordered from and how long they have had them- if they look filled out and their stripe is dark AND the person says they have had them for a month + you are most likely getting the tough guys and they should survive with no worries (so long as your tank is maintained properly). If you go to a big chain store (especially petsmart, pet quarters, petco Walmart etc) chances are if they are small with poor coloration and a sunken in belly they will die within a day or 2. Like I mentioned, look for hearty looking fish with strong pigmentation a sleek filled in belly that's about 3/4 of an inch to about an inch and a quarter, these will be the most resilient ones that are ready to be put in a home aquarium, otherwise it's a shot in the dark whether or not they survive. I am obsessed with my otos, It's like playing where's Waldo every morning when I do my first tank check and adjust. My critters are my life, lol. Oh and you're right, fiddlers are escape artists galore, plus they are not fully aquatic and require a little bit of semi brackish water to bask in from time to time. Mine have their own lives, they figured out how to get into the filter, they stayed hidden in there for a while, then they figured out how to escape the filter so now they kinda just hide wherever they want in between my 2 10g and climb into the filter now and again when they are hungry and hang out in the tank and play and eat at night (I see them in there about 3 nights a week). I don't believe they would go after your shrimp, they are normally scavengers, unlike some of their saltwater counterparts. The males big claw is show only and their actual claws are way to small to do much damage, they use them like hands. Well, that was a novel, lol. Good luck to you!! Oh, and I agree cories aren't very attractive, and a lot of beginners/novices have issues with keeping them alive. When I had my corys the only ones I thought were cute were my peppered corys, but because of their sand sifting mouths they were becoming injured while trying to eat off of my lava stone and bumpy decorations and getting infections. I eventually gave up, put them in a 5g qt with fine grade aquarium sand, nursed them to health and gave them away on craigslist.

 

[ktomminello]

Oh, and prime doesn't have bacteria, it just has a slime coat protector. Instant cyclers like stresszyme+, quick start, nutrafin cycle, seachem stability, etc. just try to avoid starter enzyme additives as most of them are made for fishless start ups.

 

[Mrs.h2012]

I've had my tank about 4 months now.
15 nitrates
0 nitrites
ph is about 6.5

Right now I'm using the strips for testing and I know I need to invest in a master kit but spending $35 on it when everything is fine in my tank has been a little difficult for my boyfriend to accept it as necessary.

Anyways - I've been doing PWC about every 5 days at 30%. Today I am going to do one after about 9 days. (Using pots really sucks! Definitely need to invest in the syphon that connects to the sink) I haven't yet gotten a syphon but have a bamboo shrimp and snail and pleco doing a good job cleaning the bottom and will be getting 4 Corys in a few weeks.

So should I stir up the bottom before my PWC?
How much should I change? I had heard 30% for a while but.now am seeing info on other websites saying 50-75%!! And that 30% isn't enough to do anything.
And lastly can I go the full two weeks between PWC after today?

Thanks in advance!

For starters strips are very inaccurate, and the API master test kits can be found on amazon for a little more than $20. Testing your water is crucial, it helps prevent fishy deaths. It's good that you have a water change schedule, but without the proper water testing kit you never know if you have a problem. You could think things are fine but not know unless you have a good testing kit. And it's not your boyfriends business to accept as necessary, it's not his hobby is it? Does he know what is necessary and what isn't for this hobby?

 

[BBradbury]

Water Changes

Hello steph...

Read your post and thought I'd respond with a little different idea. Small water changes do very little to maintain pure water conditions. You really should consider removing and replacing half the water every week.

By flushing large amounts of pure, treated tap water through the tank every week, there's no time for toxins like ammonia and nitrite to build up before the next, large water change.

Think of your fish tank as an unflushed toilet. That's what you have. If you were to trade places with your fish, how often and how much water would you want removed?

Just a thought.

B

 

[ktomminello]

Hello steph...

Read your post and thought I'd respond with a little different idea. Small water changes do very little to maintain pure water conditions. You really should consider removing and replacing half the water every week.

By flushing large amounts of pure, treated tap water through the tank every week, there's no time for toxins like ammonia and nitrite to build up before the next, large water change.

Think of your fish tank as an unflushed toilet. That's what you have. If you were to trade places with your fish, how often and how much water would you want removed?

Just a thought.

B

Hmm. Confusion, lol. Here's a thought- changing your water everyday with properly conditioned water at a rate of 10% (given you have a small or normal bioload stock) will give them the parameters (usually) that they like, but unless you are using a product containing beneficial bacteria, your tank will never fully cycle. A large change weekly, if all it is is a change, will cause your beneficial bacteria to fluctuate and if you're cleaning filters/ gravel as well as changing 50% of the water, well you're gonna stall or slow your cycle... Read up on fish-in cycling versus fishless cycling and the various methods. This is one of the topics in the aquarium world where EVERYONE has their own opinion, lol