losing a fish a day

This is actually a pretty common reaction when people start doing more frequent, but still not regular, water changes. It's the main reason why frequent water changes used to be seen as such an awful thing!

When you don't do water changes, there are several things that happen. First, the fish become acclimated to bad conditions. Second, the water conditions change--most common is a 'crash' in the pH as the buffer is slowly used up. When a large water change happens, the pH spikes up, and then crashes. Same situation for other things in the water that can't be tested for. Third, the disturbance to the tank brings up old food and waste, that the bacteria start breaking down, and can cause an ammonia/nitrite spike that may only last a day or two--just long enough to stress the poor fish even more. Stable, even if sub-optimal, is better than constant changes.

Of course, stable, optimal water is even better. So, the thing to do is start performing small, regularly spaced water changes. Until nitrates come down, do 10% changes every third day. Once the water conditions stabilize, this can be relaxed to every week--but get there slowly. I would not add any more fish until the tank has been stable for a month of so, and you're in the habit of those regular water changes. Then, start adding them slowly--one 1-2 fish at a time, so the biological filtration can catch up easily.

HTH

Are you over-cleaning the gravel? I know you have a UGF, but do you still siphon the gravel? What about cleaning the filter? Do you clean that?


Maybe you are cleaning too much of the tank and removing too much of the helpful bacteria?

Okay, if this is not a recent change in maintenance, than we need to look at other factors. Do you know for certain that your water does not contain chloramines? Stress coat does treat chlorine, but not chloramines.

Well...it would help to know *how* high the nitrates are. They are lethal to fish, it just takes more of them than ammonia and nitrite. You mentioned they were still high after the change. Let us know how elevated they were...i suspect that would haev something to do with it.

I think it depends on the stress coat, OG. I have one called Stress coat (can't remember the brand offhand) that treat both.

PS. Is there any way a contaminant can be getting into the tank? Have you added a new decos? is there something you are using/doing that is introducing contaminants into the tank now that you are cleaning it more often?

Also, It doesn't sound like over cleaning is a problem if the nitrates are that high.

I would definitely defer to more knowledgeable people, so I’m just throwing something else in here. Could part of the problem be the ammo filter cartridge? Would they have a yo-yo effect on ammonia and then biofilter as their effect gets used up and then they are replaced?

I am kinda new at keeping fish, since my last aquarium i owned was like 20 years ago. I just got a new one 2 weeks ago.

For the past week i have read tons of websites and documentation about keeping fish.

What i find strange in your setup is the ammonia filter.
If your ammonia and nitrite are at 0 that should mean that your tank's cycle is correct. So the biological filter(s) are working.

I am interrested in your problem because you have a UGF.
And from what i read so far, UGF are not recomended anymore probably due to the fact that maybe more people put real plants in their aquariums.

My new aquarium is setup like yours. I have a UGF filter powered with 2 powerheads 201 and a aquaclear filter. My aquarium size is a 29 gallons from WallMart with plastic plants.

So, for your problem, which i am aware could become mine soon is your UGF. What i read about UGF is that pockets of dirts can clog parts of the UGF and these pockets can produce deadly gaz over time and kill all the fish.

What i think should be done to keep a healthy UGF is to at least clean one half at every water change. Make sure you clean down to the UGF itself so you know all the gravel was moved and no pockets left. And maybe removed all other decorations you may have in your tank. I.E. A pirate boat, dirt can accumulate under these. I also suspect dirt from cloging under the plastic plants anchors.

What i would suggest you, is to thoroughly clean the left side gravel with your next water change. Then do the right side at the next water change after that. I would also remove the ammo filter media you have in your Aquaclear filter and you don't need ammolock either. But what you could do is add some support media in your Aquaclear filter to support more good bacteria.

That is what i am planning to do with mine.

Yesterday i went to the pet shop and looked at that amonia remover they sell to put in the aquaclear filter.

It looks like bits of ceramic or something like that.

So it could be a version of noodles they made for the aquaclear filter? If so, i would beleive it is good to have it in the filter.