Newbie to the hobby is unsure whats going on

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DrummerBoy527

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Aug 8, 2003
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Well I figure the more details I type, the better off my aquarium will be (and my future fish) so I will kinda go into detail about how my aquarium came to be. Well it started with a basic 10 gallon aquarium, but because I did not know much about aquarium cycling and water condition importances, my goldfish's ended up dying, but I knew there was something wrong so I didn't add anymore. Well I learned as most do by mistakes, searching the internet for everything I could to learn about water conditions and such. So I got my niffty 20 gallon aquarium now, and I knew I wanted tropical fish with live plants (probebly a big jump from goldfish and plastic plants). So I got all the required gravel I needed, I have a Penguin Bio-Wheel Mini, 100w heater (which isn't used much as the conditions here in the summer cause the tank to rise to 80 degrees anyway), and I filled it up with water, added the conditioner and let it sit for a week. Lucky me, I still had one goldfish left, the first goldfish I had that lasted through whatever the mayham was in the 10 gallon tank...he seemed very healthy, very active fish, so I threw him in the aquarium to get the tank cycled, which it did sucessfully. I moved him into a smaller bowl but it ended up getting a disease and died. By this time, I got a pH testing kit (with pH up, and pH down), Ammonia, and nitrite. I would get nitrate and water hardness test but for some reason, the local fish supply stores feel like priceing these tests by themselvs for $15-$20! Oh yea, I also got a skimmpy 18" 15w Coralife plant lamp , I do realize this is not enough lighting for a planted aquarium, but also the local stores do not carry a wide assortment of light fixtures, so I am unable to add a second light fixture :(. I also got a basic CO2 injection system. Well, I got a few plants at first, a Red Melon Sword plant and a Hygrophila...the Hygro threw runneres withen a week but still isn't growing much (probebly lack of light at the bottom of the tank), also the red melon is sitting there quite small but I read that they stay small. Later I got a Amazon Sword Plant, which I read is a very hardy plant and grows very quickly. It also threw out runners. I also have a black skirt tetra and a smaller tetra in there just so there are a few fish in the tank. Now I see my Amazon Sword plant, which is the biggest plant in the tank and recives the most light, leaves are turning transparent! Also seems like daily, I get a good chunk of brownish-red algae showing up that I must whip of the sides. Also, the two smaller plants are showing hairy type stuff on its leaves. My test kits are showing 0 ppm for Ammonia, and 0 ppm for nitrite, the pH is way up there at 7.6 and will not drop. I was thinking that the water is too hard but we do have a water softener, but I can't be certain until I can get a water hardness test. Something in the tank is buffering the pH and won't let it drop, the last water change was on the 1st of august. What could be wrong with my water and how do I fix it?! I seem to be cursed with problems with these aquariums, something goes wrong that I dont' know about and then I have to try and fix it until yet another problem shows up. Does everybody go through this when they first start the aquarium hobby? It gets fustrating! How did any of you succesfully get a aquarium going wihtout having so many problems? Any help will be greatly appriciated! Meanwhile, I'm gonna go back to researching the internet some more before I go to work. Thanks.
 
Here is some advice I can offer:

1. Don't try and fix the pH. It will only lead to problems like super algae growth. Instead try and find fish that fit your pH range or get hardy fish that can adapt. With your range you can have gouramis, platys, guppies, swordtails, mollies and most of the hardy tetras, all of which can fit in your tank (not at the same time of course).

2. Don't mix goldfish and tropical fish. Yours are dead now but don't get more.

3. The new algae is being caused due to an imbalance in nutrients and CO2 and light. Needless to say you don't need a CO2 injector if your light is as low as your is. Red leaved plants need high light generally, and your others tend to like at least mid level lights. Your best bet would be Java Fern which can survive nicely at those levels, until you can afford more light.

4. tetras need schools of at least 5 so you should add more than you have right now. But be careful not to overstock the tank. A couple school of tetras that reach 2 inches in size can quickly place a high bioload on that 20 gallon, and you will probably want to add bottom feeders as well.

5. Your filtration isn't a whole lot and is more on the minimal size for that tank. The plants will help if they are healthy but once again don't overstock. The heavier the bioload the more often you must do water changes.

6. Your cycle probably isn't done but has reached a balance between the couple of fish you have and the plants. Adding more fish will start it up again as the bacteria has to grow more to compensate for the new waste. Add new fish slowly to the tank.

7. When adding fish, especially those that have to adjust to a new pH, add them slowly. Float the bag in the tank and every 5 minutes or so add a little tank water to the bag. Then after 40 minutes or so net the fish and add them to the tank. Never add the fish store water to the tank. Pour it on your out door flowers, they will like it.

