Kirazamane
Aquarium Advice Newbie
- Joined
- Sep 23, 2013
- Messages
- 4
Hello,
New to this site and hoping I'm not posting this in the wrong area for discussion if I am please forgive me. I'll endeavor to do better next time.
I recently started up a 35 gallon freshwater tank. I cycled for 3 months with no fish prior to introducing any animal to the tank. Once I had conditions at optimal levels I introduced 3 Mickey Mouse Platys, 2 Dwarf Honey Gouramis, 5 neon tetras and a spotted pleco. After about two weeks, both gouramis and the pleco had gone on to visit their fish gods. I've been told that this is "normal" and not to panic. I use a freshwater master test kit for testing water and do this every other day to stay on top of any problems that might occur. It's been a week since the pleco (last fish that went belly on me.) and I'm noticing a slight increase in nitrites and a decrease in ph. Until recently all my values were optimal (Ie, temp 74.5, ammonia .0, nitrites .0, nitrates .0 PH 7.6, clorine/cloramines also at .0) Now suddenly nitrites are up at 1.0, nitrates 40. ammonia 1.0, PH is 6.8 alkalinity at 60, clorine/cloramine still at 0. While I under stand that these perameters are still with in tolerances, I am at a lost as to why the sudden change. A 50% water change and cleaning the substrate did nothing to change these values with the exception of the PH going from 7.4 to 6.8 after the water change.
I prefer to keep the PH at 7.4-7.8 for my tropical fish friends. So you can see how this could be baffling to me.
Here is some info regarding my tank.:
35 gallon all glass hexagonal
I only use pre conditioned purified water that has been tested prior to putting into the tank. This is done for each water change (extra step but worth it in my book.)
running an Aqueon 55/75 filter pump with one fully charged Nitra Zorb pouch and two filter cartridges (one of which is brand new)
Temp stays at 74.5
I use the recommended amount of aquarium salt of 1 tablespoon per 5 gallons of water.
The aquarium light it not on for any length of time past 3 hours (helps to keep algae down.)
Bubble wall is adjustable and there for kept at a median rate (so as not to create too much of a current in the tank but create enough oxygen needed for the fish. And to be certain of oxygenation I keep half the tank covered.
Fish are fed twice a day and only as much as they can eat in 1-3 minute span. I feed flakes as they don't seem interested in pellets.
Current tank mates are
5 Neon Tetras, 3 Mickey Mouse Platys, 3 Albino Cory Cats and 2 Golden Algae Eaters. ( the cats and goldens were added last evening.)
I use a natural gravel substrate with a layer of fine grained sand on top to protect my bottom dwellers from damages to undersides and barbels.
I also have one moss ball, 3 live plants, all other plantings are silk and all decor was scrubbed with soft bristle brush and allowed to sit in a pot of boiled purified water and then allowed to air dry prior to being placed in the tank.
Now my questions, am I obsessing over small stuff or does this seem like the tank maybe headed into a crisis and if so can I head it off? I understand that I can adjust PH upwards by adding crushed coral/shells to the filter but how much should I use? Is it truly necessary? I have coral that I can use (it is thoroughly cleaned and as been in the tank before, I removed it for fear it might tear fins. (It is a large piece of coral and no it is not a live coral) should I replace it? It is the only thing I have changed.
I know I just dumped a huge load of "I don't know what to do" on ya'll but honestly I don't know what to do.
Thanks in advance to any and all who can answer my questions.
New to this site and hoping I'm not posting this in the wrong area for discussion if I am please forgive me. I'll endeavor to do better next time.
I recently started up a 35 gallon freshwater tank. I cycled for 3 months with no fish prior to introducing any animal to the tank. Once I had conditions at optimal levels I introduced 3 Mickey Mouse Platys, 2 Dwarf Honey Gouramis, 5 neon tetras and a spotted pleco. After about two weeks, both gouramis and the pleco had gone on to visit their fish gods. I've been told that this is "normal" and not to panic. I use a freshwater master test kit for testing water and do this every other day to stay on top of any problems that might occur. It's been a week since the pleco (last fish that went belly on me.) and I'm noticing a slight increase in nitrites and a decrease in ph. Until recently all my values were optimal (Ie, temp 74.5, ammonia .0, nitrites .0, nitrates .0 PH 7.6, clorine/cloramines also at .0) Now suddenly nitrites are up at 1.0, nitrates 40. ammonia 1.0, PH is 6.8 alkalinity at 60, clorine/cloramine still at 0. While I under stand that these perameters are still with in tolerances, I am at a lost as to why the sudden change. A 50% water change and cleaning the substrate did nothing to change these values with the exception of the PH going from 7.4 to 6.8 after the water change.
I prefer to keep the PH at 7.4-7.8 for my tropical fish friends. So you can see how this could be baffling to me.
Here is some info regarding my tank.:
35 gallon all glass hexagonal
I only use pre conditioned purified water that has been tested prior to putting into the tank. This is done for each water change (extra step but worth it in my book.)
running an Aqueon 55/75 filter pump with one fully charged Nitra Zorb pouch and two filter cartridges (one of which is brand new)
Temp stays at 74.5
I use the recommended amount of aquarium salt of 1 tablespoon per 5 gallons of water.
The aquarium light it not on for any length of time past 3 hours (helps to keep algae down.)
Bubble wall is adjustable and there for kept at a median rate (so as not to create too much of a current in the tank but create enough oxygen needed for the fish. And to be certain of oxygenation I keep half the tank covered.
Fish are fed twice a day and only as much as they can eat in 1-3 minute span. I feed flakes as they don't seem interested in pellets.
Current tank mates are
5 Neon Tetras, 3 Mickey Mouse Platys, 3 Albino Cory Cats and 2 Golden Algae Eaters. ( the cats and goldens were added last evening.)
I use a natural gravel substrate with a layer of fine grained sand on top to protect my bottom dwellers from damages to undersides and barbels.
I also have one moss ball, 3 live plants, all other plantings are silk and all decor was scrubbed with soft bristle brush and allowed to sit in a pot of boiled purified water and then allowed to air dry prior to being placed in the tank.
Now my questions, am I obsessing over small stuff or does this seem like the tank maybe headed into a crisis and if so can I head it off? I understand that I can adjust PH upwards by adding crushed coral/shells to the filter but how much should I use? Is it truly necessary? I have coral that I can use (it is thoroughly cleaned and as been in the tank before, I removed it for fear it might tear fins. (It is a large piece of coral and no it is not a live coral) should I replace it? It is the only thing I have changed.
I know I just dumped a huge load of "I don't know what to do" on ya'll but honestly I don't know what to do.
Thanks in advance to any and all who can answer my questions.