8. As an aside goldfish are also huge fish that should never be kept in small tanks or bowls. They will be able to grow up to 1 1/2 feet sometimes unless they are stunted as is what normally happens. And they are generally colder water fish that like it in the low 70F max, but generally in the 60's better.
 
Originally posted by DrummerBoy527
Does everybody go through this when they first start the aquarium hobby?
Click to expand...

YES! You are not alone. The biggest problem is that so many places push fish as a low maintenance, add water and grow pet. In truth, there's a lot to understand, and finding good information can be tough.

It's great that you have ammonia and nitrite tests--these are the biggies to understand in a new aquarium. But, they are just one piece of the puzzle. Algae problems are usually related to the presence of other, difficult to test for, substances. Nitrates and phosphates are the biggest problems for most people with algae problems. Nitrates are a natural result of the nitrogen cycle, and plants and water changes will reduce them. Phosphates usually come from either food, chemical treatments or your water source. Since feeding is probably the number one cause, try cutting back your feeding. Fish have very slow metabolisms, especially compared to warm blooded animals, and they also beg constantly. This results in over feeding frequently--people feed because the fish 'looks' hungry! Most adult fish will be fine with either one small daily meal, or a slightly larger feeding every other day. Each fish should be fed an amount about the size of their eye--pretty small!

For the pH issue--I wouldn't worry about it, and I would not use pH up, or pH down. Both of the products (chemical treatments) can contribute phosphates to your tank, and often do not have a lasting effect on the water. This means you treat the water, it drops (or rises), but the buffer is quickly used up, and the pH bounces back to it's original level. Not good for fish--sudden changes can cause shock. While 7.6 is a tad high for some fish, it is NOT a problem. I wouldn't mess with it at all.

On the plants--there's good and bad news. The CO2 is a good thing for the plants, depending on other water parameters. GH and KH, as well as pH, will determine the amount of CO2 in the water. With only a few plants, I wouldn't use it. It can cause problems and instabilities in the tank, without seeing a huge improvement on plants. But, since you have it already--read up on it. Check out the planted forum; there are probably 50 threads about using CO2, and links to tables that show how CO2 changes in relation to other water parameters.

The light is probably the limiting factor for your tank right now. Bigger and better is just a click away. www.hellolights.com and bigalsonline.com are the first place to check. Target getting about 3 watts per gallon, and you'll see a big improvement (and need to move on to fertilizing. ;) )

Keep yer' chin up--while there's a lot to learn, most of it isn't complicated. Just requires a bit of research on your part. We've all been there, and gotten through it somehow. The result--having a beautiful tank with healthy fish, is worth it. And usually results in having 2 or 3 more. :eek:
 
I have a question about light strips....they measure them in 20", 24", and so on....Now I do not understand how they mesure these. Is this mesurement based off of the length of the tank (my length is 24", so would I get a 24" light strip to fit the hood?), yet the actual light strip on my hood is about 22 1/2" long, and then the bulb is 18". Too many mesurements, what would be the size I would need to get to fit my hood?
 
The bulbs are sold in the actual size, while the strip lights are frequently listed by the size of tank they will fit on. So, a 24 inch light will sit on top of a 24 inch tank, but might measure slightly less or slightly more. The only way I've found is to measure the space for the light, then measure the lights at the store. Then I go online an buy the appropriate light from somewhere like Big Al's, or hello lights.

Technically, if the strip is listed as a 24" strip, it will fit any tank that is 24 inches side to side. I have custom hoods on my tanks, so the space available is never the same as the measurement for the tank.
 
Sorry--the link doesn't display a specific product (sure it does for you, but I don't have your bin and cookies, so it just comes up blank).

In general, strip lights will provide enough light for some plants. Anubias, java ferns, java moss, african fern (bolbitis), some crypts, soma rotala will all be fine with about 1.2 watts/gallon. For higher light levels, strip lights won't cut it, and there's not much you can do about it. Changing bulbs might get another watt or five, and you can play with the spectrum a bit. But, the strip light ballast is the limiting factor. Putting a 100 watt bulb in a ballast rated for 40 watts won't do a bit of good--the bulb will light up, but the output will still top out at 40 watts.

Look at power compacts. They are a bit pricier, but well worth it if you really want a planted tank, IMO.
 
ah sorry about that link, I should've noticed that. It is a 24" 55w compact strip light from All-glass. On the site yesterday, it was listed for around $63.00, but now I can't find that exact link or they decided to raise the price to $139 :confused:
 
55W will be great for most plants, just avoid the ones that say high light. Most bunch plants will thrive, but avoid the 'red' plants--they tend to need higher light in addition to high iron levels.

For the pricing--make sure you are on the American Big Al's--the Canadian site looks the same, but the prices seem a bit higher due to the conversion rate.
 
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